This thread is primarily about me being a cheap ***. My door pull handle/arm rest mounting points were slightly cracked (previous owner ) but I had secured the mounts with oversized washers when I installed new door speakers a couple years ago. During a recent cold day (-20....I think that's about -5 in the old system) I pulled the door and heard two distinct SNAPs and then the pull handle was super loose.... only being held by the screws on the back of the panel into the arm rest - the main bolts into the door had pulled through.

I looked on fleabay for decent used replacements and found they were $50-$100 plus shipping (and for me there'd be exchange and cross border shipping too) which was more than I wanted to invest for an armrest. Plus I needed a reason to be in the shop out of the house for the afternoon. So I got a couple pcs of scrap sheet steel, I think 14 gauge. I then cut and bent them to match the arm rest contours (pita as they are compound angle bends), then drilled them and 2 part epoxy JB welded and riveted them in place after scuffing the plastic up. All of the work is hidden and the flimsy plastic area of the arm rest is much reinforced now I think. The one side had a crack in the plastic so I put an extra rivet. The new mounting holes were a little off as the test fitting was hard to do and see the nutsert/hole in the door. A little die grinder hole elongation and good to go.

Maybe helps somebody do a cheap fix. Been a couple weeks and it's still rock solid, at least as good as new I'd say.

 

Nice! I'm downloading for future reference. Thanks!

 

I did the same thing years ago, except I used aluminum and rivits. You did a much better job than I did. I see this problem all the time on Blazers. It's funny because people will rant claiming cheap Chevy door panel clips causing the problem. Then I tell them it's not their door panel clips, their door pull is broken. I've seen a couple blank stares when I tell them this. It's kinda funny...full rant to dead stop.

 

Thanks for the feedback. After a week or so of closing the door by pulling on that latch or edge of the window its so nice to have the armrest fixed and solid.

 

Nice job. Looks similar to mine. I used sheet metal. Gotta be stronger than the plastic. I also used a little JB Weld as well.

 

Looks good Mike!

 

Thanks. I didn't see your thread here until after I did this. I opted for a thinner material than you did, but it is a lot stronger than the plastic so maybe it will last awhile. Still have to drill the holes to attach it to the door. Waiting on a window regulator and motor to get here, so I got lazy since there is no rush. My door panel was cracked almost in two as well. I've re-enforced everything with some metal, nuts and bolts. It may be stronger than it was when new and none of the repairs will show when it is all re-installed.