95oldsVan Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 Im am so sick of the crappy design upper side door handles GM has made for this Lumina.This the 3rd one(Drivers Door) that broke that I replaced.This one is maybe 2 years old.The passenger side still has the originals since it doesnt get as much use. Anyways theres a weak spot just below the spring area that breaks in half. I finally decided to try and fix this one instead of buying a used or a new one that WILL just break all over again there. Has anyone done this?Is there an old topic?I did a search but came up with nada. Im going to try and have someone tig weld it or whatever its called and then weld another plate to the side of it to make it stronger.I already took the handle apart,took out the Pin and spring so its ready to be fixed. Just wish JB weld could do the job! Sorry this is long.Thanks for any suggestions or a repair that worked and what you did to fix it. Quote
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 I doubt you can weld anything to that crappy metal and have it hold for very long. It's pretty much REPLACE if it breaks. Not a big deal to me, it only takes like 10min... Quote
TeeJay3800 Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 Crappy Door Handle Design...Anyone Ever Repair? That's like asking if anyone has ever changed their oil. Yeah the design is cool, but not very strong. Although, I've never had any problems with mine. There have been a number of people here who have fixed there's that I'm sure can help you out. Quote
95oldsVan Posted January 15, 2006 Author Report Posted January 15, 2006 Youre probably right about the welding.Looks like powdered sugar where it broke off.Uggh.Alumalloy would probably fix it but cost 100 bucks for the damn rod kits.Ill still see if it can be done though,but was hoping someone else did so. If its cheap enough..If not just locate another one eh?More $$ spent to fix the car that will just break again someday. Suxs! Quote
95oldsVan Posted January 15, 2006 Author Report Posted January 15, 2006 I'll sit back and wait for others to post their suggestions.Btw the door does NOT drop when it opens.So there isnt extra strain on the handle that could lead to earlier failures over normal GM lifespan which is,"Hope it makes it past 3 years" so they can make money off parts when selling new cars. Dang the car is old but the door handle didnt last 2 years.Thank god the rest of the car has been excellent! Quote
95oldsVan Posted January 15, 2006 Author Report Posted January 15, 2006 Crappy Door Handle Design...Anyone Ever Repair? That's like asking if anyone has ever changed their oil. Yeah the design is cool, but not very strong. Although, I've never had any problems with mine. There have been a number of people here who have fixed there's that I'm sure can help you out. Im suprised there isnt a FAQ on this.Yeah the handle is easy to change but I would have thought maybe someone had posted a tech tip write up. Maybe I can do it if all goes well. Quote
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 Yeah they aren't really repairable that I know of, but I could be wrong. The best thing to do is open them very carefully. Use the door handle to open it slightly, then grab the top of the door with your other hand to open it all the way... I haven't broke a handle in a couple of years.. (the one of my 95 I havne't changed yet and my 88 I had before lasted a while before I junked it, and I saved the handles ) Quote
DiscoStudd Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 http://www.w-body.com/service/exterior-doorhandle.html Didn't someone say that GM beefed up the door handles in the later years? I have never had any problems with the 2 95's I own/owned... Quote
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 you can buy new ones on ebay for less than $30 delivered. we have one on the '90 Cutlass Supreme and it is nice enough...works very well although the paint has some orange peel (still looks better than the paintjob on that car though) Quote
fastbird232 Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 I have never had any problems with the 2 95's I own/owned... Then you're the lucky one. Broken two in three months. Quote
z284pwr Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 Yeah, they definitely seem to be different, the 1 on my TGP broke around 152,000 miles, drivers side. However, our '88 Beretta GT has 252,000 miles on it, same design, its still original, on both sides :shock: Quote
Psych0matt Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 I have never had any problems with the 2 95's I own/owned... Mines a 94 and I've had it last at least the three years I've owned it, even when people have wrenched on it a bit (made me squirm, but it didnt break) Quote
