Bronco II Liftgate Handle broke/stripped out!

[idriveafordranger94]

Hey everyone. Today I went to open the liftgate on my 1990 Ford Bronco II (you know, turn the handle clockwise) and the handle just turned around in a circle like it was stripped. I turned it around to it's normal postition and it opened once more. I tried it again and nothing; it just turned in a circle. Feels like it is stripped out or something. I noticed the handle was almost all the way out of the trunk. It was wobbling around.

Before this happened, the handle was loose and had a bunch of slop in it when you twist it from left to right.

Oh, and by the way, my liftgate is a 1 piece design - the glass doesn't open separately.

Any suggestions? Thanks!


Tomorrow when it gets light out, I'll take some pictures for more info. If it's just the handle that is stripped out, I can buy a new one from LMC Truck for $39.99 or a used one from a junkyard B2 for $7.50. Thats a no-brainer.

(the junkyard one )

 

[master hec0]

an easy fix for me was just drillin a pilot hole in the end of the striker and drilling a self threading screw on the end. not pretty but it works just fine and you will never see it anyways. if it almost out and wobbling around there is 2 bolts holding the handle in and they can break easily so if it sticking out there either broken or loose. just grab a junkyard one there easy to remove. odds are the striker is worn out too so if it is just put the screw in it. mine would spin around and do nothing because the striker was worn off and the spring was broken so it wouldnt return once you turned it.