I was told that when the rod that goes to the outside door handle breaks, you have to get another whole mechanism, either being used or new. Well my pass. side broke and I was able to tack it together by migging it. That didn't last too long, so I had to think of a way to make a new arm, because I was not about to spend over a 100 bucks because of a broken piece of round stock.

I made it out of stainless steel and I tig welded it together. It works like a charm and is much easier to install than the original. You can actually take it off and put it on with the mechanism still in the door. Lastly, I don't ever seeing this breaking on me.

I also added a cotter pin to the end that holds the plastic clip so it doesn't pull off anymore.

Heres the pics

 

awsome, im gonna do this next week. I was going to buy a new one too, so thanks

 

You wanna use a 3/16 rod for the arm..atleast thats the closest I could find to the stock one.

 

Nice man. Mine was broken in half when I bought my car lol. Even the clips were torn apart. If I still worked at my old work place, I would still have access to a tig welder and made my own. Since I don't I'll probably buy a new one . Oh well

 

Nice job. My pass. rod broke off about 2 weeks ago, still hasn't been fix. Care to make me a piece

 

It's a bent piece of metal, not the space station...... of course it can be done.


Clean work.

 

the question is, how many people have access to a tig?

 

Nice job DJ420a.

 

+1.................

 

+2

DJ420a could you give some measurements/dimensions of the lower end thats slotted? Thanks for the great write up

 

Mine is not broke, but Hildi's is, and after seeing this thread she says she'd rather get one of these sturdier jobs than roll the dice again with a stock part.

So if anyone is gonna make one, remember that making a second one at the same time is real easy, and Hildi will pay handsomely for your effort.

 

Wow, that's crazy. My plastic thing broke off yesterday, and the rod popped out. I just used a metal wire and tied the rod and the metal tab (the thing w/ the hole where the rod clips into) together. It's not as sturdy as welding but it should hold out for a pretty long time since I used some sick boyscout knot tying skills to hold them together

 

Hildi bought a complete mechanism and I checked it out.
The specs for the slotted plate are as follows:
Thickness: stock is 1/16", possibly could go as high as 3/32".
Width: stock is 1/2", could go as wide as 5/8".
Slot: stock width is 5/16", length is 1.5" to 2"
Weld rod 7/8" from beginning of slot
There does not seem to be a need to fabricate a new rod.
In most cases the stock rod survives and can be sawed off at the bend and welded (it's steel, not aluminum).
There should just enough room at the very tip of the stock rod to drill a small cotter pin hole.
That cotter pin is key- there are way too many posts about this rod popping off when relying on that flimsy plastic clip.

The diagram below shows all- you could make this thing with a hacksaw.

 

Is anybody selling any ? Id love to buy an upgraded one over the stock fork lol

 

sir u are a genuis huh i think i messed up my driver side door one im having major problems with it. so anyways are u selling them to make.