TheSamba.com :: View topic - Mousetrap Uses

Fri Apr 23, 2004 5:05 am

I know this place isn't really a "oooh look, heres what I did today" but I know some of you were looking for a way to fix your floppin around door handles (so was I!) I have the 61-63? door handles, the ice pick handle with the indented door. I tried to find springs for them, but nobody had them. I called up Gabriel, and he had some springs, but said you had to use 2 of them. I don't know how I could fit 2 of anything in that door handle, so I decided to give my idea a shot. (I hope Gabe isn't upset that I'm posting this? He was a super nice guy to me on the phone when I called him to ask about this!) I headed down to Fleet Farm and picked up a 2 pack of mouse traps. Cost me a buck. Take the coil spring off of a mousetrap, and cut it in half. Then, cut it down so its 4 or so coils wide and bend one of the ends out so that its rests on one of the parts of the door handle. Its basically a bend to fit deal, and you'll figure out how to do it after you look at your old spring. Use a vice to hold the door handle when you install the spring (much easier that way) You want the spring as wide as you can get it and still fit it in there. It isn't the strongest spring in the world, but I don't think the originals were very strong either. It definitely holds the handles in tight though and I'm very pleased with the results. You can adjust tension by bending the spring some too. I used a side cutters to cut the spring, and a couple needle nosed pliers to bend it.

Anyways, thought some of you might want to know and couldn't find the thread to post it in there.

Total cost, 50 cents (only used one trap) and about 45 minutes to do both handles including taking off and reinstalling the handles. Maybe I should've taken pics but I didn't. Sorry... anyways, enjoy!

Fri Apr 23, 2004 5:11 am

That is a good idea. I actually found a torsion spring at pep boys.

Fri Apr 23, 2004 5:21 am

Interesting. I was just thinking the other day if I could make a click pen's spring work in the latch for the sliding window up front.

-Taylor

Fri Apr 23, 2004 6:04 am

That's crazy, I still have three mouse traps left from the 4-pack I bought to use on my external electrical outlet cover on my '71 westy. The traps are definately cheaper than trying to find and buy the proper style spring. I got a kick out of seeing someone else comb the isles for ideas. I'll pass this one on.

Fri Apr 23, 2004 6:57 am

Taylor,
That won't work. I've tried it. You need a stronger spring. Still looking though.

Fri Apr 23, 2004 7:23 am

Sundial Camper wrote: Taylor,
That won't work. I've tried it. You need a stronger spring. Still looking though.

Okay. Thanks for letting me know. You've just saved me about 15 minutes' work this weekend. ;)

-Taylor

Fri Apr 23, 2004 9:05 am

I'm not upset at all!
I myself got tired of not finding the correct springs, or having to pay an arm and a leg for originals, (sometimes they cost more than the handle i'm installing them to! LOL)
Anyways, tryng different things I found about (5000) of the springs I'm using now, but, like the mouse trap spring you need to do some bending anf fitting to the handles but they work great! I charge $5.00 per handle which isn't outrageous, it pays for the springs and the time it takes me to install them to the handles!
Gabriel.

Also, Taylor:
there is a guy reproducing the bus sliding window latch "spring" they are like a buck each, call me and I will give you his ordering information.

Fri Apr 23, 2004 9:11 am

I found some matching springs at my local ACE hardware store. They haev a big board of springs.

Same thing though, you them down and bend one end outward. One spring did both doors but it was $2 or so for the correct diameter wire.

They are a bitch to install.

Fri Apr 23, 2004 9:32 am

Well I pulled my handle out to find the spring broken and it's missing the little arm that the spring holds on to?
Anyone have a nice used handle forsale?

Fri Apr 23, 2004 7:20 pm

Ev is right, the springs are a bitch to install. Getting one end on the handle and not letting it slip down, and then compressing the spring. I used a flat blade screwdriver to compress the spring, and a small hammer and punch for the pin. It takes some tries, but after the first one the second is much easier.

Kombimonster -- Drivers or passengers side? Do you have the ice pick handles with the recessed doors? I went through a bunch of handles and called a lot of people to find just a base that wasn't broken. If you find one, snap it up.