What is the best way to repair the door panels where the electric window switches attach? Many trucks I have looked at have been switch broken so I assume it is a common repair. I searched this forum and did not find any related posts.

Building up the area where the screw attaches is a given but what is the best material that will stick and not melt the panel. The panels are in relatively good shape so I do not want to replace them.

 

Subscribing. Mine looks like this and it drives me nuts. I may try to use some jb weld but then it may never come apart again.

 

I would go to the junk yard and find some take off or buy new. I think from Ford they're about $70 a piece, but I found housings as low as $35 on the internet.

 

I can live with the cracked cover plate on the passenger side. It is the loose connection to the door that I have issue with. The door panels would be $250 from NPD if they were available. The rest of the door panels are in good shape.

I am hoping some one knows of a repair kit. I have seen many doors with the same problem.

 

I can't see the door very well from the picture but if you're talking about the door panel deing loose from the door, would it tighten up if you go buy some new Christmas trees and replace them?

 

He's talking about where the switch plate screws into the door panel. That spot on the panel cracks and the screw has nothing to go into do it just floats there.

 

I understand now....I had to go look at mine. My passenger side door is the same way, I just noticed it. This is what I'm going to do.

#1 I will take an L bracket and either use gorilla glue on the inside to glue it to the door panel and use a U clip nut to slide over the other end of the L bracket then screw through it, or

#2 I will not glue it, I will use 2 U clips and run a screw into the U clip through the side of the panel and then attach with the other U clip as normal.

Hopefully you can visualize what I'm talking about.

 

I Gorilla glue thick enough to fill in for the curve of the door? I like the idea of the L bracket. I still have the screw clips for both doors so I will slot a L bracket and attach it somehow.

 

I would build up jb weld instead of glue. I have a big project I'm working on but I'll probably do this soon.

 

I saw something on this in one of the FTE forums not that long ago, but I can't find it right now. Someone used a soldering gun to melt the door panel enough to "weld" some new plastic in. He gave more details, but I can't find it now.

 

You may be able to plastic weld it, if you can hold it in place and go completely over the metal bracket, or if you go slow enough you may be able to build up the weld enough to drill a new hole. I'd use a welder though, not a soldering iron. Here's some cheap ones that may work.
Plastic Welding Equipment and Plastic Welders at Harbor Freight

I still think the gorilla glue or even a 2 part epoxy would be just as good though.

 

If not better.