Writeup - Door Handle Repair

[cubewhiz]

2nd Gen Door Handle Repair

Original Poster: Bob Burton (cubewhiz)

Difficulty: 2 out of 10

Time to install: 1 hour (depending on skill)

Disclaimer: The Ranger Station.com, The Ranger Station.com Staff, nor the original poster is responsible for you doing this modification to your vehicle. By doing this modification and following this how-to you, the installer, take full responsibility if anything is damaged or messed up. If you have questions, feel free to PM the original poster or ask in the appropriate section of The Ranger Station.com forums.

Brief Explanation:
A few years ago, I lost the ability to open my passenger door from the inside. I didn't care too much because I'm never a passenger in my own truck, but it gets annoying to open my girlfriend's door for her all the time. Yeah, sure, I could make her roll her window down and open the door from the outside, but then I have to listen to her complain.

Tools Needed:
- Philips head screwdriver(s)
- Ratchet and a T20 torx bit
- Small hammer
- Flat scraper or sturdy flathead screwdriver.

Parts Needed:
- perhaps a new door handle assembly, depending on your problem

Step 1: INITIAL DISASSEMBLY

Remove the screw in the armrest.

Remove the screw on the door handle and remove the handle.

Roll the window down. Pull the window crank cover and unscrew the handle. You will need a T20 torx bit to get the handle off.

Unscrew the locking pin and lock the door.

Unscrew the two screws at the bottom of the door below the storage compartment.

Pry the door panel off the door by inserting a stiff spatula or screwdriver in between the panel and the door and pulling outward, going around the panel. Pull the panel off.

Here you can see the clips that hold the panel to the door.

Remove the armrest bracket. It is held on by two screws.

Remove the other screw holding the door handle to the door.

STEP 2: THE REPAIR

These door handles have a roll pin that keep the handle properly aligned. Sometimes, the roll pin pops out of place, perhaps if a passenger pulls on the door handle too far.

I removed the handle by pulling it toward the front of the vehicle and outward. Then I wiggled it off the rod it operates and out of the vehicle. I hammered the pin back into place and reattached the handle.

If you have another issue, you may have to replace the handle assembly or something else inside the door. Everything is pretty simple here, so whatever it is, you can probably figure it out by removing the plastic cover and playing around with the handle, rod, lock, and latch.

Test your handle. If everything works as it should now, you can put it all back together.

STEP 3: REINSTALLATION

Installation is reverse of the removal.

Reattach the door handle screw and armrest bracket.

Reinstall the door panel and press it into place. Screw the two bottom screws back in.

Screw the lock pin back on.

Reattach the window crank, door handle, and armrest screw and enjoy the ability to open your door from the inside again!

 

[disciplerocks]

Nice write up. Should help some people out.

 

[sblake01]

I just did this the other day. As long as the problem is the plastic door handle itself, the door panel really doesn't have to come off...........

 

[cubewhiz]

I just did this the other day. As long as the problem is the plastic door handle itself, the door panel really doesn't have to come off...........

Yeah. At the time, I had no idea what the problem was, so I was in demolition mode.

 

[Daven]

My passenger handle doesnt work either quite anoying since it makes my truck seem like a bucket of crap over such a small thing like that lol. But i took off the panel (before i ended up reading this) and it seems my problem is with rod being wrecked where it unlocks the door to open it (im bad at explaining lol). So we can hook it on but it will fall right off again if you pull the handle more than halfway. So its like trying to find that perfect way to open the door with such precision that u fail 1 in 4 times doing it lmao. Then u need to take off the panel again and reattach it... making passengers a no-go

If anyone has ran into something simular to this please let me know what u did. I was just gonna buy the parts and good to a repair shop because of how hard i could imagine it being trying to replace anything within that door shell. Sorry about mybad explanations

 

[hockeyryan]

nice write up. i wish i saw this earlier>
mine had a broken spring in it lol

 

[Tonka]

LMAO, the OP mentioned "A few years ago, I lost the ability to open my passenger door from the inside. I didn't care too much because I'm never a passenger in my own truck, but it gets annoying to open my girlfriend's door for her all the time. Yeah, sure, I could make her roll her window down and open the door from the outside, but then I have to listen to her complain."

LMAO cuz that's the EXACT same problem I'm trying to deal with. My F-150 won't pull my camper, but my little Ranger will. (That's the difference between a piece of **** automatic and a stick-shift.) 2 problems that make my girlfriend whine all the time. The bent rim makes the truck shake on the highway, and the passenger door handle that was working perfectly until I went to give my drunk friend a ride home.

I haven't gotten to it yet, I'm in the research phase right now. I'll report back what I find.

Some old guy told me that the 1989 model is the only year with this type of door latches. Ford used them for only one model year and went to the style where you gotta reach down, grab the handle and pull up, like in my 88 F-150.