Painting or Plastic Dip Door handles

[lraia]

this is what the 3M Gloss Metallic looks like...it is real close, not as much flake on the film.

 

[LIrican]

I used metallic black vinyl and I'm very pleased with the result.

I strongly recommend wrapping after handles are removed.

I'll post some pics after I get my truck back and cleaned.

Finding paint match handles is impossible.

I thought about ordering replacement handles and painting those but they are a bit pricey.

$30 will buy more than enough vinyl.

 

[LakersCentral]

this is what the 3M Gloss Metallic looks like...it is real close, not as much flake on the film.

Thanks for the pic! Would you order the same one again?

I'm trying to decide between the various blacks 3M makes. Here's the codes for all who wanna know:

• flat (1080-M12)
• satin (1080-S12)
• gloss (1080-G12)
• gloss metallic (1080-G212)
• carbon fiber (1080-CF12)
• brushed metallic (1080-BR212)

The metallic seem to match the paint best. The flat comes closest to matching the bumpers (as would plastidipping). The gloss would match the paneling the best.

Then the satin,which is closest to a pure black. And the brushed metallic and carbon fiber just look cool, but I'd probably then want to do other parts of the vehicle to match. :/

 

[NCExplorerMan]

Had mine professionally painted to match Explorer. I'm not a professional painter myself, but I'm not sure where the fear of painting over the chrome is - mine turned out great and were ready to put back on the car in 24 hours. Like I said, I'm not a painter so I don't know the prep required, but I cannot think it was that difficult since my neighbor did it for us for free. Find a body shop, remove and take the handles to them - should not cost more than a few hundred bucks if you find the right shop...

 

[LakersCentral]

whats the smallest size sheet of vinyl (in square feet) that it would take to do all the handles? think i can get away with 1 sq ft? that would make 4 pieces of 12"x3", or 4 pieces of 8"x4". i dont have my explorer yet, so idk the measurements on the handles.

 

[broken strut]

There was only one key hole (drivers side), I cut a small piece of mask tape and pushed it in there. It was a little tricky getting it out, but it came out with, just have a razor handy.
I didn't mask the whole car, just around the handles. I can post a picture in a little while. I have keyless enty, Its on the B post, no where near the handles.

I think removing the handles will be a HUGE waste of time. I mean with having to take apart each door from the inside and all... It took about 5 minutes to mask each door, 30 minutes in between coats, 4 coats, 5 minutes to pull the mask off. Done!

You don't have to remove the inside of the door. Takes 30 seconds to take them off......

http://s841.photobucket.com/user/br...HandleRemoval_zpsf9d2a6a3.jpg.html?sort=6&o=0

 

[jc_slick]

this is what the 3M Gloss Metallic looks like...it is real close, not as much flake on the film.

this looks great.

Im trying to decide between this metallic or the regular black gloss so that it can match the grille, mirror caps and rear black appliqué. Do you have more pics if this mod from far and different angles?

 

[Riley]

Maybe for '15 the Sport will have body color door handles.

 

[lraia]

this looks great.

Im trying to decide between this metallic or the regular black gloss so that it can match the grille, mirror caps and rear black appliqué. Do you have more pics if this mod from far and different angles?

Check these out, I haven't been able to get to the driver's door, so it shows a pretty good comparison to the passenger rear door. I removed the handles to apply the film, I would have removed and had the body shop paint, but it is just a leased vehicle. I think they will probably be undistinguishable between the regular gloss and metallic gloss from a distance, but up close you will probably notice. Hope this helps.

 

[jc_slick]

Check these out, I haven't been able to get to the driver's door, so it shows a pretty good comparison to the passenger rear door. I removed the handles to apply the film, I would have removed and had the body shop paint, but it is just a leased vehicle. I think they will probably be undistinguishable between the regular gloss and metallic gloss from a distance, but up close you will probably notice. Hope this helps.

This is awesome. Looks great. I have the same explorer and was thinking about doing this same thing. Was it hard to do? How long did it take you to do it? Have you passed it through a car wash yet? If its not too much trouble, can you provide the link as to where you got the metallic vinyl wrap from? Is it easy to take off if you don't want it anymore? Mine is leased also.(sorry for all of the questions at once). Thanks.

 

[lraia]

This is awesome. Looks great. I have the same explorer and was thinking about doing this same thing. Was it hard to do? How long did it take you to do it? Have you passed it through a car wash yet? If its not too much trouble, can you provide the link as to where you got the metallic vinyl wrap from? Is it easy to take off if you don't want it anymore? Mine is leased also.(sorry for all of the questions at once). Thanks.

It is a pretty tedious process to get the wrap to "behave" around the tight radii, you will need to use a heat gun or hair dryer to stretch the film. I took about an hour each to do, from removal, wrap, to reinstall. I don't run it through the car wash, so I can't help you there, but the film gets wrapped underneath the handl , so probably will not be an issue. I purchased the wrap for about $20.00 from metrorestyling.com, it is a 3M product "1080 G212 Gloss black Metallic Vinyl Wrap", I bought the 5' x 1'. Good luck and just take your time.

 

[jc_slick]

It is a pretty tedious process to get the wrap to "behave" around the tight radii, you will need to use a heat gun or hair dryer to stretch the film. I took about an hour each to do, from removal, wrap, to reinstall. I don't run it through the car wash, so I can't help you there, but the film gets wrapped underneath the handl , so probably will not be an issue. I purchased the wrap for about $20.00 from metrorestyling.com, it is a 3M product "1080 G212 Gloss black Metallic Vinyl Wrap", I bought the 5' x 1'. Good luck and just take your time.

