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Dorman inner door handles
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,600
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From: Billings, MT
Dorman inner door handles
Why in the blue **** do they angle upward? I've noticed this on 3 different trucks I've put them on. The stock handles sit perfectly parallel to the floor, the dorman ones angle up 20* or so. Just to **** me off?
On my other trucks it wasn't as big of a deal, on my '95 bronco I cannot open the door from the inside. I used to be able to if I pulled the handle until it hit the door panel and jiggled it a little.
Cable is new, everything is clean and lubed, I'm sure with a stock flat handle it would work like a charm. What the ****?
I pulled the door panel last night, loosened the bolts and shifted the lever to try and help, made it worse now I can't open the door from the inside at all.
On my other trucks it wasn't as big of a deal, on my '95 bronco I cannot open the door from the inside. I used to be able to if I pulled the handle until it hit the door panel and jiggled it a little.
Cable is new, everything is clean and lubed, I'm sure with a stock flat handle it would work like a charm. What the ****?
I pulled the door panel last night, loosened the bolts and shifted the lever to try and help, made it worse now I can't open the door from the inside at all.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,600
Likes: 64
From: Billings, MT
This is the bull**** of which I speak!
You ****ed me dorman, you really ****ed me. You come here with the appearance of help, then you just turn around and **** me.
Passenger's side old handle :
You ****ed me dorman, you really ****ed me. You come here with the appearance of help, then you just turn around and **** me.
Passenger's side old handle :
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,600
Likes: 64
From: Billings, MT
Nope. Pulled it off and it's a Dorman 77178 which is what Rockauto shows as well as Autozone where I bought it, unless both of their listings for left/right are mixed up the same way.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2003
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The Dorman website, dormanproducts.com shows the 77178 as being the left handle as you said.
However, over the years I have found problems where all the parts stores had something wrong, and when I looked at the parts manufacturer's website, THEY had it wrong. The wrong info they had was passed on to all the retailers, so that's how they showed it too. I don't know if that is the problem here or not.
If the linkage mounting surface in the door that the handle mounts to is not a vertical surface, then the handle itself needs to have an angle built into it to have the handle end up horizontal, which could make it angle the wrong way if they were swapped left-right.
I'd go out and look at mine, but the hour is late
However, over the years I have found problems where all the parts stores had something wrong, and when I looked at the parts manufacturer's website, THEY had it wrong. The wrong info they had was passed on to all the retailers, so that's how they showed it too. I don't know if that is the problem here or not.
If the linkage mounting surface in the door that the handle mounts to is not a vertical surface, then the handle itself needs to have an angle built into it to have the handle end up horizontal, which could make it angle the wrong way if they were swapped left-right.
I'd go out and look at mine, but the hour is late
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From: Napa
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Billings, MT
I pulled the passenger's (original Ford) handle off and there is no way the handles would work on the other sides. It would be upside down. It's definitely not a passenger side handle. I did compare the angle though, and the Ford one has a very slight angle, while the dorman has quite a bit more.
I have a theory on that, and it's to save the handles from breaking. I think they designed it to hit the door panel just when the door releases. That way you don't crank on it hard and break it off when you bottom out on the latch.
Fine on a truck where everything is new and tight, but if your latch and parts have some wear on them it's just not enough travel...
I guess I'll see if I can bend the tab on the inner mechanism that holds the (new) cable and take some of the slack out. It does look stupid though, not being straight like the other side.
I have a theory on that, and it's to save the handles from breaking. I think they designed it to hit the door panel just when the door releases. That way you don't crank on it hard and break it off when you bottom out on the latch.
Fine on a truck where everything is new and tight, but if your latch and parts have some wear on them it's just not enough travel...
I guess I'll see if I can bend the tab on the inner mechanism that holds the (new) cable and take some of the slack out. It does look stupid though, not being straight like the other side.
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From: Napa
Bronco graveyard has steel ones (left side sold out 
) not sure how well they fit though since I don't have any.
Inside Door Handle, Right 1980-96 Black Metal
Door Handle, Inside Left 1980-96 Black Metal OUT OF STOCK
) not sure how well they fit though since I don't have any.Inside Door Handle, Right 1980-96 Black Metal
Door Handle, Inside Left 1980-96 Black Metal OUT OF STOCK
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,600
Likes: 64
From: Billings, MT
Pulled the panel off again to have a look and the bolt holes were ripped out. I didn't catch it before because everything seemed tight and I never pulled the bracket off to look. Drilled out a piece of flat steel and used it on the backside to sandwich the door metal in between it and the bracket. Works like new now!
I did put the dorman handle back on just to verify : it does work to open the door but still sits at the stupid angle. Put the Ford one back on and I'll throw the dorman in the toolbox for a spare I guess.
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