After fighting with the plastic ends on my door cables falling apart, one after another, I have come up with a solution. My buddy and I made and installed these "inserts" that allow you to reuse the stock cable and restore normal door handle operation. I have been running these on four of the doors on my '97 E350 for the last 6 months without a single problem. They function just like new latches and cables, minus the $100-200 price tag per door. They are also very easy to install, as long as you are somewhat mechanically inclined.

What I want to know is whether or not there is a market for these. They are somewhat time consuming to manufacture, but they can be sold at what I think is a very reasonable price compared to the entire "actuator" latch assemblies sold by Ford to solve the problem. What are they worth in your opinions?

If enough people are interested, I will contact the site mods & owner to discuss becoming a vendor. Please post up and let me know what you think.

Thanks,
David

 

David these are great ideas and possibly of interest to a few but allow me to pose a question related to your possible venture here...........

Apart from the very few here who've written about this problem do you feel the average vehicle owner would be motivated to attempt these sorts of repairs themselves? Considering these forum boards aren't attended by the masses, that most of us are dedicated DIY'ers are there enough to justify manufacturing and marketing these devices profitably?

Honestly for me once a latch assembly has aged enough through time or simple use its sufficiently worn out that one simple small part doesn't restore the entire assembly. I've personally replaced latch assemblies for about $70 each new OEM DIY (per door if required) and none of them had yet suffered from these cable ends failing---they were simply too worn to work well any longer.

If someone is mechanically inclined to replace just these parts and their budgets so tight that this is almost a required repair these might be of interest. I'm thinking most door latch repairs would be once in a lifetime of the vehicle; unless a vehicle has been heavily used commercially or through multiple abusive owners I don't see failing latch assemblies being that huge a problem.

I could be completely wrong but having been in auto service for the past 25 years now specializing in glass replacement I've simply not seen a huge issue with door latches. Sorry to rain on this parade and please know this is simply my opinion and observation----might be barking up the wrong tree completely!

Nice design and execution though---there is indeed a lot of thought that's gone into your creation-----thanks for sharing!

 

After facing this problem with my van, and reviewing the threads listed below, I felt that there was enough of a demand to sell a few of these things. I'm not looking to get rich by any means, just pay for some more materials to feed to my lathe. I know that when I installed these in my van, the latches and cables themselves were in perfect working condition, with the exception of the plastic ends on the cables. The Florida heat dried them out to the point where they literally crumbled to pieces. I then tried rigging them with zip ties, washers, etc. and got them to work for a little while, but it was too frustrating to deal with them constantly coming loose. When I priced the latches for the rear and side doors, I couldn't get anything cheaper than $100. Maybe I was looking at the wrong suppliers?

As far as manufacturing goes, my friend and I made them ourselves on a lathe, while drinking beers and shooting the ****. It would be completely different if I were paying someone else to make them and trying to resell them.

As far as difficulty of installation, Dorman sells a replacement blend door for these vans and auto parts stores keep them in stock. I installed one in my van one night and did a lot of cussing and swearing in the process. If there's a market for DIY blend door replacement, I feel like there's definitely a market for these door repair kits. If you own basic hand tools, can remove a door panel, and can fit your arm inside of a door, you can install these inserts.

I think that $20 per door (the number I have in mind for these things) is a very reasonable alternative to latch replacement. I also think that the best opportunity for selling these would be through fleet shops that see this problem frequently and are trying to fix them cost effectively. A fleet mechanic talks about attempting to rig the cables with bicycle parts in one of the posts below, which I tried and was unhappy with. Maybe I will call a few of the local fleet shops and discuss these inserts with them.

Thanks for your input, and keep it coming guys

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ch-cables.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...revisited.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ble-clips.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-problems.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...oor-latch.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...-problems.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/2...or-handle.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/2...ch-cables.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/2...wont-open.html

 

Sorry if I seemed to be crushing your idea----I'd be very happy to see you be successful if you take this chance David. I only wanted to offer another view even if not overly enthusiastic.

Whatever comes from this please keep us posted and updated----it will be interesting and perhaps I'll be proven very very wrong about my thoughts.

