[Tiliqua]

I've joined the very long list of drivers Inside door handle failures. Looking at the variety of places that actually sell replacement handles just for the Touareg, this must be a major issue. Replacing the handle is a fairly mundane job but I am being a bit obtuse in not wanting to just replace one poorly designed item with another.

Despite the Touareg door being the biggest and heaviest in my fleet, it has the weakest handle. The door card from another of my VAG family cars has much better designed door furniture.
What am I going to do about it? Not sure but luckily my car is older so there is no compulsion to have it looking like it just came from the factory and I'll place greater utility on it working properly and safely than looking stock. Currently putting some thought into it and if anyone has some suggestions, throw them out there as I'm up for just about anything.

 

[Tiliqua]

OK, been experimenting and this concept works really well for me. This is just a trial using a spring loaded chest handle that is bolted to the two door card securing points behind the original handle using two 6 x 70mm bolts.

It has just been camoflauged to check the concept and now to make up something flash that looks appropriate and uses these mounting points. The final product will be complimentry to the interior and colour and it makes no change to the door card plastic so a genuine handle could be retrofitted at any time if desired. Works fine for me and how can it be weaker than the factory offering.

 

[TommiT]

Will this pass the "It's alright, I've only removed the rear seat temporarily, officer" test?

 

[Tiliqua]

Absolutely. As long as the thigh bone is connected to the knee bone someone will ask but in my jurisdiction, I cannot see any ADR's that are impacted. There is reason to query some possible solutions that might compromise passenger safety but I did consider that and didn't come up with any downsides except it isn't VW M'Lord.

 

[TASSIE TIGER]

I suggest looking into getting a replacement 3D printed, there are many people out there who can do this for you.
However they will need a good one to create the digital file from, this can be via a 3D scan or manually creating a 3D model using Inventor or Solidworks or similar software.
This way it can be made from a stronger material or make the design stronger.

This might be helpful for you, 3D Printing Canberra — Official Website

 

[TASSIE TIGER]

Regarding ADR here in Australia, I removed all but the driver seat in my daily drive to go over on the ferry to Melbourne to collect some equipment to bring back to my workshop here in Tasmania. So long as I did not carry any people in the car then there is no offence being committed. I did not get any attention from any one on the whole trip.
I should mention that it is a 2002 Honda Jazz 1.5 Manual that once loaded was sitting on the rear suspension bump stops the whole way home, it only just made it back onto the ferry over those big yellow chain tiedowns on the deck of the ferry. I had a large drill press, 45T hydraulic press, metal shelf racks and a role of carpet on board. That is my Treg in the background behind the press.

 

[Tiliqua]

I suggest looking into getting a replacement 3D printed, there are many people out there who can do this for you.

Not for me. Having trialled the "bolted to the door" solution, I'm actually very happy with the outcome and am keeping that solution. Anything else is fixed to the door card which is then fixed to the door skin so not as robust by design. Sure I could 3D print a solution but I can't see the need and in most cases the fix would cost much the same as the factory part once development hours are costed in.

 

[JimJ]

bolted to the two door card securing points

Did you match the colour of the nuts on the outside to the car colour?

 

[Tiliqua]

There are no external nuts. If you chase through the forum you'll see that there are two captive nuts on the inside of the door skin that are used to help in securing the door card. I used those. I'm in the process of converting a spring loaded grab handle to replace the temporary handle I used to trial the concept. It isn't to everyones taste but it suites me just fine and removes the built in failure point from VW. Externally there is no change and internally most wouldn't even notice the change.