Crazy K Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 source of doorhandles, they claim they are built stronger than factory, but the finsh has been stated to have orange peels... http://www.1aauto.com/1A/DoorHandleExterior/ This is discussed in a topic in group purchases http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2600&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 Quote
Prospeeder Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 i always threaten my friends, IF YOU PULL ON THAT HANDLE WHEN ITS LOCKED YOU WALK! and how to open it, and who ever breaks it buys it Quote
fastbird232 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 I know. I flinch when people pull on the handle once or twice even if it's locked. Also unsettling in the winter when the doors freeze shut occasionally. Quote
GP1138 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 I yanked and pulled on my old 89's handles, and never broke even once. Now, when I rode in Jessica's '95 GTP, I pulled the handle just to get the door open, then grabbed the door itself. Quote
Prospeeder Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 I know. I flinch when people pull on the handle once or twice even if it's locked. Also unsettling in the winter when the doors freeze shut occasionally. I body slam the door pillar and it breaks the ice around the door, lol, i put some of my Dash and Rubber protectant on the door seals so it doesnt freeze shut also now, havent had a problem since Quote
95oldsVan Posted January 16, 2006 Author Report Posted January 16, 2006 Thanks for posting that website for the door handles.They say theyre made out of steel and they cost 24 bucks each.Cant beat that.Will order some when some extra money comes in.In the mean time,trying to rig up a tool so I can push the lever down and open the door. :? Quote
jeremy Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 Three out of the four w-bodies that I have owned were coupes and I have never broken a door handle once.....but then I again I always just pulled the handle to release the door then pull on the door frame itself, like John mentioned above Quote
Justin Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 I've never broken one either, although I've bought plenty of the cars with broken handles already. I always pull the handle to swing the door open too, I've never really understood how people can go through that many handles. Quote
White93z34 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 i've broke one so far, but it was well on its way to failing when i bought the car. once you get the pop-grab-pull method down you rarely go through any. i haven't broke one in well over a year now. Quote
95oldsVan Posted January 16, 2006 Author Report Posted January 16, 2006 I was making a tool to help me open the door while the handle is off the car and noticed I can adjust the linkage rod for when I get the new handles so that a slight pull will open the door. I remember when I got a new handle once before,it was so easy to open the door as to where the old one was wearing out before it snapped. When i get the aftermakret steel handles,ill make some trial adjustments to see if I can help the door open easier by adjusting the linkage a few times. Quote
fastbird232 Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 When I got my '89 SE, one of the linkage rods was bent up through the hole where the handle lever used to be, so you could just push down on it to open the door. Only problem was you'd have to re-bend the whole damn thing if you wanted to replace the handle. I think the flaw isn't so much the strain that's put on it when you open the latch, but more the strain of opening a big coupe door every time. The only people who pull the handle and then pull on the top of the door to open it are the ones who're scared of breaking another handle; most people pull it open by just the handle and that's where the fatigue comes in. Quote
GnatGoSplat Posted January 17, 2006 Report Posted January 17, 2006 The best thing to do is open them very carefully. Use the door handle to open it slightly, then grab the top of the door with your other hand to open it all the way... Best advice. I always open my doors this way, and also told my wife to open hers this way. I've owned a W-body for 12yrs, NEVER* broken a handle. My wife has also not broken one for probably 8 or 9 yrs. * Once I broke the handle on my TGP when attempting to fix its appearance. The upper part was bent out about 1/4" when I got it so the top didn't rest on the rubber anymore, and that bugged the crap out of me so I had to fix it. Anyway, just attempting that broke it. I've since learned you CAN fix a bent door handle, but you must do it very slowly with the handle off the car, and with a propane torch! Quote
JakeMetz63 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Posted January 17, 2006 I ripped the handle off of my 95 cutlass 4 door when trying to open it for my girlfriend in winter. My 94 Prix 2 door hasnt had any problems... yet. Quote
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