Hello,
My side cargo door won't open from outside. Inside handle and elec locks work fine. I pulled the interior stuff off the inside of the door, hoping something would jump out at me. I've been waiting for the rain to stop, so I could get out there with drop light. Van is 96 conversion with barn style double doors. Handle works freely, but won't open door. Appreciate any help thanks. Manuals didn't help much.
I need to know what kind of linkage goes from door handle to opener mechanism, and how it attaches.

 

same thig happened on mine, it's got a cable inside runs from handle to lock, inside handle has it's own seperate cable

 

Hi Bart,

I apppreciate the help. I was out there this afternoon with the light and mirror. After studying the inside lock that still works, I saw the cable you're talking about. With the power locks and all, it's hard to get a good look at any cable for the outside door handle. I'm checking out the Hayne's manual, and came across a half way decent drawing of the handle and lock assemblies.

Thanks again

 

Hi Leo T

mine is still broken as you say you can't get to it, my cables ok it's the metal bit on the handle that it connects to thats broken off, I need to replace the handle some day !!!! Ican't seem to get one here in the UK with the anti theft fitted. good luck with fixing it.

 

Hello Bartat,

No hurry myself on fixing it. I don't use the side doors much anyway. It's easy to open the front door, and reach around to open the side door from the inside if I need to.

I was going to take off the handle to have a look, but it's held on by rivets. Seems Ford is doing everything possable to discourage the do it yourselfers.

Anyway thanks again. I posted that message all over...you were the only one to bother.

It was defeating to put all the stuff back on the door, without fixing it though. I'll have a go at it later in the summer. I think the key is in drilling off the rivets that hold the handle on.

Oh well, back to the books.
Have a good one!!

 

Hey, I just saw this thread and I had the same problem about 2 years ago on my 98 E150. You can buy the assembly from FORD(about $75 US, if I remember right) or I drilled out the rivits and rebuilt the broken tab by drilling a hole and putting a steel pin(about 1/8" dia x 1/4") in the base. I then replaced the rivits with a Bolt (and red loctight) and a plastic blind rivit. It was really tight getting it out and back in but the repair has held-up to my kids and the boy scouts. I was out of work and didn't have the money to buy the parts at the time and just used parts that I scrounged off my workbench. I figured it would hold until I got back to work and would buy the parts if it ever failed again.

I wish I could get pictures for you but there is no way I want to disassemble it again until I have to.

 

Hi 98,

Appreciate the post. I've put it out my head for the time being. It's a bad time right now to be fixing something that can wait. I'll keep that fix in mind though. I think I'll try to snag one down at the bone yard. Hard to believe $75. for a lousy door handle.

Hey, thanks again!

 

I have the same non-functional side cargo door handle on my E150. Like others, I pulled all the plastic off - and can't see dittle in there. Is is possible to cleanly drill out those rivets and change the handle assembly - or is that best left to the dealer? My handle pulls out roughly, and does not retract. If I manually reach inside the door and pull the mechanism with the cable 'downward', it will work ok for a few cycles, then fail again. I've seen the handle on the web for about $40.00, but am more concerned about getting those large rivets with the screws in the center out of the way easily.

Any advice would be most appreciated as this is majorly inconvenient and embarassing when bringing guests along.

Larry Best

 

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I had a similar but slightly different problem on my 94 E350. The cable that operated the latch fit into a slot on the handle mechanism, with the end termination seating in a bit of a depression. The thing kept popping out, rendering the handle ineffective. After that happened a handful of times, I finally constrained it in place with some wire so it couldn't slip out. No further problems.

 

Thanks Gadget,

I disassembled my door handle and determined that the arm that the cable acuates is bent, and the part of the handle that allows that lever to move is badly worn. I ordered a new handle and have it in hand. I removed the two large rivets that hold the handle to the door. I picked up a bag of those "peel rivets" at NAPA to re-assemble it all, bit those are not "pop rivets" and require a special rivet puller that I do not have. I suspect a body shop may have one - but not sure if I can just go ask to borrow it, or have that done on the spot. It does not look like a tool that would get much use - and would not be cost effective to put in the bottom of the tool box. I guess a couple of 1/4" bolts will work till I figure that out.

Thanks,

Larry

 

...and in a post to my own reply,


I went to Ace and picked up a set of stainless steel 1/4-20 socket head cap screws, washers and nyloc nuts to put this back together. It's a tight squeeze inside the door, and wound up Scotch taping the top nut to the tip of my finger to get it started. I can appreciate the use of blind rivets for this job, but for now, the stainless bolts will have to do.

Larry

 

This is a cheap and easy fix... once you get the cables out of the door that is