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Author Topic: Cherokee (XJ) door handle woes solved!  (Read 939 times)

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Offline JENSSEN

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Cherokee (XJ) door handle woes solved!
« on: May 13, 2010, 10:32:46 PM »
Let me first say this is posted from my I-Phone so I am sorry if there are gramatical errors or other mistakes.

Anyone who has ever had XJ and have had issues with the door handles keep reading. If you have ever tried removing or replacing used exterior door handles you know the 10mm nuts will inevidently break the stud off the door handle. I have only ever had 2 come out successfully EVER! So what's that leave a person with? $tealer$hip??  Big bucks! Aftermarket parts? Tried that and they didn't fit worth a s#it. So now what to do? I tried almost ever door handle at pick-n-pull and broke what others had left behind (sorry). At my wits end and it being too late to mod a differt car/truck handle to the XJ , I saw a early 90's grand Cherokee. I eyeballed up the handle on the ZJ. And well physically it seemed the same approximate size and shape it was a bit different. So what the hay why not try removing them and retrofitting them to the XJ,.. What can it hurt? So I fit it to the XJ and low and behold the studs lined up but one issue the mechanicals on the interior of the Handle are reversed, so I tried swapping the XJ mechanical bits to the ZJ handle. Still no luck now instead of pushing down to open the door it lifted up. Dammit! So I cracked a cool one and thought about just running the door handles upside down but that looked stupid. So one more cold one and my brain fired,... If the work upside down swap the mechanicals from one side to the other. EH VOILA we have a weiner!


So coles notes :
-ZJ handles
-have a cold one
-XJ mechanical bits
-pop the top on a frosty
-swap the XJ mechanicals  from one side to the other
-hit the fridge for a bevvy
-install the XJ handle  mechanicals onto the ZJ handles
-enjoy a wobblie pop
-install handles on XJ
« Last Edit: May 13, 2010, 10:34:38 PM by JENSSEN »
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Offline jpthing

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Re: Cherokee (XJ) door handle woes solved!
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2010, 09:54:11 AM »
That is an interesting finding...I will keep this in mind next time I'm at the wrecker's.
Thanks for sharing what you found and taking the time to explain it clearly.
'97 TJ, 5" lift, 35's "Sprout"
'95 Xj, 4" lift, 33's Sold to the Bagman
'10 JK unlimited

"Whether you think you can or think you can't...you're right."
-Henry Ford

I'm finally over the Jeep bike debacle..

Offline JackstandJohnny

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Re: Cherokee (XJ) door handle woes solved!
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2010, 09:59:40 AM »
Let me first say this is posted from my I-Phone so I am sorry if there are gramatical errors or other mistakes.

Anyone who has ever had XJ and have had issues with the door handles keep reading. If you have ever tried removing or replacing used exterior door handles you know the 10mm nuts will inevidently break the stud off the door handle. I have only ever had 2 come out successfully EVER! So what's that leave a person with? $tealer$hip??  Big bucks! Aftermarket parts? Tried that and they didn't fit worth a s#it. So now what to do? I tried almost ever door handle at pick-n-pull and broke what others had left behind (sorry). At my wits end and it being too late to mod a differt car/truck handle to the XJ , I saw a early 90's grand Cherokee. I eyeballed up the handle on the ZJ. And well physically it seemed the same approximate size and shape it was a bit different. So what the hay why not try removing them and retrofitting them to the XJ,.. What can it hurt? So I fit it to the XJ and low and behold the studs lined up but one issue the mechanicals on the interior of the Handle are reversed, so I tried swapping the XJ mechanical bits to the ZJ handle. Still no luck now instead of pushing down to open the door it lifted up. Dammit! So I cracked a cool one and thought about just running the door handles upside down but that looked stupid. So one more cold one and my brain fired,... If the work upside down swap the mechanicals from one side to the other. EH VOILA we have a weiner!


So coles notes :
-ZJ handles
-have a cold one
-XJ mechanical bits
-pop the top on a frosty
-swap the XJ mechanicals  from one side to the other
-hit the fridge for a bevvy
-install the XJ handle  mechanicals onto the ZJ handles
-enjoy a wobblie pop
-install handles on XJ


the easier solution is to just not run doors ;)
~ rescue green JKUR on 35s.  typical rubicon build

Offline Waytec

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Re: Cherokee (XJ) door handle woes solved!
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2010, 10:48:22 AM »
I have broken 2 off now and I got new ones from CARS here in Red Deer $10 - $15 each. dealer wanter $75 and wrecker wanted $20. I think Trevor changed the one for me when i cutting my rusty floor out.
Why does your Jeep say Toyota on it?
The obstacle is the path.

Offline Immortal

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Re: Cherokee (XJ) door handle woes solved!
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2010, 01:30:45 PM »
Yes I did... fairly easy. Took about 15 minutes including tearing (I mean removing) the door apart.
if we were smart with our money we wouldn't own Jeeps.
Here's your cup of STFU... ENJOY!

Offline Spinalguy

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Re: Cherokee (XJ) door handle woes solved!
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2010, 04:20:53 PM »
why not just fix it properly?
sent from my old school rotary dial phone.