Deteriorating door handle -- solved -- see update below

Another spray paint I have found to be very durable is rustoleum in a spray can. It takes it several days to cure out, but once cured, it's very hard and durable. I grt it at Lowes.

Eventually, it will probably break. A nasty fall could result if that happens. Just replace it, they are really cheap and replacement will take less time than sanding and painting. I replaced mine in no time.

You've done most of the work already. Now just mask off a bit of the area around the handle with newspaper and give it a shot of the Krylon paint. It will only take you about 1/2 hour for the whole job and that handle will not only look and feel like new but will stay that way for a whole lot of years to come! :)
Beware though, after you get it done you will find many other spots on the trailer to do! :W
Barney

Per a suggestion above, before replacing it, I hit it gently with 120 grit sandpaper -- lots of white dust came off! I kept sanding till it was smooth -- scrubbed it with a rag -- it is now quite acceptable, if not exactly perfect.

After doing some shopping on the net, it turns out that a replacement is just a few dollars. So if periodic sanding is not working out, I can always get a new one.

I like the idea of that plastic paint -- I have never heard of that. Since my poor trailer bakes in the sun every day of the year (literally -- we've had a total of three or four rainy days in the last year), there will come a time that I will need to touch it up, I am sure.

Is this about a foam sleeve or some other material? Expanded foam is very difficult to make and withstand UV. I'd suggest to think outside the box on this and defer to a different material. Crocodile leather or shrink tube come to mind, lol.

I'm also interested in that Krylon paint Barney recommends. Fortunately, I don't have a lot of plastic on my TT.

The assist handle next to the rear door of our trailer was doing the same thing. I cleaned it the best I could with bleach and cleanser and then painted it with Krylon plastic paint. That was done about 6 years ago and it still looks the same today as when I finished it. The same is true of the kitchen stove vent, door window frames, and several other outside fiberglass or plastic pieces. Did the same for our fridge vent on the roof.
That paint is amazing stuff! :)
Barney

Edit: You can purchase a new handle very cheaply here.


Another excellent source for items would be Bontragers. That place is like an RVers candy store! :B If ever in the Elkhart,IN or SW Michigan area be sure to visit it.

I've noticed the same thing on my 2011 Starcraft 235fb.
The grab handle by the side of the door has started to discolor and get black flecks in it. I've tried cleaning it with several things, including Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, but nothing works - it just looks dirty. We are in N. Minnesota so we don't have extremely high temps and the trailer is housed in an enclosed building about 6 months out of the year, so it doesn't sit out all the time.

Not a big deal to me, but interesting that someone else is having similar problems. So far, it doesn't seem to be deteriorating structure-wise, but maybe that is next?

My handle is much smaller than that photo, but I bet I can figure out a way to put on a foam sleeve! Thanks for the idea -- so much better than duct tape.

profdant139 wrote:
There is a handhold/handle next to the door of my trailer, mounted to the side wall. It is getting gritty and crumbly from weathering -- the trailer is four years old and has been used a lot -- and it is stored outside, on my driveway, so it gets a lot of Calif sunshine (UV rays). Can this handle be replaced? Is there some magic fluid (Armor All??) that can rehab the weathered surface? Should I just wrap it in duct tape? Or tell my wife to wear gloves to go in and out of the trailer?

Thanks in advance for suggestions!

Does your door handle look like .

If so you can buy a replacement foam sleeve kit from The Original Manufacturer.


I checked e-bay and Amazon at the time I bought mine and direct from the manufacturer was much cheaper and for sure the original replacement part. Easy install also.

Probably easy to replace. On my trailer there is a flush square plug at each end of the handle. A small regular screwdriver will pop the plug out and expose the screw underneath.

you need a new handle Maybe one of these and some butyl tape to seal the screw holes.