First post and I need help. I have replaced the drivers side door handle twice with plastic and one with metal. Yesterday the metal one broke.

What I have done: Besides replacing handles, I took it to a body shop and checked door alignment. They made a slight adjustment and told me that this is not the problem. They had no idea what the problem may be, nor do I.

Historically this door has been hard to open in that you have to give the handle a sharp tug to get it to work, and some times it won't open. I have to roll down the power window and open it from outside when this happens. The door opens readily and smoothly from the outside. The mechanism inside the door panel looks OK to my eye, but there again I do not know what to specifically look for. Any wisdom out there? Thanks in advance.

92 F150 FlareSide

 

For that year I believe their is a cable that likes to stretch and that causes them to break very often. I would say you probably need to fix or replace that cable to get it from breaking more handles.
Trav

 

I had a problem this winter with moisture in the cable that goes between the door handle and latch. When really cold, I would almost break the handle trying to get the door open. This was the first year I had this problem and to resolve it I would repeatedly spray WD40 to try and get it around the cable. Eventually it worked and I haven't had any issues.

 

Thanks guys. I'll just cut to the chase and replace the cable, although it looks OK to my eye. When the door is open the handle works smoothly so maybe the stretched cable is the culprit. Thanks again.

 

On my truck the metal on the door around where the handle mounts was fatequed and torn. I used some fender washers as I'm horrible at welding light she at metal.

 

I had the torn metal in the door panel where the handle screws down.
It made it very difficult to open.

I fixed it with a weld and used a washer for reinforcement.

 

The cables are the problem and new cable are only a temporary fix, if you want to permanently eliminate the problem go to the junkyard and salvage the latch and linkage system from a '90 or earlier truck and transplant that into your doors.

 

Why is this a better fix from an earlier model? I've already ordered the cable. What makes it a temp fix?

 

Thank you. I checked mine and it is OK.

 

From 1900-what ever till 1991 it was never an issue. ONLY since 92+ with the cable has this ever been an issue

 

Thanks. If the new cable doesn't fix this, even temporarily, I will raid the local yard.

 

Personally I have never had a problem with my 88 or our 2 89s (not sure on the 91 haven't had it long enough) but they are the rod style and they to me just operate better. If the 91 is cable style too then I will be converting it to rod style I had a 93 that broke them constantly was the only thing I hated about that truck.
Trav

 

THANK YOU for figuring this out, I drive a 1992 F Super Duty rollback for work and customers have so much trouble opening the passenger door from the inside. The handle has been broken off twice in the last year.

I will locate a 1987-1991 truck and swap over the handle assemblies. Then I'll do the 1995 F Super Duty wrecker we just bought (whether it needs it or not)! I'll be on here a lot for that '95, it's a real POS!

 

This same thing just happened to me yesterday. For about a month, I'd noticed that I'd have to pull the handle a little harder atleast twice. Yesterday when I got to work, it just didn't open at all. I had to roll my window down and reach outside and open it. Luckily one of my managers had his tool kit with him and we put a shim on the handle cable. It actually opens SO much easier now...could probably do it with one finger!!

 

The cables stretch.. doesn't matter of they're new or old sooner or later you won't be able to open the door again. I put '92 doors on my '90 a few years ago and after breaking the drivers door handle for the second time in 2 weeks I welding up the inner door panel and shimming the cable but it only lasted a couple more weeks before I broke the handle again. So I got pissed off and transplanted the linkage system from the old doors and completely ended my frustration. Linkages don't stretch.. ever!