i have asked for chrome handles for my truck for christmas from my parents. I am wondering if the stick on ones will be sufficient or will they fall off in the cold winters in wisconsin? The covers i have found were $40 compared to $70 or more for replacement, which do you recommend? Thanks

 

I think you'll be fine with stick on, if you don't want your parents spending too much. You might make sure you clean the handle area with some alcohol prep pads, or something that won't leave a film on the handle, to make sure that the adhesive has a good surface to cling to. Just even pressure and you might consider using a hair dryer on the low setting to at least warm it some to help release adhesives from the cold.

As for an opinion, I would get the full replacement. Some reasons that made me decide between the stick on and the replacement is the extreme heat and humidity down here. It has a tendency to make adhesives turn to goo and not adhere very well. If I ever decide to get rid of the truck, I can just swap them back.

Hope it goes well. I wish I was in wisconsin, just not right when its fall and leaves haven't changed colors and its still 70 degrees out.

 

I think the price difference is usually a little more than that. If you can get full replacement stainless steel for $70 go for it! The replacements are a little more work, actually a lot more work, you need to remove the inside door panels. I think that the stick ons are fine but I would advise that you go with the stainless stell rather than the ABS chrome. I just hink that ABS plastic is fine for cosmetic things but areas that get touched a lot, like door handles, should be metal.

BTW, I did the stainless steel stick-ons myself but I don't have to deal with winter. I think heat is actually more damaging than cold in this issue though like themetermcse said.

 

thanks for the info, i was a little off on the price, as it was closer to ninety shipped. I think i will stick to the adhesive ones then, as no one seems to think there will be a problem. Thanks again.

 

I went with the stick ons. I left the truck in the garage for 24 hours and let it all stick. The next day it snowed (with my truck outside) and they were fine. Today i used a pressure washer and they stayed on....it's been -16 Celcius for the last two days. Holding up nicely! I bought mine from Quick_bid on ebay

 

thanks, i'll have to check him out.

 

I put mine on this past spring, Putco's. Really like them and they are holding up very good. Like they said earlier, just make sure you clean the plastic well with alcohol and make sure it is warm when you install them, should be fine.

 

Well.....My buckets came off. The handles are holding tightly. I'm going to have to super glue the buckets to the stock black after cleaning it like crazy. Just glad i didn't lose them.

 

Silicone! use a generous bead of silicone. They will not fall off . It is 100+ here in the summer and no problems to date. The factory adhesive let go after 2 days. I put silicone on the backside of the buckets and all is good!

 

I wouldn't worry about the cold, i'd worry about extream summer heat, but the stock ons will be good, bodyside moldings are stick ons and they last