Covers for door handles: selection and installation

Overlays for door handles add aesthetic beauty, individuality to any car and are an indispensable accessory for external tuning. However, in addition to decorative, their use also plays the practical role of a protective finish. Typically, these accessories are made of either steel or high-impact plastic.

You can buy handle covers, find out the differences between accessories from different manufacturers and other installation features HERE .

Chromed steel door handle covers

For the production of chrome bags, steel of different grades and strengths is usually used. But accessories made of 314 steel have proven themselves in the best way (for example, Omsa, Carmos ). This material is guaranteed not to rust when exposed to water. Considered to be very strong and durable. Usually a light or dark chrome coating is applied over the metal. And it is desirable to choose those linings on the handles, on which two layers of chromium are applied at once - protective and for color depth. In this case, you can be 100% sure that the products will look the same as on the day of purchase even in 10 years.

A little about chrome plastic

For the production of chrome overlays for door handles, ABC plastic (an abbreviation for acrylonitrile butadiene plastic) and compositions based on it are used. It is the most demanded plastic for complex molded products. The properties of this material are attractive: wear resistance, high resistance to impact loads, alkalis, lubricating oils, solutions of inorganic acids and salts, fats, gasoline ... Obtained as a result of repeated application of several layers of special chemicals, ABC chrome plastic looks like metal - monolithic , with noble coldness and specular light reflection. At the same time, the material is quite durable, heat-resistant, waterproof.

Choice of trims for car door handles

The designs of chrome trims are diverse, because they correspond to the outer profile of the original handles and depend on the make and model of the car. They can be without a key hole, with a hole for 1 key, with mating parts for 2 keys, for and under handles, for a liftgate handle, etc. The leader among numerous manufacturers of styling products is Omsa (Turkey).

Installing chrome trim on car handles

A convenient property of the overlays is ease of self-assembly (using American 3M adhesive tape) and subsequent reliability in use. Only this should be done at an air temperature not lower than + 10 ° C.

When working independently, you first need to degrease the surface under the lining, remove the red protective film from the parts of the chrome package, install the accessory in the intended place and press firmly for several minutes. Usually one hundred percent adhesion to the surface occurs on the 2nd day of using the product. Therefore, before this period, it is not recommended to use high-pressure equipment for washing the car.

Thus, the simple work of installing chrome trim on the door handles will help your car acquire elegance and individuality. And if you are thinking about what other tuning accessories you can install on your "iron friend", then you can read our section Sprinter tuning program: simple, effective and affordable , from which you will learn more about such attachments as a kenguryatnik (kengurin, front protection , rear protection) and footrests (side body kit).