Added driver assist handle and trim won’t line up now (pic)

[BillK01]

So the second thing I did to my new Sierra 1500 is add the driver assist handle like is in the passenger side.

Everything went smoothly and I was happy until I looked at the truck from the front and noticed some of the interior portion of the A pillar is now exposed and the edge of the new handle doesn’t cover it.  I have had it off and on 5 or 6 times tryin to get it to line up with no luck.  Has anyone else had this experience?  Attached is a pic of what I’m talking about.  Sorry the rotation is funky.

 

Edited December 12, 2018 by BillK01

[wforrest08]

There’s some ideas to try in this thread.

 

 

[BillK01]

Thank you!  I think I’m going to order another one, then try lopping out the big plastic guide thing on the one I have now and see if it helps my problem.  If it does then I can return the replacement and if not I’ll try the new one and see if it’s any better.  Worse case I’m out 50 bucks I guess. 

[slj2008]

What I did was to line it up , push on the windshield side first , then the other side , snap in place & add bolts . HOPE this helps ?

[gixxerk8]

If I remember there is a slide tab on it. Is that slid into it or setting on top of it pushing out.

[SS502]

16 hours ago, BillK01 said:

Thank you!  I think I’m going to order another one, then try lopping out the big plastic guide thing on the one I have now and see if it helps my problem.  If it does then I can return the replacement and if not I’ll try the new one and see if it’s any better.  Worse case I’m out 50 bucks I guess. 

You shouldn’t have to cut anything, that plastic post is more of a guide, it has a hole to fit into...I didn’t even cut the retaining strap. Save the money and look at it and see if you can see the alignment hole, it may be hiding behind a wire bundle but it’s there.

[BillK01]

13 minutes ago, SS502 said:

You shouldn’t have to cut anything, that plastic post is more of a guide, it has a hole to fit into...I didn’t even cut the retaining strap. Save the money and look at it and see if you can see the alignment hole, it may be hiding behind a wire bundle but it’s there.

The hole is right there and very obvious.  And the guide is definitely sliding into it as I install the new piece.  I'm now wondering if the brackets that are welded to the A pillar for the bolts to screw into aren't possibly off a bit which may be what's causing the misalignment.   I'm stumped.  The only other thing I can think is the alignment guide is bottoming out in the hole too early causing the entire assembly to not fit quite right - which is why I was considering cutting it off entirely.

[SS502]

1 minute ago, BillK01 said:

The hole is right there and very obvious.  And the guide is definitely sliding into it as I install the new piece.  I'm now wondering if the brackets that are welded to the A pillar for the bolts to screw into aren't possibly off a bit which may be what's causing the misalignment.   I'm stumped.  The only other thing I can think is the alignment guide is bottoming out in the hole too early causing the entire assembly to not fit quite right - which is why I was considering cutting it off entirely.

That is weird, man I just didn’t want you dropping another $50...I remember just having to kind of wiggle it until I got both bolts started then grabbing the handle and ensured it went on right because if I just tightened them it sat a bit off but it did go flush.

[O_J_Simpson]

Post a video of you installing it and we can tell you where you are going wrong. It will never be perfect as there is often a small gap at the head liner but should never be that bad.

[BillK01]

I can try but this ain't my first rodeo on vehicle interior trim removal/replacement.  I've had most of the dash and doors out of everything from an Audi GT, Honda Accord, GMC Yukon XL to Ford F150 over the years. 

 

I've also thought of taking a heat gun to the assist handle and see if I can't massage the windshield edge over a bit tighter to see if that helps (obviously with it out of the vehicle at the time!).

 

When installing it I start with the long bottom tab by the speaker in the dash - make sure the corner is not folded in by where the weatherstrip goes down by the dash - then work my way up from the dash to the top of the A pillar - making sure the guide piece goes into the hole by the tether attachment then finally snapping in the clip up near the headliner (while making sure the weatherstrip is over top of the new assist handle trim).  Once I start the bolts in I kind of push up on the handle to rotate the trim up tight near the windshield gap.  It all looks good until the bolts tighten up and it just pulls open all over again.  Did that at least 6 times last night until I finally surrendered and went to bed.

 

Thanks for the input guys - I really do appreciate all of it! 

Edited December 12, 2018 by BillK01

[SS502]

12 minutes ago, BillK01 said:

I can try but this ain't my first rodeo on vehicle interior trim removal/replacement.  I've had most of the dash and doors out of everything from an Audi GT, Honda Accord, GMC Yukon XL to Ford F150 over the years. 

 

I've also thought of taking a heat gun to the assist handle and see if I can't massage the windshield edge over a bit tighter to see if that helps (obviously with it out of the vehicle at the time!).

 

When installing it I start with the long bottom tab by the speaker in the dash - make sure the corner is not folded in by where the weatherstrip goes down by the dash - then work my way up from the dash to the top of the A pillar - making sure the guide piece goes into the hole by the tether attachment then finally snapping in the clip up near the headliner (while making sure the weatherstrip is over top of the new assist handle trim).  Once I start the bolts in I kind of push up on the handle to rotate the trim up tight near the windshield gap.  It all looks good until the bolts tighten up and it just pulls open all over again.  This that at least 6 times last night until I finally surrendered and went to bed.

 

Thanks for the input guys - I really do appreciate all of it! 

Well you’ve covered all the bases! Starting to think those welded tabs may very well be misaligned like you mentioned. Man, I hope it works out because I love mine and it save a bit on the leather seats not being slid across all the time ?

[BigBadSierra]

The assist handles fit better in the double cab then the Crew cab. At leas my new crew,

I was fretting over a gap at the top then notice the passenger side was the same.

They fit tighter in the double cabs I had.

[SS502]

1 hour ago, BigBadSierra said:

The assist handles fit better in the double cab then the Crew cab. At leas my new crew,

I was fretting over a gap at the top then notice the passenger side was the same.

They fit tighter in the double cabs I had.

Fit great on my 2018 SLT CC

Sorry about that sideways shot, it wasn’t that way when I loaded it ?

Edited December 12, 2018 by SS502

[BillK01]

58 minutes ago, BigBadSierra said:

The assist handles fit better in the double cab then the Crew cab. At leas my new crew,

I was fretting over a gap at the top then notice the passenger side was the same.

They fit tighter in the double cabs I had.

My passenger side is perfect.  I won’t rest until I get the driver side to my satisfaction.  Ordered the extra one today.  Once it arrives I’m taking off the one that doesn’t fit and going to start with hacking off the guide pin and if that doesn’t work I’ll try heat gunning it before I use the new one.

[STRMTRPR]

.. something's not lined up.. you don't need the bolts to hold the trim in place they're there to keep you from popping it off under your weight when you hang off it.. if you're using the bolts to position it then it's not lined up. You are doing it right - start at the bottom, work it around until it is fully seated in the groove along the dash then line up the plastic centering post with the hole in the pillar (you can use a trim tool to work the weatherstrip into position) and snap the pressure clip into the slot in the pillar (make sure you attach the metal pressure clip to the trim first and fully seat it - do not try to insert the trim into a clip that is already in the pillar).. everything should be tight and in position without gaps. You should only be re-using the metal pressure clip from the old trim piece.

..edit.. snapped a couple pics in the dark

Edited December 13, 2018 by STRMTRPR