How to increase the weight of the door handles and improve feel.

Let me just say at the outset that this mod is not for everyone. I probably have undiagnosed OCD.

I recently purchased my 2018 1794, and it’s been great. But one thing that really bothers me about the truck is the exterior door handles. They feel light, hollow, and cheap, like Tupperware. The rest of the truck is solid and strong. I wanted door handles that matched. So I set about looking for how to add weight to a plastic injection molded part.

For starters, and just personally, I ordered new OEM handles that were paint-matched 040 Super White to replace my chrome. As I was assembling them, I noticed how much void space is inside. So I set about trying to fix that using my old chrome handles as dummy test pieces, and what I came up with worked pretty well. Here are the step-by-steps to repeat what I did:

1. Remove door handles from truck. Follow this video or written instructions if needed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3_MQKgXhok; http://toyotaparts.sparkstoyota.com/install/69210-0C020-KITCRinst.pdf
2. Remove Philips screw from inside of handle and disassemble. The factory handle weighs 5.43 oz, unmodified.
3. Buy one roll of 1/2” x 60” lead tape per handle (I chose this one bc for $11.99 it came with latex gloves and preinstalled 3M tape: https://amzn.to/46ZC0CE)
4. Install the tape in layers to the area show in yellow. It’s probably about 5” long. Press down hard on the tape for each layer. You want this to stick and remain stuck for years. I probably stacked 10 layers.
5. Test fit the handle cover to ensure it still reattaches without interference.
6. Place remaining tape in smaller pieces as shown in pictures. I used an entire roll of 60” tape for each handle. Don’t forget to keep checking clearance. Wash your hands well.
7. You could probably stop here. You’ve almost doubled the weight of the handle to 9.82 oz, and taken up a lot of the void space. But I wasn’t done. OCD, remember? Some of the handle still felt hollow and a little unbalanced to me. Plus there were voids that the lead tape couldn’t fill.
8. Buy a container of steel BBs. I chose these for $8.99: https://amzn.to/3RNTHk8
9. Add BBs to the remaining void areas. Be extra sure now to check for clearance. You’re going to add glue in the next step so you don’t want to overdo it.
10. Get a glue gun that has a high heat setting. You want glue that will have a high viscosity so it flows well and binds to as many BBs and surfaces as possible.
11. Apply glue to the voids between the BBs. Get good coverage, because you don’t want them coming loose and rattling around after miles and miles of driving. Add glue around the lead strips as well. At this point, you still need to be checking fitment of the handle cover, but be careful: you’ve added glue to the mix, so things could get stuck together. I suggest making compressions with the handle cover while the glue is still warm, and then removing the cover so the glue cools and doesn’t bond to the cover. If needed, you could apply a light film of grease to the inside of the handle cover to keep any glue from sticking. Finally, and very optionally, you can reattach the Phillips screw from Step 2 and then inject hot glue into the two voids at the bottom of the handle through the small holes on either side of the screw. But BE FOREWARNED this will permanently mate the handle cover and handle together.
    
12. At this point you’re done. With the additional BBs and glue, you’ve added another ~2 oz, bringing the total handle weight to 12 oz, which is 220% of its original weight; plus you replaced basically ALL the void air space with dense objects. Reassemble, check for rattles, and enjoy!

Hope this helps someone. It made me like my Tundra more. I’ve learned a lot from the group already.

 

Probably...
As a non-medical professional, I'm gonna say yes, yes you do.
But as long as you are happy, I'm all for it..

I never gave the weight of my door handles a second thought..
No tellin' what you did to make your johnson heavier...

 

BBs might be small enough to fit.

 

Seems antithetical to make a gas hog heavier, but if you want more door “feel”, install this early 70’s Eldorado door

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one that this bugged, I might have to add this to the list of things to do.

 

If you want more door "feel", just overdo the sound deading as I did..

 

Nice, but you lose some valuable cargo carrying capacity!

 

Tip for the future. You can melt lead weights pretty easy with a lighter and they will form to the mold, instead of glue/tape. We used to do it to add weight to pinewood Derby cars. Just used lead fishing weights.

Might have to watch you don't melt the plastic but shouldn't need to be too hot.

 

Wow. Never thought of this and hope that it does not get stuck in my mind next time I open the door with my stock door handles!

 

I have worked in the automotive market for many years.
They say that the #1 thing that will hook a potential customer on the quality of your car is the feel of the door handle. If the handle feels good they will have a positive impression of the car. It is their first experience with the car/truck. It is an attention to detail thing.
I would agree. The cars that have really nice door handle feel is a car that I have really liked. A good example of this would be a '80s vintage GM car. The door handles SUCKED and so did the cars.
On the Tundra, I think that the handles/mechanism feel nice and the rest of the truck is also put together well.

 

I do pick up on the feel of a door when it closes, but I've honestly given my Tundra's door handles a second thought.

If it bugs me now the next time I get in my truck I'm gonna' be pissed!

 

door handles are overrated

 

You've got issues.. Serious issues...

Lol, j/k..

 

We need a "shaking head" emoji....I have absolutely nothing on this one.

 

O... M... G... nuff said

 

Gonna tell my kids this is fully automatic.

 

“Point door handle toward enemy”

 

Weird, must be the chrome verse the painted or the black handles. Never once thought they felt hallow, light, or cheap and none of the folks that have gone from the black to color matched have complained of them getting lighter so can only assume they have a similar feel.

Interesting mod, glad it makes you happier with your truck.

 

My truck was maybe 2 weeks old when I swapped out the chrome with color matched and I did not feel a bit of difference

 

This just goes to show how hard it is to find a problem with the 2.5 gen. Door handles are too light. That's funny.

 

This is definitely on my list.

 

Commenting so I get alerts.


Carry on.

 

I thought about this, but I wasn't prepared to deal with the proper PPE needed to deal with lead vapor, didn't want to take risk melting the plastic, and finally found lead tape that was a perfect fit for the cavity that's already inside the handle.

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

Nope. Identical parts. I've got both on the workbench right now (next to pic of 1LL's mom).