Floppy Handle - HELP!

[RangerFella]

So I go to open the door to my '97 2.3L XLT ExtCab 5-spd and I hear a lout "BAM!" and all of a sudden there's no force to retract the handle once it's been lifted.

I took the door panel off thinking maybe the spring had just popped out of its holder but what I found was quite displeasing. The spring that helps retract the handle from the lifted position, ie, gives resistance, snapped.

Now, from what I saw, there's no conceivable way to fix it without removing the handle from the door - is this correct? And, if I do manage to get the handle off, how would I put it back on? It's held on by effin' rivets.

Any quick fixes or do I just have to deal with it? Also, is this ever going to affect the functionality of the mechanism for opening the door [read: damage] or can it stay like that indefinitely?

Thanks for your help in advance,

Sincerely,
RF

 

[srteach]

If I remember correctly, the spring is part of the handle and is not replaceable short of replacing the handle. Perhaps I'm wrong.

I do know that if you remove the handle, you can use carriage bolts to replace the rivets. find the bolt with the square part that is just large enough to grip the edge of the hole, and put lock washers/lock nuts inside the door.

The spring only affects the tension of the door handle. Without the spring, the handle will rattle, which would drive me nuts. The broken spring will not affect functionality of the handle.

 

[Ranger44]

Pm sent.