Best of luck and looking forward to knowing of your progress David!


J W

 

i would be happy to purchase a few pairs should you go into production. making the cables (inner and outer) is no prob, and i do have a solution to these but i like yours _much_ better.

 

Of course "new OEM" is the only way to go to replace. There is essentially no point in trying to salvage good used latch assemblies. The decay of the plastic cable sheath 'ferrules' is that pervasive. Believe me, I like self-serv junkyards & tried. There apparently is no aftermarket supplier. My FORD dealer quoted $140 for a right rear door latch assembly OTC.

Suspect your experience "none of them had yet suffered from these cable ends failing---they were simply too worn" may be unusual. After inspecting dozens of '92-'98 E Series rear door latches on junkers "none of them had" good cables. I'm impressed by how bad the plastic "ends" are. Actually found several that still worked. However upon removal from the rear door it was obvious that the plastic 'ferrules' were decaying & brittle on the best. Inevitable flexing needed to get the (3 latches strung together by cable) assembly out of the door may destroy them. Only saw 1 latch that might been "too worn to work" the van had been used to haul oysters/clams & the bottom latch froze up from rust.


Look at them cross eyed & the "ends" crumble. Found that out the 1st time I tried to repair a plastic 'ferrule' failure. Other 'ferrules' crumbled in front of my eyes. It's like they're made of materials Hollywood uses on props to be smashed easily-they look real, but are made of paste, like the concrete block wall an actor can run thru. The 'ferrules' flex when new, bow over in the direction they run & take a set.

I'd expect poorly adjusted, abused latches, that never saw a drop of oil & get stiff, will cause the plastic 'ferrules' to pop when one struggles to open the door. Extra effort on the door handle, for any reason, would pop the 'ferrules'. They're the weak link.

I'd like to evaluate these replacement 'ferrules' better. There are 6 ferrules in my right rear door. For what little they are you'd think they'd be worth next to nothing.

Not certain from pic what I'm seeing on my lousy monitor. Thought aluminum, then looks like plastic.

Not certain how they're intended to work either. Slot looks narrow & open slots ruined my bicycle brass ferrule attempts. Though about using oversize ferrule & crimping slot closed. Original has no slot.

Not certain how they're installed. Was it suggested it can be done w/o even removing the latches from the door? IMO it's a PITA to juggle these parts inside a door w/central lock.

 

When a new latch is worth $140, I think they're worth $20 per door as a kit.

Nylon

The original ferrule does have a slot, and the slot machined into these matches the dimensions of the original slot perfectly. These clip into the factory brackets securely.

The rear passenger side door and front side door can be done without removing the latches if I remember correctly. I know that I had to remove the latches on two of the doors to install them. Sure, it's not much fun, but it's the same amount of work to install a $140 replacement latch assembly.


Thanks for your input and questions, keep it coming.

-David

 

IMHO if something cost 50 cents each to make, a 'reasonable' 300% markup would make them worth $1.50. Lotto tickets are worth a dollar.

Referred to the lengthwise slot, NOT the groove ringing the outside diameter. The original pliant plastic ferrule is molded into place on the cable sheath, NO slot required to slip on over cable. The original groove, designed to "clip into the factory brackets" was flexible enough to snap into place & allow cables to bow over in the direction they run. The original ferrules take a (strain relieving) set & look squiffy.

To try rigid brass Dia-Compe bicycle brake cable ferrules I cut slots lengthwise to fit over the cable core & MIG welded washers (modified to fit) onto the factory latch to accept them. The strain on the cables was such that the weakened, noncompliant, brass ferrules deformed & the cables sought the slots cut in them, resulting in binding & an unacceptibly short life. The lack of flexibility & slot defeated what had looked like a promising "Solution".


My hat's off to you & skinny arms & dexterous hands, IF you can do the right rear door "without removing the latches". It might be "fun" IF it worked satisfactorily, as one expects from a reliable "$140 replacement latch assembly" from FORD. I'm concerned that your interesting nylon 'BandAid' has a slot & is not flexible.

IF it didn't continue to work correctly & quickly failed, it would NOT be "the same amount of work" & soon become at least double the "amont of work". In which case I'd think their "worth" would become a negative value.

