[jeverts]

My handle broke on my tailgate, so I'll be picking up an new handle tonight on the way home from work and replacing it. I already know I'll have a few obstacles...one being that the bolts on the back have been Rhino-lined over. The one I'm worried about is removing what they call the bezel, or the plastic cover. The new handle doesn't come with a new one and I've read and hear that it's easy to break the clips off of them. Can anyone tell me the trick of removing that without breaking the clips?

 

[BCZ71]

May the force be with you!

I've attempted to remove 2, broke the clips off of both of them. Plastic out in the elements, they just get brittle.

 

[GR2017]

......the bolts on the back have been Rhino-lined over......

One advantage to the OEM sprayed-on liner....the screws are not covered over. Plus more accurately applied.

 

[TugYokelberg]

I went through the same issue a year ago and didn't just break a peg off the bezel but also broke one of the two plastic clips that connect the latch handle to the wires that run to the catches on each side. If I were doing this again I would remove everything before hitting the parts store. I had to go back for the bezel and then again for the clips but perhaps you have a steadier hand than me.

 

[jeverts]

BCZ71 and Tug: That's was I was afraid of...I was hoping for more of a "just do this and you'll be fine. you can do it!" but realistically I figured it wasn't going to be that easy. I can take half my motor apart and put it back together without complication, but throw something small and dumb like this at me and I find every possible way to shoot myself in the foot :lol:

 

[rollover]

Take a look on YouTube. Seems to me I found some tricks there a number of years ago.

 

[jeverts]

I defied the laws of nature and Murphey's law...I got the cover off without busting the tabs and the new handle came with new cable clips. It took awhile to dig the bolt heads out of the Rhino Liner, but after that it was only about a 10 minute job. Thanks for the help.

 

[esox07]

My guess is that you exercised all the appropriate care and that is what led to the successful job. I am sure most just start prying away at it with reckless abandon and realize too late that more care would have been prudent.
Good job.