Grab handles on inside pillars

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Ron Sebastian

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Thinking of bolting these in to the pillar to assist entry. Anyone else try this vs the big metal ones? Would it be possible to rivnut anchors into the pillar between the windshield and door frame or better along the roof closer to the windshield?
 

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SquareRoot

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The metal is fairly thin. When I made my handles, I welded a B_U_N_G" to the pillar so the attachment bolts had something to grab to. The other issue is the way the pillar faces inward and forward. That makes the face point towards the glass. So unless you have your windshield out, It's almost impossible to drill or screw a bolt in straight.

 

Ron Sebastian

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The metal is fairly thin. When I made my handles, I welded a B_U_N_G" to the pillar so the attachment bolts had something to grab to. The other issue is the way the pillar faces inward and forward. That makes the face point towards the glass. So unless you have your windshield out, It's almost impossible to drill or screw a bolt in straight.

I saw your post and was hoping for a "no weld" solution. Thanks.
 

Old77

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I saw your post and was hoping for a "no weld" solution. Thanks.
That's not likely. Can't see how you'd complete this project without welding especially to add rigidity to the A pillar which was never built for this intent. You gotta add strength to that attachment point without a doubt.
 

SquareRoot

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Also, its multi layers. Behind the initial metal there is another layer at an odd angle. You only have about 1/4 inch to play with. That's why the b_u_n_g idea allowed me to thread the hole and use a 3/8" bolt.

You could probably use a nutsert and a spacer but either way the glass is coming out.
 

SirRobyn0

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The metal is fairly thin. When I made my handles, I welded a B_U_N_G" to the pillar so the attachment bolts had something to grab to. The other issue is the way the pillar faces inward and forward. That makes the face point towards the glass. So unless you have your windshield out, It's almost impossible to drill or screw a bolt in straight.

@Ron Sebastian Take a look at SquareRoot's thread. There is his, build which is really the nicer one and my simplified version is later on in the thread. I won't not the grab handles in your picture personally. The pipe handle is the way to go.
 

PrairieDrifter

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I used those exact soft handles, right above my head on the roof and door line. Suburbans have some sandwiched body panels in that area.

I used 3/8 nutserts and it holds them perfect, I can't see any flex in the metal with all my weight. You just have to make sure you space the holes right, so there's some slack to get your hand in there but not so much it looks like a dumb floppy loop.
 

Backfoot100

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I used those exact soft handles, right above my head on the roof and door line. Suburbans have some sandwiched body panels in that area.

I used 3/8 nutserts and it holds them perfect, I can't see any flex in the metal with all my weight. You just have to make sure you space the holes right, so there's some slack to get your hand in there but not so much it looks like a dumb floppy loop.
Good info. Where did you get the handles from if I may ask?
 

PrairieDrifter

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Ron Sebastian

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