 

Just like many other products in the automotive market, you're not paying for the materials, you're paying for the time and equipment that went into designing and making it, as well as the economy of not replacing latches. I don't hear many people complaining about paying $50 for a K&N drop in air filter that cost less than $5 to make. The benefits outweigh the initial cost.

The lengthwise slot is wide enough that the cable can be slipped through when the slot is gently opened with a flathead screwdriver. Once the ferrules are clipped into the bracket, this slot is essentially closed. The design of these ferrules makes it virtually impossible for the cable to come out of the slot.

You basically just summed up why my design is better than yours. Simpler, requires far less work and tools, and functions the same as the factory ferrule for many years to come. My motivation for making these was to avoid the kind of jerry rigging I've seen described to fix this problem. After examining the bicycle ferrule idea myself, I decided to go with something much more failproof and close to the factory design.

It does work satisfactorily, and it is short enough to not need to be flexible. The flexibility in the factory ferrules is the root of their problem.

As I said before, I've been running my ferrules in four doors for the last six months without a single problem. I expect them to last the lifetime of my van.

It appears that my idea has been poorly received, based on the responses (and lack thereof) on both this site and the van section of powerstroke.org. I guess I will shelve the idea and save it for friends who run into the same problems but don't want to throw their money away on new latches.

Thanks for your feedback, gentlemen.

-David

 

Interesting way to deal w/closing the slot. Ever see Mel Brooks 'Young Frankenstein'? It! Could! Work!

The Dia-Compe brass ferrules may actually be shorter than your nylon ones.

IMO "The flexibility in the factory ferrules" was an integral part of FORD's design, as was the retaining groove. Would've worked longer than neccessary, IF the plastic used was up to the task. The fact that the plastic these ferrules were made of ultimately breaks down & crumbles is the root of our problem.

Would've lasted "the lifetime of" the van if FORD had only incorporated traditional bike type metal ferrules, instead of their Better Idea.

Not a fan of K&N air filters, but the original idea was to wash, reoil & reuse these allegedly low restriction/high performance air filters over & over, suggesting gas economy will pay for it, plus you save routine maintenance costs of throw away filters. Have heard a surprising number of people complaining about K&N, mostly performance related.

Sorry if you consider my replys poor reception, but if I wanted to try 5 kits to do all the Club Wagon's doors, you're talking $100 for a palmful of little nylon bits. Don't know if there's commercial potential, interested in "Solution" aspect.

 

Hi DaviMac424,

Thank you so much for having come up with this solution! After going to several auto part stores, going to a dealership service center and searching on the internet, I was beginning to fear I wouldn't be able to find an affordable solution to such a simple problem. It has been maddening.

How can I get two doors worth? $40 is a steal compared to what the dealership just quoted me.

Unlike what some other folks have written here, I see no need to replace anything but these "ferrules." *Everything* about my door latches and assemblies are in great shape with the exception of them. I refuse to throw out all that good equipment and pay a bunch of money when all I need is new nubs on the ends of my cables.

 

Sorry I didn't get here sooner...

I'd really like to get a set of your nylon ferrule replacements, so let me know what I need to become one of your lucky friends. I don't have a lot of time to waste tinkering with jimmy-rigged solutions like some other folks apparently do.

 

Yes based upon the less-than-overwhelmingly-favorable replies there isn't a lot of interest in what might be a great idea. I offered earlier even in my daily opportunities working with doors and latches I've almost never seen the condition. Perhaps the eager DIY'er has time to rebuild a worn latch assembly but for myself and probably stealerships its not worth the time and slim profits to use such repair parts.

Sooner rather than later another part of an affected doors latching mechanisms will become problematic and of course the owner would look to the last service person to make it right. If additional charges would apply then that service person is a crook and thief, out only to rip off the general public. Sorry but there is a reason these latches are bolted in rather than permanently affixed---even Ford realized they'd wear out over time.

Good idea just not that big of a market for it apparently.

 

Hi DaviMac,

Do you know if your ferrules will fit later latches, as found on a 2001 E350 ?

Rgds, Dave.