I recently bought a set of door handles for my '07 screw. They are the black textured buckets with the chrome pull. I want to sand down and PTM. Does anybody have any good advice on taking apart the tailgate handle so I can sand the bucket down?


Thanks!

 

get a dremmel and grind the smashed part of the rod down a bit on the sides, leaving enough of the flat part to drill through and pull the rod out. be careful of the spring, then the handle should come off. then to reassemble just drill a hole in the flat part you left and put a cotter pin through it or something of the sort to hold the bar from sliding back through the holes. I don't have my tools or I would go take pictures for you, because this is how i did mine. If you can wait until this weekend for pics I can find some tools and get some.


here's how mine turned out--


And put back together--


After you get the handle off the sanding becomes MUCH easier!!
just make sure you get the texture knocked off really good.

 

I know with mine I just used a punch, hammer, and flat piece of metal. It came out very easily with just a quick tap of the hammer with the plastic piece resting on the piece of metal. Hard to describe but works great and you don't have to do anything to the bar then.

 

Mbl90- Your handle looks great. I have the same White-Sand color. I can't wait to get this completed. Thanks for the advice. I never thought of that, and it would give me an excuse to go buy a dremmel....

Lsracer- I get what you are saying. I was actually thinking of heating up the plastic a around the post a bit to make it more pliable, then doing something like you suggested.


Thanks!