First and foremost, you must purchase an OEM replacement outside door handle. For the reasons listed here, we do not advise purchasing an aftermarket replacement handle.
A Toyota dealer may sell you an OEM replacement door handle, but be prepared to pay a premium. On our website, however, you can get a genuine OEM Toyota door handle at a discount. To see every door handle we have available for your Toyota, search for it in our catalog.
In This Article...
How is a car door handle changed?
- Tape for painting
- tool for Phillips screws
- substitute door handle
- Set of 1/4 drive socket wrenches
- Set of Torx bits
First, go door handle shopping. Before beginning to disassemble anything, it’s a good idea to have the replacement door handle in your hands. This enables examination of the handle and some understanding of how it is attached. On one or both ends, there might be fasteners.
If your vehicle has automated door locks, there can be little levers or even electrical connections that need to be linked, especially if the vehicle has a security system.
You can tell if the fasteners can be removed from the outside of the door or whether you need to enter the door by looking at how they are installed. If it needs to be fixed from the inside, that is outside the purview of this essay.
If the handle does come with a lock cylinder, consult a parts expert to determine whether you want to use a separate key to open this door. Or do you prefer to retain access to your old key? Most of the time, you can request that the cylinder be keyed to your existing key by supplying the car’s serial number, but this normally necessitates a longer delivery time than a handle with a lock of its own and a set of keys.
In some cases, replacing the old lock with a new one is doable if the lock cylinder is in good shape.
Locate the fasteners in step two. In most cases, a fastener can be found in the door jamb right next to the door handle. It is frequently not difficult to discover, even when it is covered by a plastic plug or a piece of weatherstripping.
It will frequently be the only fastener used; but, in some instances, there may also be a screw at the forward end. By observing the replacement handle, you can tell.
Apply painter’s tape in step three. It’s time to wrap the door handle with a little piece of painters tape before continuing. This will enable you to complete the task without damaging the paint. To protect the finish, use a high-quality tape that can be removed without difficulty.
It’s time to use your screwdriver, socket set, or torx driver to remove the bolt at this point (s). The handle can be moved fore and aft after being removed.
Removing the door doorknob is step four. The door handle can be tilted out of the way by sliding it toward the front of the vehicle.
When this is finished, the front of the handle will be able to slide out of the door similarly and will be free to move.
An automatic door lock might have a plastic rod attached to it or a small pair of wires for the alarm. Most of the time, you can just pop them off with your fingertips.
Changing the lock cylinder is step four. This is the time to replace your old lock cylinder, if you’ve opted to do so. Insert the key into the lock, then release the clip holding the end of the key in place. A clock spring and other components might be fastened.
With the key still in place, carefully remove the cylinder and put the new handle on top of it.
- Removing the key before the lock is installed could result in small pieces and springs shooting out all over the room.
Install the door handle in step five. Make sure all rubber gaskets are in place before starting to move the large end of the door handle into the slot after sliding the tiny end (front) into it.
Place the handle in the slot after reconnecting any linkages or electrical connections.
If you look into the hole, you should be able to see whatever latching mechanism the handle needs to contact. If not, you may need to turn the lock or pull the trigger to get it to do so while you insert the handle.
Install the fasteners in step six. Before tightening the fastener, ensure sure the handle is firmly pressed against the door and then place it in the door jamb. Install any fasteners that are on the front now, but don’t tighten them just yet.
Before tightening any other fasteners, tighten the one at the door jamb.
To ensure that everything is connected properly, test the door handle, the lock, and the alarm. Make sure to replace the plastic plugs that covered the holes as soon as you are certain the job is finished.
It’s not difficult to change a door handle from the outside, but if you’re like most people, you might not have the time. Or you might discover that the door handle on the automobile you drive needs to be changed from the inside, which can be difficult for even the most skilled mechanics. In either case, you can always get in touch with Your Mechanic to have the work simply done at your house. replacement door handle
How much does repairing a car door handle cost?
Oh no! Although a car door handle is a crucial component, happily, replacing one won’t set you back a fortune. Depending on which handle broke, the price varies, but you should budget between $80-$500 to repair it.
The average cost to replace the interior handle, including labor, is between $80 and $200. It will likely cost between $150 and $500 for the external handle. Having said that, these figures could vary greatly depending on the car you drive and the service facility you go to.
Ask for quotations from a few body shops to get an idea of the price for your specific car. You can then choose what is best for you.
It never hurts to have additional protection on your automobile with a roadside assistance subscription from Jerry, even though mishaps and broken door handles do happen. You receive industry-leading roadside assistance from Jerrys membership, featuring advantages like towing, lockout service, and a mechanics hotline. You can check the app or contact one of our helpful agents to see whether you qualify. A special deal of $50 for your first year might be available to you!
Do all doors have handles?
The majority of people eventually have to replace a door knob in their lifetime. You’ll need to know what kind of door knob to buy when this time arrives. You might be left wondering, though, if all door knobs are standard or if you must purchase a certain kind.
