Door handle keeps breaking?..Try this

After many many handle replacements on both my tacomas I kept thinking there must be a better solution. After my most recent handle replacement I decided to take everything out of the truck, clean and lube and re-install hoping that would prolong the life of my 3rd Dorman drivers side exterior handle.

As I studied the mechanism and the many moving parts that make our doors work this little spring caught my eye. I realized it "assisted" with opening the door lock once you pulled up on the exterior handle. So I went to Lowes, picked up a spring slightly larger but similar in size (had to modify and shorten to make it fit) and now when I open the door I swear it could be done with half a finger! its crazy how different the door feels. No more feeling of bending plastic when i pull on the exterior door handle.

This mod cost me $3 and about 45 minutes of my time and I am very confident I wont have to replace any more handles in the future. If you keep breaking handles.....the next time you replace one, do this!!

 

I’m on my third one myself. I’ll have to keep this in mind when I have to do the fourth!

 

It's nice when someone finds an unexpected solution to a problem and then takes the time to post it!

 

My passenger door handle is half broken. I'm going to stick a screw into to to prolong it's like. I'll take a picture of what I end up doing later.

 

That's a great idea!
I love mods like this. Cheap and worth their weight in gold.

Does the posted picture show a door handle for power locks/key less entry?
I don't have power anything in my truck so my door handle is much less complex. Wondering if the same could be done for mine with the spring....

 

Should be the same

 

The best mod I've found for the interior handles are old 80's/90's camry handles. They are metal and it's a simple swap. Just remove the plastic handle grip from the surround and replace with the newer metal one.

 

I just wish I could retro the older metal exteriors in place of the plastic ones.

 

You have a part# for that spring?

 

If someone made a metal door handle assembly replacement, I'd probably sell my left nut.

Except its the outside ones that break :/

 

Found your problem. I got 18 years out of my original drivers side handle, then I ponied up the $90 for a new Toyota handle. I'm expecting it to work for many years.

 

Or a $12 dorman handle and a $3 spring... but to each their own.

 

Is it really just $15 if you're on your 4th handle, plus all of the time spent replacing them? I can't really see the advantage of going cheap on this part.

 

New spring is stronger than original?

 

Because for some people, it's the design itself that seems to be causing the breaks. So replacing it with the exact same thing seams like the definition of insanity, especially when it's $80. The Dorman has an improved (or at a minimum, different) design, and costs $15.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/door-handles-keep-breaking.464253/page-2#post-20508559

 

Hmmmm. 02 Tacoma 500k miles all original door handles. I’m going with user error.

 

Depends on where they are located as well.
In Montana mine would snap off like nothing if you weren't careful during winter.

 

Frozen handle I could see that.

 

You have an 2002 with 500k miles and you've been a member since May of 2018? And you're claiming original door handles?

 

It's the dry, cold winters. It plays hell on plastics.