old thread I know but Google found it so here goes. I had this same issue - but with door panel off it would open just fine, with door panel back on it wouldn't open...the door panel itself was limiting the travel of the plastic handle...think that's tell tale of a stretched cable. BUT, also upon closer inspection of the actual spring mechanism the handle attaches to, there was a pin that had wollowed out a slot where it used to be a thru hole...this extra play/ travel by this wollowing could be contributing too.

 

Must be why I never broke one on my '90 or my '89. Another reason to love the brick nose. Though they put the power widow and lock switches in a funky spot.

Wow I just realized this thread started in 2010. I also remember back in highschool my buddy had a '94 F250 and he broke a few door handles.

 

I have been battling this problem for a few years now on my 97 F-250 SD diesel pickup. I just broke another one off a couple of days ago. I already ordered a couple of replacements, but in the meantime I had a local wrench who removed the door liner where we could see the latch/cable setup and found that where the cable connects that when putting stress on the door handle that it is flexing out of position and putting undo stress on the handle, I'm going down to the local Ford parts house today and try to order just the clip that holds everything in place, which the tech seems to think will correct the situation and or order the whole assembly where the cable connects, and am assured that will remedy my problem. In reading through threads this is no new issue and it always seems to be the drivers door latch. I'll report back my results but my history with this tech has been good, he hasn't been wrong so far, I'd hate to see him make this one a first lol.

 

I ended up making my own I can't exactly remember how I did the part where it hooks up inside the door but I got fed up with them breaking all the time so instead of buying another one I went out and bought a adjustable wrench/Cresent wrench or whatever you wanna call it and I heated it up to start to get the bend right and then right before where it comes out of the door panel I cut it about 3/4 through it and bent it some more got the bend perfect and welded the cut closed and then did the same to the passenger side and they've been on there for almost 3 years and haven't broke once and honestly in my opinion they look pretty cool also and they work perfectly

 

I have broken 4 or 5 of those handles on my 92 f250. The latest one I got from Rock Auto, it is metal and seems pretty solid. We shall see.

 

My plastic factory door handle broke on the driver's side because the wife has to try to tear off the door handle whenever she gets out of the truck. Also has to slam the door HARD when she closes it, by the way. My inner door sheet metal was torn/ripped so I used a panel reinforcement kit to fix it. While I was in there, I lubed the actuator cable with some PJ1 cable lube and gave everything else a shot of PB Blaster lithium lube in a spray can. The kit was easy to put in, took longer to get the door panel off and back on than to do the plate install. I also ordered 2 metal door handles while I was at it.
Now the door opens like butter, like one gentle tug with the little finger easy. Probably smoother than when it was new. Still haven't broke the wife from slamming the door, though.
PJ1 cable lube can be found at Summit Racing and any auto parts store should have the PB Blaster spray lithium lube.

 

Look and see if the sheet metal holding the handle mec. is cracked / stressed.

https://shop.broncograveyard.com/198...ctinfo/34370F/

https://shop.broncograveyard.com/198...ctinfo/34368F/

Had to install on the passenger door of my 97. Did the drivers door before it got bad.

 

The springs for my door handles are really strong, you have to pull pretty good (for a door handle) to open them. Are the handles on these trucks naturally that stout or are they usually pretty easy?

 

Naturally that stout. That is why the inner door panel flexs and you break handles. Put a inner door panel reinforcement kit in. Problem solved permanently. Door opens like butter...

 

Inner door panel reinforcement kit? I've never heard of such a thing, got a link to somebody that sells em?

 

https://cpaddict.com/door-handle-rei...series-bronco/

 

Thanks for the link.

 

that’s what I figured. you’d think they could have put a slightly weaker spring in them so you don’t have to pull so hard