Door handle recommendations

[Vidar]

While sanding the doors down for painting, I decided that the door handles are too far gone to save. Biggest issue is the rod for the paddle on the passenger side is rotted pretty far down. After removing both, I found the tension spring on the drivers side snapped, so I’m glad I took them out.
I need some recommendations on replacement parts. My initial thought is to go with Dorman ones, but as always, there are some review issues on amazon. Anyone have any thoughts and insights? Go with dorman, another brand, used Mopar? (If used is the consensus, anyone have a set they want to sell?)

 

[Chris]

I've heard mixed things about the Crown door handles, as can be seen in the Amazon reviews here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B8X37DA/?tag=wranglerorg-20

However, a number of people on here have used them and said they work fine.

I personally would go with the OE Mopar door handles:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VWCBFO/?tag=wranglerorg-20

These ones also have pretty good reviews:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CLNWGQ/?tag=wranglerorg-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078SZVYZZ/?tag=wranglerorg-20

However, much like anything else made in China, I suspect all of these door handles are coming from the same manufacturing facility and are just being marketed under different names. This is how China does stuff, and it's the same with LED headlights, winches, and so many other Jeep parts.

 

[Vidar]

Thanks for the input @Chris. When I look at the Mopar ones you link to, they say they aren’t for my 97. Looking at some Mopar part sites, it seems the door handles were different on the 90s models and they switched to those ones in 2000 (1?).
I found these https://parts.moparonlineparts.com/...uZ2xlciZ5PTE5OTcmdD1zcG9ydCZlPTQtMGwtbDYtZ2Fz but I’m not 100% it’s the right thing. The main parts list show them as the full door handle, RIGHT, but when you click on for details, it shows a half door diagram states they are full door handle, RIGHT LEFT. Anyone able to confirm if this part number is correct for my 97? Would love to only pay $42 a handle versus $110 for the others.

 

[Chris]

My bad! The door handle part number is different from 97-00 and 01-06.

While I don't know what the difference is (because the doors themselves are interchangeable), I suspect it has something to do with linkages.

I'd be awfully surprised if a late model door handle didn't fit on an early model to be honest.

Maybe someone knows more than I do about this though.

 

[Bas-NL]

I've heard mixed things about the Crown door handles, as can be seen in the Amazon reviews here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B8X37DA/?tag=wranglerorg-20

However, a number of people on here have used them and said they work fine.

I personally would go with the OE Mopar door handles:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VWCBFO/?tag=wranglerorg-20

These ones also have pretty good reviews:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CLNWGQ/?tag=wranglerorg-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078SZVYZZ/?tag=wranglerorg-20

However, much like anything else made in China, I suspect all of these door handles are coming from the same manufacturing facility and are just being marketed under different names. This is how China does stuff, and it's the same with LED headlights, winches, and so many other Jeep parts.

In my country searching for Jeep parts a lot is "a fake " from China ..Shineka Store..try them on Google of AliExpress maybe the same handle's only cheaper

 

[Chris]

In my country searching for Jeep parts a lot is "a fake " from China ..Shineka Store..try them on Google of AliExpress maybe the same handle's only cheaper

Yes, even here in the U.S., when you search for factory replacement parts, most of the stuff is from China these days.

It's sad, but true.

 

[Vidar]

Thanks for your input Chris. I’d like to go Mopar, but I haven’t been able to confirm the parts that I found as there are no pics and the diagrams don’t match the descriptions. The Mopar ones you listed are just too much for me right now, having way overspent at this point, and still needing to spend about another grand in parts, gotta cut corners somewhere. The door handles really aren’t that hard to get to, so I think I’ll cheap out here. Going to give the Crown ones a try, and if they are crap, I’ll just send them back to Amazon.

 

[Vinman]

My bad! The door handle part number is different from 97-00 and 01-06.

While I don't know what the difference is (because the doors themselves are interchangeable), I suspect it has something to do with linkages.

I'd be awfully surprised if a late model door handle didn't fit on an early model to be honest.

Maybe someone knows more than I do about this though.

I’m not sure if it effected the door handles themselves but the interior lock lever changed directions sometime between ‘00 and ‘03. On my ‘00 the lock lever pushed forward to lock and the my ‘03 and newer Jeeps the lock lever pushed back to lock.

 

[TJRick]

I’m not sure if it effected the door handles themselves but the interior lock lever changed directions sometime between ‘00 and ‘03. On my ‘00 the lock lever pushed forward to lock and the my ‘03 and newer Jeeps the lock lever pushed back to lock.

For what it's worth, the aftermarket door handles all list the full door handles the same from 1997 - 2006.