Gotcha. Thanks a lot for your input. You did a good job. I'll see if I can try. Waiting for the weather to warm up here in NYC. Hopefully in the next couple of months I can work on some things.

 

[Harley#356]

Been 7-8 months probably since I did this mod. The 3M vinyl is still holding up like new.

 

[jc_slick]

Been 7-8 months probably since I did this mod. The 3M vinyl is still holding up like new.

Cool. Got anymore pics of it?

 

[LIrican]

I've done the 3m vinyl wrap: metallic black.

Very happy with the results, it's as close to an exact paint match you're going to get without actually painting them tuxedo black.

Holding up well after the crazy winter we've had.

 

[jc_slick]

I've done the 3m vinyl wrap: metallic black.

Very happy with the results, it's as close to an exact paint match you're going to get without actually painting them tuxedo black.

Holding up well after the crazy winter we've had.

Can you provide pics ?

 

[LIrican]

Sure let me get it cleaned up.

I don't have any close ups on my phone.

Just this:

 

[jc_slick]

Sure let me get it cleaned up.

I don't have any close ups on my phone.

Just this:

Looks good! Thanks for the pic.

 

[JimiJak]

Posted this in another thread, but wanted to update - did NOT have success with wrap, but handles are a breeze to get off and back on (assuming you don't knock the spring to the bottom of the inside of the door like I did...). Don't know how much it is to paint them since my neighbor's boyfriend did them for an iPod, but I think it is well worth it and would be pretty easy to DIY if you know how to paint...

Anyone else have this problem? I had one of the spring assemblies come out of its 'home' during re-install.

HELP!

 

[JimiJak]

OK, so...for anyone else that runs into this issue I thought I would do a little write up.

This was on a '14 Sport
When removing the door handles; After loosening the set screw (T20 Torx) in the end of the door, you have to pull the handle outwardd (like you're opening the door) and then slide it back towards the rear of the vehicle. When doing this you will feel a pop, and the handle will slide backwards about half of the way. Once this happens the latch mechanism on the inside of the door has locked in the 'ready' position, where it stays - waiting for your to reinstall the handle. Once the handle clicks into place like this it is important that you release the handle back in towards the vehicle before you slide it to the rear the rest of the way and remove it.

As far as the vinyl wrapping went, it wasn't bad at all especially with a heat gun. A little bit of heat went a long way to make the vinyl easier to work with.
There is a T15 Torx bit in the end of the handle assembly once it's off. Remove this screw and you can insert a small flat head screwdriver between the chrome handle and the ABS under-handle assembly. Pull back on the mounting tab on the under-handle while you maintain pressure on the screwdriver and it will pop apart...making it wicked easy to wrap the vinyl around the back of the chrome piece so that it tucks in flush behind it once it's snapped back together.


Now onto the problem:
When I was removing my first handle I didn't follow my own instructions from above, and accidentally knocked the internal latch assembly with the spring out of it's track.
In order to fix it (and this is the only way to get everything back together) you have to remove the door panel and repair it from the inside. Mine happened on the driver's side rear door.

Step 1: open the door and remove the two 7mm screws at the bottom of the door.
2: pop the bolt cover off from behind the door grab handle (small plastic, black, cover) and remove the 10mm bolt.
3: pop off the bolt cover from behind the internal door-latch handle, and remove that 10mm bolt.
- with these four screw/bolts out, it's time to remove the panel.
4: The door panel is held to the door by metal V tabs. First locate the plastic shield that runs along the window edge above the panel and pry it straight off. The tabs will release and it pops off.
5: start around the edge of the door and pull the panel towards you, you will feel the door panel tabs start to pop off and the panel will eventually be freed from the door.
6: remove the wiring harness and the latch cable
7: undo the manual door lock from the metal guide
8: unscrew the T25 Torx head bolt from the exterior of the door, releasing the face of the exterior latch assembly
9: remove the three T25 Tor head bolts from around the door latch mechanism
10: with these four bolts removed the internal latch assembly is no longer secured to the door.
11: peel back the plastic window to access the internal compartment within the door
12: there is a metal vertical support beam that helps support the window. This support is removable. (with this support removed, you can bring the entire assembly out of the vehicle to repair it, then reinstall) I chose not to remove the support and just drop the latch assembly down to where I could get hands on it, still within the door.
13: From here you can re-assemble the latch mechanism within the latch assembly. The tricky part is the spring. The spring has two arms, one on either end. The straight arm goes against the metal bracket, and the bent arm goes into a small slot in the plastic. The purpose of this spring is to keep tension on the latch assembly and return it fully to the closed position when not being pulled.
From here the latch assembly slides into a hole towards the exterior end of the door and clicks into a channel on the interior end of the door.
14: With the latch assembly re-assembled, you can put the latch assembly back into place and reinstall the four bolts that hold the latch assembly in place.
15: From here you can reverse the steps from above and re-assemble the door.
16: The final step is re-installing the handles.
17: First insert the interior end of the handle, then the exterior end of the handle. Now slide the trim tab into place.
18: push the handle in like you are closing the door, as you slide the handle towards the vehicle you will feel the latch assembly as the handle tab slides into it. You will have to pull the handle out a bit, but once it clicks into place you can just hold pressure on it until you can drive the torx set screw back in.

Hopefully no one else runs into this issue, and these instructions are useless...it was a pain figuring all of this out. lol