Help please with door handle replacement

[ZackB]

The 97 Ranger I recently purchased for my kid has a broken passenger door handle. I've bought a new one and am looking for some direction before I dive in and start breaking things to get it replaced. I've never taken a door panel off before so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ZackB]

Anyone?

[azhrei]

to start removing panel find all Phillip head screws and then with the tool you bought from the auto parts store for removing said panel... it's a screwdriver handle with a curved fork looking thing that will slide under the panel but you will need to move it around to locate the push pin type fastners and gently pry up... you will either have bolts to remove or rivets to drill out...

hope this helps

[RobbieD]

I don't know the post-'94 trucks, but most later door panels slide up to release after you've removed all of the "hard" fasteners. The early door panels used the "Christmas tree" nylon friction inserts that required prying out with a panel popper tool.

[Hardwareman]

There's a little phillips screw at the outer lower corner of the door that has to be removed, then you remove the window crank handle (if not power windows), and the two larger screws behind the interior handle.

You can then pop-off the moulding behind that handle, but there might be one more long screw behind there as well. After that the whole panel slides upward ond off.

I think you need to drill out the old rivets holding the exterior handle on though and bolt up the donor. Later.



Allen

[ZackB]

Thanks for your help, you were all correct. The one trouble I had was attaching the new handle to the rod actuator thing. I had to remove the plastic yellow washer and put that on first, then I was able to put the handle on over that. Tomorrow I'm going to buy some larger size rivets to finish the job.

[RobbieD]

Good deal. Thanks for letting us know how it turned out.

[94 lngbd]

what are those rivets made out of I tried drilling them out to remove a window regulator & not much happened so I got out the cut off wheel method, thats ok being that was to remove from a donor door ,but I dont want t do that to my good door. Do those rivets require a special type of drill bit?

[ZMan]

what are those rivets made out of I tried drilling them out to remove a window regulator & not much happened so I got out the cut off wheel method, thats ok being that was to remove from a donor door ,but I dont want t do that to my good door. Do those rivets require a special type of drill bit?

They're aluminum with a steel center, it works alot easier if you knock the centers out with a punch before trying to drill them.