Replacing front passenger door armrest/grab handle

sirchAU · 17-11-2011, 02:15 AM

Was looking through the 'useful AU threads' thread to find a 'how to' on removing the grab handle on the passenger side door trim in my car, and couldn't find one. Not the overhead grab-handles, but the one near the power window switch (see pic below). The armrest handle, i think. What is this part of the door officially called?

Anyway, it's got a nasty big scuff on it, that looks like it's been coloured in in texta. Am getting the seats redone in leather soon (as seen in my other thread) and will want to replace this too before i'll be fully satisfied.

This is the scuff:

Is this 'grab handle' thing is easily removed? I don't wanna break it by just yanking it off not knowing what i'm doing. Or is it part of the door trim and will I have to remove the whole trim to get it out?

Excuse my ignorance if this is a really easy thing to do, but i've never done it before and was hoping for a bit of help. I've never worked on cars ever before, and before i got my AU had no interest in it either. So think of me as a complete beginner when it comes to anything modification. As I've said before in other threads, I'm willing to learn, but there aren't any motor/mechanical heads in my family or close group of friends, so the internet (you guys) will have to do!

Thanks heaps in advance,
Chris

Bushbasher · 17-11-2011, 08:33 AM

G'day Chris,
To get it off you first need to remove the whole door card then unscrew it from the back side of the card. To get the card off you need to remove the door handle backing plate, (pull the handle and you can see a phillips head screw behind it), pop out the window switch and there's a screw under there as well. Then there's the 2 circular caps up near the top front of the door. The one closest to the mirror is to do with the mirror I think but the lower one further back has a bolt behind it that you need to remove as well. Last but not least there's 2 screws at the bottom of the card under 2 little caps , you can see one of them in your pic. Once you get all the screws and bolts out start at the bottom corner of the card and gently pull and wiggle till it pops out then work your way round doing the same till all the clips pop off. If they give you any trouble use a screwdriver to lever them out gently. Once they are all out you can lift the card straight up and off from where it sits over the top of the door frame. don't worry about the lock button as the card will slide straight off over it. If I've forgotten anything I'm sure someone will jump in and fill in the blanks but if not it won't be hard to work out if there is another fixing point to release and how to do it.

Cheers
Bushbasher

**asimplelife** · 29-12-2020, 08:05 AM

Not sure why I haven't noticed this before?
But I've got 4 AU's with black trim...and a spare set...and ALL (bar 1) have this same wear on the drivers door.
Is the correct term for this part "grab handle"?

Anyway, assuming if I look for replacements I am only going to find more of the same, is there anything that can be done to repair them?
Would really appreciate anyone else's experience.

Citroënbender · 29-12-2020, 08:17 AM

It can be repaired two ways, either vacuum skinned like a dash (the base colour is usually a neutral shade that’s spray tinted after) or stitched/overlaid like an ‘80s high end Eurobarge where the main intersecting surface edges are traced by a line of feature stitching.

**asimplelife** · 29-12-2020, 08:21 AM

Thankyou but does that mean either solution is not practicable?

Of could any motor trimmer do this?

Citroënbender · 29-12-2020, 08:58 AM

If you can speak with a dash re-skinner they will advise if there’s a hidden “gotcha” - but I can’t see why there should be.

Trimmers, I personally have found a wide range of abilities. Like plumbers and brickies, very few seem to stand out for good reasons.

**asimplelife** · 29-12-2020, 09:36 AM

As someone with 8 cars...5 AU's...and renovating a house...I can only say "Amen" to that

I've already sent an email to a guy I have been using for auto trimming...I am not sure about him yet...he's prompt, which I like...brusque, which I am not sure about yet...I think I am very happy with his roof linings (although it's much too soon to tell entirely

) ...but his leather seat work I am not sure about so far.
Maybe I am just getting what I pay for...although I have seen cheaper being advertised...in the same places I found this one...and I've got sh!t for other work paying good money. Another plus is he told me not to bother with fixing the last thing I showed him...which has to be a good sign. But as a small guy, if this needs specific equipment, he's unlikely to have it.

I'll try the wreckers on my next outing...but I am not hopeful.
Maybe I'll find some good grey ones and just vinyl paint everything?

I am also wondering if there is some trestment I should be doing to prevent this happening in the first place?

**mad2** · 29-12-2020, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asimplelife

As someone with 8 cars...5 AU's...and renovating a house...I can only say "Amen" to that

I've already sent an email to a guy I have been using for auto trimming...I am not sure about him yet...he's prompt, which I like...brusque, which I am not sure about yet...I think I am very happy with his roof linings (although it's much too soon to tell entirely

) ...but his leather seat work I am not sure about so far.
Maybe I am just getting what I pay for...although I have seen cheaper being advertised...in the same places I found this one...and I've got sh!t for other work paying good money. Another plus is he told me not to bother with fixing the last thing I showed him...which has to be a good sign. But as a small guy, if this needs specific equipment, he's unlikely to have it.

I'll try the wreckers on my next outing...but I am not hopeful.
Maybe I'll find some good grey ones and just vinyl paint everything?

I am also wondering if there is some treatment I should be doing to prevent this happening in the first place?

good luck! ... finding good ones for the fronts. all i can say is .. best reskin em. as to treatment . . . . keep the vinyl conditioner rubbed into it & then cover with a sacrificial cover that won't rub on the actual arm.

**Uncle_Ken** · 30-12-2020, 10:27 AM

Thats pretty worn. I have used colour markers to hide the colour loss, I was also thinking about a dab of shoe polish, but both of those wont build up the worn area.
UK