Need to install new door handle

**BradyQ** · 04-08-2005, 02:35 AM

My 1997 Tahoe front driver door handle is cracked and needs to be replaced.

I can get one for under $20, my question is how hard will this be to replace? Anyone done this?

**kamikos** · 04-10-2005, 05:13 PM

I've not done it, but I have had the door panels off on my 96 and it appears to be pretty easy.

**Steve** · 04-10-2005, 05:16 PM

I think they're pretty much the same, even though this isn't the type of thing that you will find in your Chilton's short manual.

**kamikos** · 06-13-2005, 09:32 PM

Alas! my door handle broke clean off the very night before trading it in. I looked again for replacing it, and it looks like the metal panel needed to be removed as well to get the new one to sit in place and get the springs hooked up. Its got now, but looked like 3/8" self-tapping hex screws. I was pissed off enough at that point to just let the dealership deal with it though.

**Steve** · 06-13-2005, 10:49 PM

Well, a broken doorhandle probably couldn't have taken off that much. But, you never know.

**kamikos** · 06-13-2005, 10:52 PM

Trade-in price was agreed upon before it broke

**Steve** · 06-14-2005, 09:57 AM

I had a friend who was a used car manager for a large lot up in Seattle. You wouldn't believe that kinds of things that they would find up in cars. Often they would pull out the aftermarket stuff to make it stock and there would be a grab drawer with stuff in it. There was an unwritten rule that if something was there longer than 6 weeks it was open game. I got a nice pioneer supertuner out of it one day.

**kamikos** · 06-14-2005, 01:01 PM

I made sure to pull out my subs, video screen head unit, and Viper alarm. My roommate however, had been unemployed for a while and missed some car payments on his 2002 Durango. It got repo'd with all his gear in it. Alpine video screen head unit, diamond audio subs, 2 expensive amps, kicker components in all 4 doors. He was rather upset as Wells Fargo just told him "tough" since apparently when he got the loan he signed a contract saying that any modifications (including audio) belonged to them and they wouldn't let him pull it all out.

**ppettit2005** · 08-15-2005, 09:18 PM

I've had to replace mine after my 95 tahoe was broken into through the driver side door handle. It was easy enough to get the old, bent up one out. Unfortunately i found it nearly impossible to get the new one in. I eventually had to jerry rig the door shut and drive the car to my lousy local mechanic. He was able to install it, but it still doesn't work or fit just right. if you're going to do it yourself, i have on peice of advice to offer, make sure you replace all of the peices of door handle linkage back in they're original positions and make sure that you replace all of the linkage clips connected to the door handle linkage back in there original positions. Because if you don't then you'll be able to unlock but will be unable lock your door from the outside, just like me...