Broken door handle. I hate theives.

S33k3r said:

Actually, I considered that, but then I heard thieves would punch through the door metal, JUST as easily; I figured replacing door handles would be cheaper that the whole door, or body work.

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This is most likely not the case, breaking the door lock tumbler off inside is easy to do it just breaks the plastic on the backside of the handle plastic, punching thru sheet metal is a whole different task, you have to think like the thief, they want a nice quiet dark situation out sight, punching thru metal is not stealthy at all if anything they would just break a window if not the door tumbler. they like to do the tumblers because they just walk up, pop the tumbler in open the door and get in. doing anything else is noisy and more likely to bring attention to them, if they are unsuccessful at popping the lock they may just move on to another vehicle

Or they get pissed off and trash/vandalize your vehicle. I had a beater I drove when I was in college. A 1979 Opel Manta that was a great car, but getting parts was almost impossible. Any way I put a $20 cassette tape deck/FM radio in it. It was held in by 1 screw. The thieves broke the window, of an unlocked door, and tore the dash apart trying to get it out. Thieves are not only lazy, sometimes, but stupid as h3ll!

Doubeleive said:

This is most likely not the case, breaking the door lock tumbler off inside is easy to do it just breaks the plastic on the backside of the handle plastic, punching thru sheet metal is a whole different task, you have to think like the thief, they want a nice quiet dark situation out sight, punching thru metal is not stealthy at all if anything they would just break a window if not the door tumbler. they like to do the tumblers because they just walk up, pop the tumbler in open the door and get in. doing anything else is noisy and more likely to bring attention to them, if they are unsuccessful at popping the lock they may just move on to another vehicle

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Well, I prefer they knock the tumbler in. I have an aftermarket alarm to greet them if they do. And it has all the bells and whistles.

After mine got broken into (Westin Riverwalk Valet left it on the street by a park several blocks from the hotel...they paid for repairs) I got a cheap Depo handle for $8.50 and some jimmy jammers. The Depo handle was flat black - my truck is dark spiral gray metallic, but it blended in ok. Fitment wasn't stellar, but it functioned ok. I put a new lock cylinder in it and sent it.

Since I was getting some stuff paint matched last week, I bought a Delco handle at $50. Just got it back from paint yesterday, so I'll pull the old and swap the cylinder over. I expect fit to be much better and the "open" operation to be like factory. Something just felt off about the Depo one.

Is the Delco handle plastic or metal? Sorry if that is an ignorant question -- I have seen a lot of posts about door handles breaking off.

S33k3r said:

Is the Delco handle plastic or metal? Sorry if that is an ignorant question -- I have seen a lot of posts about door handles breaking off.

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Plastic.

Please forgive the thread necromancy, but someone tried to steal my truck again. I am not sure from where, but assume it was my driveway:


I think three things saved me here:

1) My alarm
2) My dogs
3) That lock wasn't connected to anything. It was just there to fill the hole in my door...

If the dogs wake me up at night, or the alarm goes off, I lock it. If it goes off again, I remote start it.

Just thought I'd share. I am now working on adding the lights and cameras I should have added last year.

S33k3r said:

Please forgive the thread necromancy, but someone tried to steal my truck again. I am not sure from where, but assume it was my driveway:

View attachment 382188
I think three things saved me here:

1) My alarm
2) My dogs
3) That lock wasn't connected to anything. It was just there to fill the hole in my door...

If the dogs wake me up at night, or the alarm goes off, I lock it. If it goes off again, I remote start it.

Just thought I'd share. I am now working on adding the lights and cameras I should have added last year.

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plug this into your alarm and make it fairly visible, that should deter most thief's because it makes it clear there is a alarm, I have these on both my trucks

******* tried to steal my daughter's truck again, and were utter idiots. I thought I had a picture, but they basically tried to pry the whole handle and back pieceout, instead of just knocking the lock out. The dor is likely toast, but the grab handle and lock look fine.

S33k3r said:

******* tried to steal my daughter's truck again, and were utter idiots. I thought I had a picture, but they basically tried to pry the whole handle and back pieceout, instead of just knocking the lock out. The dor is likely toast, but the grab handle and lock look fine.

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look for a DEI 629L they are pretty much sold out everywhere but a couple places might have them
it is a bright blue 5 led flasher that you connect to pretty much any alarm, all it needs is a ground and the red wire goes to the alarm brain.
the led is activated when the alarm is armed. then you just place the led in a obvious viewable place, i put mine in the center console on the yukon and near the ignition on my pickup
anyone that looks at the vehicle will know it has a alrm and are likely to just pass it up and move on to easier prey
this is what it looks like in my silverado