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Repair to reinstate the two locking lugs to the external door handle

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
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shy7g
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Repair to reinstate the two locking lugs to the external door handle

Post by shy7g » Mon Aug 05, 2024 6:21 pm

Does anyone know of a successful repair to reinstate the two locking lugs to the external door handle, as shown in photo.
I know you can get oem from £40 +p&p primer finish or painted to paint code around £160 +p&p, but if there's a fix worth trying I'd like to repair this existing part as it's a shame to have to bin it just because "it's easier" to just replace it with a new one. Yeah okay if the repair doesn't work then nothing lost other than a few hours. Thinking out loud maybe reduce the diameter of the end piece and 3d print a sleeve with the new locking lugs on it??, just an idea, I haven't got a 3d printer :ebay: maybe a go excuse to now have one (yeah I know it won't make financial sense but you've got to have grown up toys, now and again :wink: :wink: :wink:
cheers all
Rich1899
handle.jpg
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HOW MANY OF THESE E53's ARE STILL ON THE ROAD TODAY AUG.24 ????

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X5Sport
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Repair to reinstate the two locking lugs to the external door handle

Post by X5Sport » Mon Aug 05, 2024 6:36 pm

I do have a 3d printer (Prusa 3S) but it’s filament based and from experience that material just doesn’t provide the necessary strength in the part. Additive manufacturing using resin system (these use a UV laser), or powder based (using an IR laser) would be better. The problem with filament based systems is that the filament layers can pull apart so the part unravels.

…….and yes I also subscribe to the adults are allowed expensive toys too. :D :D
:ant: Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.

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Alan Gunn
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Repair to reinstate the two locking lugs to the external door handle

Post by Alan Gunn » Tue Aug 06, 2024 5:28 am

When i first had my e53 the carrier failed so i got a new one.
On stripping the door i couldn't get the handle of and it turned out somebody had drilled into that tab and put a self tapper in with a washer and a bit of rubber cut out to make a second washer.
Me being me spent day's painting a new handle should have used the old one as the paint didn't last 3 years.

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marti
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Repair to reinstate the two locking lugs to the external door handle

Post by marti » Tue Aug 06, 2024 5:07 pm

Done this a few times, find a small screw that will fit in the end of the lug with a modest head and a washer big enough to hold the lug in place on the inside of the door skin ....sorted. :)

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shy7g
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Repair to reinstate the two locking lugs to the external door handle

Post by shy7g » Tue Aug 06, 2024 7:30 pm

Cheers all for the input
Marti, great idea, will try this out once the evil-bay £11 one drops out, I'd say give it 6mths only because that door barely gets used lol

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Repair to reinstate the two locking lugs to the external door handle

Post by marti » Wed Aug 07, 2024 5:13 pm

shy7g wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2024 7:30 pm Cheers all for the input
Marti, great idea, will try this out once the evil-bay £11 one drops out, I'd say give it 6mths only because that door barely gets used lol
It does work a treat as said done it a few times on my old X5 and a couple of mates X5's one of them still has his and I repaired it 7 + yrs ago and all is still well and its drivers door handle....I should have done a youtube vid :D

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