Doorknobs are not ubiquitous, but the number of possibilities for what you require is not rapidly growing. The backset, the cross-bore, and whether the doorknob is intended for inside or exterior use are the three factors you need to take into account.
The several door knobs’ forms and purposes will be covered in this article. Learn more about selecting the best door knob for your door and about the distinguishing characteristics of door knobs by reading on.
What Differentiates Door Knobs?
The compatibility of door knobs with various door backsets, cross-bores, and placements serves as a defining characteristic. Additionally, external door knobs differ from interior door knobs in terms of their characteristics and purposes.
Backset Length Affects Door Knob Choice
The backset is the distance between the edge of the door and the center of the knob hole. A typical door knob’s backset is 2 3/8 inches or 2 3/4 inches (6.03 cm or 5.08 cm). Depending on your circumstances, this could signify various things.
To find an appropriate replacement if the door already has a hole in it (which is likely if you’re changing a doorknob), you must measure the backset. If the door does not yet have a hole, you will need to know the backset of the doorknob you intend to install in order to determine where to place your hole saw.
The latch bolt assembly, which moves as you turn the knob, can have issues if the backset length is off. The latch bolt assembly will either be too lengthy for the door to latch or too short to reach the doorknob if a knob that is incompatible with the backset length is used.
Cross-Bore Diameter Affects Door Knob Compatibility
Generally speaking, the cross-bore has a diameter of 2 1/8 inches (5.08 cm), though there are rare exceptions. Before cutting into your new door, just like with the backset, you must either know the diameter of the hole in your door or the size of the cross-bore your knob needs.
You might occasionally come into a larger cross-bore that calls for a broader doorknob and rosette. The metal plate that wraps around the doorknob and hides its workings is called a rosette.
Interior vs. Exterior Door Knobs
The location of your doorknob is just as crucial as its dimensions. It’s crucial to realize that various door functions call for various knobs.
An internal doorknob often weighs less and is smaller than an exterior doorknob, and it typically uses a lighter-duty door handle. They are not intended to provide any significant security; they are only meant to hold internal doors closed. Interior doors are frequently hollow-core doors, which makes them lighter. Interior door knobs don’t have to exert a lot of force to keep them shut.
Additionally, the vast majority of interior knobs lack locking mechanisms. Three categories can be made out of them:
- Passage knobs are typically used on closet doors and other similar doors. They don’t lock.
- Dummy knobs are decorative items that have no functional purpose (they don’t even turn).
- Privacy knobs: These knobs just have a hole on the other side of them, but they have a lock with no key. Doors to bathrooms and bedrooms typically have these.
You wouldn’t want to use a privacy knob on an outside door because the lock isn’t particularly secure. Instead, they offer a lesser level of protection that protects the locked room’s privacy (as the name suggests).
The external doorknob’s main purpose is to keep the door securely closed, even though we normally think of doorknobs as tools for opening doors. In comparison to their interior counterparts, they are built stronger and have keyed locks. They are more durable than interior knobs, but they are not impenetrable.
The majority of us were raised in homes with an outside doorknob that required a key for admission. Unlike a privacy knob, whose lock can be readily released with a bobby pin, this knob’s lock is more difficult to pick. A bobby pin can be used to select an outside knob, although it requires more skill than a privacy knob.
Interior passage knobs are less secure than exterior knobs, however exterior knobs are much more effective when combined with a deadbolt, which is typically fitted above it.
Keyless knobs have become more and more common recently. Although they frequently feature a key and keyhole, their primary purpose is to operate without that key. They normally run on batteries. With keyless knobs, you can use a key fob, a number pad, or another mechanism to open or close the lock by entering a 4-digit code.
Consider a hotel. When you check in, you receive an electronic key the size of a credit card. Similar mechanisms underlie keyless entry knobs, which enable opening the lock without using a real metal key.
The same concept is applied when operating locks in certain smart houses via a smartphone app. These intelligent locks provide a keyless entry method for doors. This might be quite convenient and save you money on a locksmith or window replacement technician visit if you frequently lose your keys.
Older Door Knobs Can Complicate Replacement
It could be time to locate a more contemporary and secure doorknob if your door is getting close to being considered antique. You might have to make fresh holes in this situation. You might even need to completely replace the door in rare circumstances.
The spindle of older knobs could be substantially narrower. To put it another way, the spindle is the metal object that the knob turns to open the latch. The cross-bore in this instance might be far too narrow for the new knob. Additionally, a backset that differs from one of the usual sizes might be encountered.
A hole saw can be used to solve the first issue. Simply cut a bigger hole in the door using the saw. You will need to relocate the hole to the left or right due to the second issue. After finishing this operation, keep in mind that you can still have the old hole in the door.
Conclusion
Although they aren’t universal, door knobs are often standardized, depending on your individual requirements. You can purchase the appropriate replacement or install the cross-bore on the door in the proper location by knowing the backset measurement. The selection process is made easier by deciding whether you need interior or exterior knobs.
Before you begin cutting into your door, be aware of your measurements. It’s a cliche, but the saying “measure twice, cut once” is wise counsel.