So I broke my @$^@%#! ^%* (& when the drivers grab handle let go yesterday.

I presume this has happened to others before.

Does the community have a solid repair to re-adhere the metal cups to the plastic handle?

Thankyou for your anticipated response.
Cheers!

 

I've had not much luck with Gorilla glue but JB Weld does set up HARD..

 

I think that I am going to bitch up the plastic with some coarse sand paper to give it teeth, the metal cup too.
Then I am going to perforate the cup with a small drill bit so the gluep can also grab those holes. Finally, I may add a small screw through the cup into the plastic or perhaps some SS bolt locking wire drill through the steel into the plastic and put some wire, roll pins or small screws.

If is breaks again, it'll likely destroy the piece of plastic so there is that to consider when making the repair too good.

Yes JB Weld, or 3M makes a plastic cement that has some plastic solvent in it.
I don't know much about gorilla glue other than it is not a good substitute when you are out of hairspray.

Cheers!

 

LOL bbq WTF... so I got into my grab handle repair today and I see that what I was calling the cups are actually freeze plugs that someone had improvised a repair previously.

I don't know what that A-pillar handle used to be but I can imagine and I think it might that this repair attempt is actually pretty good. I will try to get some photos and esplain.

(explanation)

 

Dorman P22C freeze plug, before I forget and glue it together.
Coming soon...

 

A few days ago, I forgot that the driver side grab handle was loose and needed looking into. I just had acquired this truck from my brother-inlaw and sister.
He had purchased this new in 2005 and had it maintained by others including dealerships but more recently a popular mechanic shop local to them.

I found myself lying on the ground with the handle in my hand. Figuratively, not literally... or is it the other way around.
Yesterday I got into repairing it and realized that this is not how the factory put this out, rather someone, sometime had improvised a couple of freeze plugs to repair it. I was not about to buy a new one nor try to reinvent the wheel. Improve the wheel maybe...

aleekat said JB Weld so JB it is...

I roughed it up with coarse sandpaper. I also went a little further and perforated the metal cup with a #42 drill bit (small, in the less than 3/32" range) to give the epoxy something to grab onto. Scraped all old epoxy out and cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. Me, I did six holes around the circumference. *I also drilled them on a 'toe nail' as I intend to put something through a couple of them to have a mechanical grab onto the plastic.

I also roughed up and cleaned the plastic. I found the orientation that would best give me a 'pin' on either side of the plastic slot and made assembly marks with a sharpie. One last alcohol clean up and I mixed the epoxy. ** Something I learned from Zach at fibertechcomposites.com, is to wait for twenty or thirty seconds after you have fully mixed your goop. This slight dwell time gives the chemical reaction to begin to 'cross link'...

I buttered up both mating surfaces with JB Welder and pushed them together.

I should note that I found a DORMAN P022c freeze plug AND a P021c in this previously discovered boon swaggle. The 021 was ever so slightly smaller and it was installed (and fit a little better) on the top position.

We are having a bit of Global Warming so I put it outside in the sun, should accelerate the curing.

I also intend to drill the four holes that are accessible on either side of the plastic pillar slot and either put a screw, a roll pin, or perhaps I can fish a piece of ss .032 lock wire through in an X pattern. Thinking that will also give me a sort of mechanical adhesion... but more than likely, it may destroy the plastic part if the big guy pulls too hard once again. Time will tell.
Cheers!

I hope this helps some of you.
Your comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated as it is open communication and suggestion that makes this place so great for repairing our Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler and DeSoto vehicles!

Please return and tell how this information worked for you, what you find, and how you eventually fix your vehicle (even if it is that you brought it to a mechanic / dealership for repair)
It is your feedback and final repair report that will make these forums useful to others in the future.
Many times I search and find the same exact fault that I am having, someone suggests how to fix it, the patron follows the suggestion and then never returns to say YEA! or NAY...


The forum thread just goes dead because the person fixed their fault and has not a care to offer the answer anymore. Please don't be that guy.

Cheers!






What I found

Lower handle attach (driver side)

Upper attach (driver side)

Drilled on angle to later drill plastic for screw, roll pin, or wire?

This lower clip tab was also found damaged. JB Welded...

Upper cup in position Dorman P021c

Lower cup in position Dorman P022c