Door Handles

[Awesome]

Where should I buy a new set of door handles? I I have the metal ones but they are worn out and the passenger side has a missing stud. I've only seen two available online, a set of Dorman plastic handles and another one by a different company I didn't recognize. The '88 has plastic door handles and they are still fine, so I don't care that much about the original metal handles, but I have heard of other Dorman handles not lasting long. Anyone have experience with this?

 

Or am I better off getting a set of XJ handles from the junkyard?

[eaglescout526]

Wait? Your metal ones are worn? In what way? You can’t find metal ones except chrome and even then they’re expensive. 

[Pete M]

I would scuff and paint some chrome junkyard XJ handles.   If I remember right, rear handles are the same as front if you want to grab ones that have been used less.

[Awesome]

The handles on the '86 (the ones I need to fix/replace) are chrome, and they are still very shiny and chrome. They will enter the Gates of Valhalla...... wait wrong forum.

No rust or oxidation. 

 

The problem is that if the doors are shut all the way they jam closed. There's a little rotating plate that is part of the handle, and a pin from the button part of the handle pushes on that plate to open the door. The plate gets stuck because the springs are broken off of them and because they probably are either very worn or need lubrication.

[eaglescout526]

I have a brand new plastic handle I could send your way and you could use it to rebuild the metal one. The metal ones are very much rebuildable and worth to rebuild. I rebuilt the two on my MJ now before I installed them. 

[Awesome]

Oh I hadn't thought about that. So I could just buy the cheap ones and use them to refurbish my current handles. The missing stud in the passenger side handle worries me though.

[eaglescout526]

Yeah you could do exactly that. As for the missing stud, I don’t know recall if the plastic ones are threaded in to the handle but I know the metal ones are and chances are the stud your missing is floating around in your door. Unless it snapped off from rust. 

[Awesome]

I believe the stud was pulled out of the handle by someone who was breaking into the truck. They gave up on the passenger side and smashed the driver's side window instead. I will look for it in the door.

 

I just placed an order for two "Parts N Go" handles.

[eaglescout526]

Awwww, I really wanted to get rid of the ones I have. Haha. 
 

Hopefully that stud is in the door though. I can’t see it coming out since it has a nut on it from the inside. 

[Pete M]

are the guts inside the aftermarket handles exactly the same as factory handles?  guess we're going to find out!  

[Awesome]

2 hours ago, eaglescout526 said:

Awwww, I really wanted to get rid of the ones I have. Haha. 
 

Hopefully that stud is in the door though. I can’t see it coming out since it has a nut on it from the inside. 

 

I still have another Comanche that probably could use handles too.

 

1 hour ago, Pete M said:

are the guts inside the aftermarket handles exactly the same as factory handles?  guess we're going to find out!  

 

We'll find out next week!

[eaglescout526]

1 hour ago, Pete M said:

are the guts inside the aftermarket handles exactly the same as factory handles?  guess we're going to find out!  

Should be, I remember comparing them at one point. I know I have some extra chrome handles somewhere but I don't remember where....

 

1 minute ago, Awesome said:

I still have another Comanche that probably could use handles too.

Lol perfect.

[AZJeff]

I have 97+ plastic handles on my MJ, and I replaced the rasty OEM ones with Taiwanese copies.   They are, for all practical purposes, exact copies of Mopar handles.

[GrandBoost98]

One of the studs was missing in mine too but I found a bolt that had the same thread and cut it to the proper length and it works fine.

[ThatJeepGuy]

amazon handles old and new style? ive done a pair of the old style and i'm happy with them thus far. New style handle should be in next week. Can update this after the install in need be??

[Pete M]

15 hours ago, ThatJeepGuy said:

amazon handles old and new style? ive done a pair of the old style and i'm happy with them thus far. New style handle should be in next week. Can update this after the install in need be??

 

always add any info you may find.   never know what might be useful to someone else.

[Awesome]

The Parts'N'Go handles showed up today. They are made in Taiwan (at least it's not China!) and feel pretty good.

 

When I can finally get my daughter to take the door handles off, I'll update on what we do next. It's been hot and she's been refusing to work on her Comanche.

 

EDIT: we replaced one handle this afternoon. The parts were interchangeable. We now have one fully-functioning driver's side door handle that is still made from solid metal.

I looked and could not find any how-to's on the internet, so I'm planning on making a video of the process for the other handle. Will post back when that's done.