Redesigned Bestop Element Door Handles
07-03-2009, 06:54 PM
#1
JK Super Freak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Springfield, MO
Posts: 1,176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Redesigned Bestop Element Door Handles
OK. I got these about a month ago and have planned on posting pics for a while, but never get around to it. I'll show you the pics and then I'll give you my opinion...
This pic does the best job of showing them side by side. Note that the old latches had a bunch of "mechanisms" to latch. This was their biggest downfall... nothing ever quite got lined up right, and when it was that only lasted for a while until they got bent or out of alignment. Here is a closer pic of the old door latch
With the old ones, the two bolts you see had nuts on the other side that seemed to always come loose at the least opportune time, such as when you were wheeling and they really got rattled. Here are the new ones...
Note the simplicity of the design. When the "flipper" on the latch goes down far enough, a bar that is attached to the finger hook slides into place to lock the latch closed. Also note that there is a whole lot more metal on this design, so that they are not fragile to bending like the old ones.
This shot didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, but the finger hook to open them is thicker and larger. That combined with the simplicity of the latch makes them easier to open. My wife used to complain constantly about the old latches, and I had to let her out on occasion when the uppers were in use. Her first ride with these she commented "I can actually get out now".
Now for the commentary - These latches are night and day better, but there were still a few small fit issues I had to work around, particularly on the rear doors. With the enclosure on, they pull the latch out a bit and I really had to work to get the inner "ring" to fit on the inside of the door. This is mostly due to the robustness of the new latches, but I did have to work at it a bit. I also had to cut the edges of the inner ring off because it interfered with the welds on the door, but I did that with the first set of latches as well.
These latches also have a slightly smaller footprint on the door than the previous latches, so if you look close you can see an impression where the old latch used to rest in the paint. It is not a big deal to me and wouldn't impact those of you who either don't have enclosures or are purchasing them new and haven't yet painted them, but I thought I'd just go ahead and point that out.
They do still rattle a little, but I think that is the nature of a door that uses this type of latch, and also a factor that the weather seal is not thick enough. I have considered putting new seals on the doors, but really don't have to.
All in all, I am really pleased with the latches. I used to be concerned about other people being able to get in and out with these doors, but with the new latches they are easy enough to get out of that I don't worry about whether my passenger is a big guy or a smaller female. (or weakling software engineer... I work with a few of those!
)
These doors are now on my jeep every day (with a 30-mile commute into work), and probably will continue to be unless I take a long road trip and want the security of full doors. I now feel like I truly have a set of summer doors and a set of winter doors.
This pic does the best job of showing them side by side. Note that the old latches had a bunch of "mechanisms" to latch. This was their biggest downfall... nothing ever quite got lined up right, and when it was that only lasted for a while until they got bent or out of alignment. Here is a closer pic of the old door latch
With the old ones, the two bolts you see had nuts on the other side that seemed to always come loose at the least opportune time, such as when you were wheeling and they really got rattled. Here are the new ones...
Note the simplicity of the design. When the "flipper" on the latch goes down far enough, a bar that is attached to the finger hook slides into place to lock the latch closed. Also note that there is a whole lot more metal on this design, so that they are not fragile to bending like the old ones.
This shot didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, but the finger hook to open them is thicker and larger. That combined with the simplicity of the latch makes them easier to open. My wife used to complain constantly about the old latches, and I had to let her out on occasion when the uppers were in use. Her first ride with these she commented "I can actually get out now".
Now for the commentary - These latches are night and day better, but there were still a few small fit issues I had to work around, particularly on the rear doors. With the enclosure on, they pull the latch out a bit and I really had to work to get the inner "ring" to fit on the inside of the door. This is mostly due to the robustness of the new latches, but I did have to work at it a bit. I also had to cut the edges of the inner ring off because it interfered with the welds on the door, but I did that with the first set of latches as well.
These latches also have a slightly smaller footprint on the door than the previous latches, so if you look close you can see an impression where the old latch used to rest in the paint. It is not a big deal to me and wouldn't impact those of you who either don't have enclosures or are purchasing them new and haven't yet painted them, but I thought I'd just go ahead and point that out.
They do still rattle a little, but I think that is the nature of a door that uses this type of latch, and also a factor that the weather seal is not thick enough. I have considered putting new seals on the doors, but really don't have to.
All in all, I am really pleased with the latches. I used to be concerned about other people being able to get in and out with these doors, but with the new latches they are easy enough to get out of that I don't worry about whether my passenger is a big guy or a smaller female. (or weakling software engineer... I work with a few of those!
)These doors are now on my jeep every day (with a 30-mile commute into work), and probably will continue to be unless I take a long road trip and want the security of full doors. I now feel like I truly have a set of summer doors and a set of winter doors.
07-03-2009, 08:00 PM
#2
JK Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: China Grove, NC
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did you have to buy these new latches or were they replaced by bestop? I had to let my wife out twice yesterday so I had to readjust them and they still don't open easy.
Jim
Jim
07-04-2009, 09:33 AM
#3
JK Super Freak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Springfield, MO
Posts: 1,176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had two of them that were broken, and they replaced them with the new ones. However, the new ones used a different key so I asked if they would send me the other two and they did. I know some on here have had problems with Bestop, but everytime I have emailed them for anything they have been very responsive to my requests. 
07-08-2009, 05:08 PM
#4
JK Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: China Grove, NC
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well the wife called me today at work and she was pissed. The passenger door could not be opened from the inside and her friend could not reach through the window ( upper door haves installed) to open it from the outside. My wife finally got it open from the outside but then it would not latch back. She drove home from work with the door tied shut. She had me put the stock doors back on as soon as she got home. I e-mailed Bestop and am waiting for a reply.
Jim
Jim
Last edited by War Wagon; 07-08-2009 at 05:12 PM.
07-25-2010, 02:55 PM
#5
JK Jedi
Im in this club now also. I have the full soft doors from Bestop and the driver side latch is now failing to stay closed. I will be calling them tomorrow to see if I can get these updated latches.
