There is another way and I just had it done. I too unfortunately stripped the tabs off the little black nub when I tried myself to repair the door handle carrier. I was trying to avoid getting a new handle simply from the point that I'd need to get the darn thing painted, etc. So, I left it hanging like that - all ugly and whatever.

Anyway, I just took my truck in for repair (coolant leak & alternatory bracket gasket) and I told the mechanic to "do something" with the door handle - meaning that if he got me a new one and had it painted, etc., I was ok with that since I was so damn tired of it looking so ugly and hanging out.

I pick up the truck a couple of days later and all the items are fixed, including the door handle. What he did was drill a hole in the middle of the nub and put a big washer and a screw thru it, from the inside. I have to say he did a great job. The handle is tight and functions perfectly like the rest of my door handles! BTW, I believe there's a video on this procedure (or at least a write up on it), but I don't remember where I saw it - maybe youtube?

I'm gonna leave it this way and if I see the handle ever start to loosen or fail, I'll get a new one, paint it and have it installed.

Hope this helps....