PSA -LOAD TEST your overhead Grab Handles

[KRAKEN]

*** LOAD TEST OVERHEAD GRAB HANDLES ***
...before someone gets injured!!!
I had grab handles made with nylon webbing which failed and dumped my passenger to the ground. My buddy was not hurt and he is not a particularly large guy. Had this been my wife or an elderly or fat person there could likely be a different outcome. These have been installed since Aug '23 and my Bronco stays outside. The broken grab handle webbing seemed very "dry rotted"... thank you China!
Replaced them with some metal Amazon handles which I like because they do not hang down and are solid.

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[adam1991]

Good advice.

One thing I like about the paracord handles is that they hang down at just the right height for me to hang onto with my elbow sitting on the window sill.

So far, they've hauled my fat ass up into the seat just fine...

 

[Buck N Bronc]

I have the same Amazon handles and my wife loves them. It definitely gets a workout when she's in the passenger seat

 

[Shrek27]

Reminds me of the time I tore the factory overhead grab handle off my buddies 96 Cherokee during some spirited desert running....showed him the handle in my hand "sorry bro"

 

[timhood]

*** LOAD TEST OVERHEAD GRAB HANDLES ***
...before someone gets injured!!!
I had grab handles made with nylon webbing which failed and dumped my passenger to the ground. My buddy was not hurt and he is not a particularly large guy. Had this been my wife or an elderly or fat person there could likely be a different outcome. These have been installed since Aug '23 and my Bronco stays outside. The broken grab handle webbing seemed very "dry rotted"... thank you China!

I wished I had known that the paracord handles were so saggy before I wasted money on them. Even using the inner grommet holes, they still sagged too much. I bought these metal ones which I love. Not only do they fit well and give good hand clearance, but they look like they could be OEM.

 

[Tricky Mike]

I have your original style and they still look new. I've noticed the bolts loosen up over time though and have tightened them a couple times now.

 

[Squatch]

Some passengers really try to be Sly, though...

...gotta tell them it's only an assist not a gantry crane.

 

[adam1991]

I wished I had known that the paracord handles were so saggy before I wasted money on them. Even using the inner grommet holes, they still sagged too much. I bought these metal ones which I love. Not only do they fit well and give good hand clearance, but they look like they could be OEM.

Those were my first consideration, but I didn't want anything hard near my head in case of accident and I didn't want anything to bake in the sun and get hot.

 

[TahoeDog]

*** LOAD TEST OVERHEAD GRAB HANDLES ***
...before someone gets injured!!!
I had grab handles made with nylon webbing which failed and dumped my passenger to the ground. My buddy was not hurt and he is not a particularly large guy. Had this been my wife or an elderly or fat person there could likely be a different outcome. These have been installed since Aug '23 and my Bronco stays outside. The broken grab handle webbing seemed very "dry rotted"... thank you China!
Replaced them with some metal Amazon handles which I like because they do not hang down…

I had similar metal grab handles but replaced with the paracord ones (cheap from Amazon). I like the discrete look of the metal ones, however; passengers didn’t realize they were installed when the roof was on because they couldn’t see them. I’m tall, so I worried about bonking my head when wheeling.
I don’t love the saggy look of the paracord grab handles, but they work. I’ll keep an eye on them and make sure they hold up overtime.

 

[RedTailHawk]

I wished I had known that the paracord handles were so saggy before I wasted money on them. Even using the inner grommet holes, they still sagged too much. I bought these metal ones which I love. Not only do they fit well and give good hand clearance, but they look like they could be OEM.

I have the same ones. Solid grip and looks like it came with the vehicle.

 

[vrtical]

Yeah no go on hard frame ones. Just inspect them like everything else and I agree buy good ones.

 

[CalvinT]

I installed handles from Bartact right after I took delivery in April 2023. They're the right height (in my opinion) and the color matches Badlands trim. They've held up nicely, taking my full weight. I weigh 200 pounds.

 

[tock13]

I think I am confused on the whole grab handle mount concern.

So how does the side curtain air bag deploy? I was under the impression the cover/panel behind the grab handle opens from the bottom and sort of hinges up on the bolts holding the grab handles on.

I read a lot of comments about getting clobbered in the head by a hard grab handle in an accident. Are the mount bolts designed to actually let go when the bag goes off? Seems that would be a pretty faulty design to shoot bolt projectiles at occupants!

If someone’s head hit a mounted grab handle, unless your 7’ tall or something, I would say the lap belt failed which means you got far more issues that a grab handle to the head.

I’m 6’ 4” with a long torso and I don’t come even close to hitting my head in my solid grab handle.

What am I missing? Is it really a bad idea to mount the metal handles?

 

[Ninjak]

I think I am confused on the whole grab handle mount concern.

So how does the side curtain air bag deploy? I was under the impression the cover/panel behind the grab handle opens from the bottom and sort of hinges up on the bolts holding the grab handles on.

I read a lot of comments about getting clobbered in the head by a hard grab handle in an accident. Are the mount bolts designed to actually let go when the bag goes off? Seems that would be a pretty faulty design to shoot bolt projectiles at occupants!

If someone’s head hit a mounted grab handle, unless your 7’ tall or something, I would say the lap belt failed which means you got far more issues that a grab handle to the head.

I’m 6’ 4” with a long torso and I don’t come even close to hitting my head in my solid grab handle.

What am I missing? Is it really a bad idea to mount the metal handles?

This. ^

I have had the paracord, I have had the ones in this post, and now I have the pull-down with the led light. I am 6-41/2 and I am also not near to hitting my head on those handles. I also have the Armadillo roof, so there is more aluminum and steel above me! lol.

If you roll over and there is a chance you can hit your head, you have much bigger problems at that point. I love the pull downs I have now, and they do help the height challange getting in my RIG.

 

[timhood]

Those were my first consideration, but I didn't want anything hard near my head in case of accident and I didn't want anything to bake in the sun and get hot.

I'm not worried about that because I couldn't see how I'd make contact given being restrained by seatbelts and airbags going off in a situation like that (plus the rarity of even being in that kind of accident), but I respect that we all evaluate and consider things differently.

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