Is there any difference between the cable and rod types?
If I take the rod out of my '86, will it hook up in the '97? Or do I have to take the whole mech. out and replace it?

 

That's why I typed current .. cuz I know prices can vary from month to month, and with a gazillion different numbers, how can one check each one's MSRP every month?

 

Hey i know I am bringing up an old thread again but I am having this problem again on my truck. I replaced the cable and the handle and still am having the problem. Any other ideas? The lock mechanism is in good shape as well.

 

If thats the case, I may consider doing this chang over.

 

I read on here sometime ago, that the inner door sheet metal flexes. So I got a piece of 3'x 1 1/4"x 1/4" thick flat stock and mounted it inside the door. It's right in line with the bottom door panel pins.
I drilled holes so the pins go through the flat stock. Then I temporarly bolted it in with those holes while I drilled 5- 1/4" holes to permanetly bolt the flat stock in with 5- 1/4"x 3/4" bolts, 10 fender washers and 5 nyloc nuts.
It really stiffened up the sheet metal and so far the inside door handle is still working. By now it would have broken. I know I've replaced that handle 3 times before.

 

You wouldnt happen to have any pictures of what you did do you?

 

No pictures, but it's pretty straight forward. Once you take the door panel off, you'll see what I am describing.

 

my buddies 95 f150 has the same problem. its broken about 4 handles and finally we noticed that the backing plate was stress cracked where the handle bolts on. we tacked it back on, and it hasnt broken since

 

I ran into this problem with my 97 F250 HD. I went really cheap and used 4 inch zinc coated steel braces from Lowe's for about $1 each. Just used a hammer to bend and mold them to the right shape and presto. They arnt pretty but they work. Now I have a 94 f150 that Im getting ready to do it on again.

 

My wife just broke my handle on the driver side. The handle has been getting progressively harder to pull. Is this the door flexing or is something binding in the latch mechanism? Is there something I should lube?

 

You have to pull the door panel and look

 

I replaced my handle once again, also used a piece of flat stock to stiffen up the door, now the door don't even open from the inside. I can feel the cable end moving when I reach up inside the door to the latch.
So just how much movement should there be in the cable?

 

After breaking three plastic and one metal, (bolt on, previous generation door handles) I finally took the whole door mechanism apart and found the problem! And have had no problems since i fixed it. I removed the door handle and looked at the hinge point on the cable mount bracket and it was worn and ovaled and the hinge piece had actually worn a grove in the base plate on the mount, so the cable was not pulling as far as it should and i had metal to metal grinding and binding. Compare the drivers side and passenger side and its obvoius. I bought a new one on eBay ($24), i cleaned everything and re-lubed all the parts and It works as new.

 

I had a lot of trouble with bad cables causing the handles to break in my 92 and 93 f150's, so I swapped in the latch and pivot assembly from an earlier f series with the metal rod. I lightly oil the moving parts once a year and haven't broken a handle since (knocks on wood).

 

Another probable cause is the rubber bumper pad that is secured to the hinged part goes missing. This lets the hinge overtravel and the first few degrees of pull are much too hard. If you look at another hinge on a door that is not giving you a problem I bet you see the rubber piece I am talking about.

I was able to put a small bolt into the hole with a nut securing it, the bolt head provided enough of a lift that the missing rubber pad provided.