[1221]

In the past three years of owning my '92 YJ, I have broken the interior door handle on the driver's side 4 times. The part that breaks is the little white plastic clip that connects the connecting rod to the handle. It's not an expensive part to replace ($15 or so if I remember correctly from the dealership), but it is getting to be very annoying to have to go in and replace it all the time. The actual part that breaks is about the size of a 1/2" nut, but you have to buy the entire assembly to get the part you need. It happens in the winter every time. I suspect that the part is just getting cold and brittle and then breaking.

On the bright side, I can have the door apart and have the new part in, and then have the door back on in 5 minutes or less.

Anyone got an idea how to keep this from occuring all the time? Anyone else have this kind of problem? I suppose I could get a machine shop to make me a little piece out of steel or aluminum that wouldn't break. Surely there are many people that live in colder climates that must be experiencing this problem.

I'm gonna have to blame this on the DC engineers!!!

 

[Dirt Dog]

Never had that happen. What bugs me is that I switch doors as much as I fill up the tank. And when it's dark I can never find the handle to get out since there all in different places.

Just be glad you don't own 2DR W-body gm cars. (regal, cut sup, lumina, GP, etc.) The outer handles break ALL the time. I have customers buy as many as two a year for the same door.
New GM = $95
I sell new aftermarket = $45
Used OEM = $25

Now those ARE kinda pricey in my opinion.
And don't even get me started on astro van handles. I won't even sell used......and I carry every outer handle in stock for all the way around it. (and sell about 50 a month total)

 

[2450]

i haven't had the little plastic pieces in the door give out in the cold yet, but i did replace them late last summer...they just give out, the rod pops and you can't open the door any more...i'm assuming you're talking about those little pieces that snap into place and have a hook to hold the 90* end of the rod in place? if so, $15 is pretty spendy for them...take a look in the HELP section at your friendly neighbourhood parts store, and they should be much less expensive ($2-4)....just make sure you get the ones which bend the right way (they have a couple of different orientations)...

i did have the interior strap to close the door break, right at the metal where the torx screw holds it on...went to a leather shop and bought a cheap bargain bin leather belt (nice , cut to fit and threw that on both driver and passenger side...nice black leather matching door handles now...

 

[jdoggmoney]

You didn't "tweak" the arm at all during one of the replacements did you? I've seen the arms get a slight bend in them ad start binding, causing them to wear faster and break.

DirtDog... I hear ya on the outter handles. Can't vene guess how many Astro handles I replaced. The best are the rear doors. The handle breaks, you have to get the door panel off to access the nuts, can't get the door panel off with the door shut, you end up drilling out the studs from the outside, removing the handle and jimmying the door open. PITA

 

[1221]

GreyYJ, glad to hear I'm not the only one that has ever had this problem. I've checked the rod and it's as straight as a whistle. Nothing even coming close to bind it up on. Thanks for the advice, I will check out the local Auto Zone HELP section and see if they have any. Will probably buy a handful for as many times as I end up breaking one.

 

[uglyjeepoffroad]

I had a plastic one in my wife's ex-car. I found a metal replacement in the Help! section. Less than $4.