It feels like thats what happened with the door. I always saw that as a weak spot. I usually take the door panels of every once in a while to tighten up where the door handle bolts on (it can rattle). If it needs to be welded, thats not a problem. Complaining is my way of venting, just ask my gf. I still love my truck though.

 

Easiest way is to run the truck, (in four wheel drive if it's 4x4,) then get under there and feel them. If they are HOT, they are shot.

 

Dude, trust me. I have issues all the time. This breaks, that falls off. We all have it happen to us. As a matter of fact, my interior door handle broke last week. My dad had to weld the entire door handle to the door panel. My passenger window motor is still burnt out, my a/c is broke (we bypassed it), it stinks like hell with the heater on, and the *******es at the repair shop couldn't put on my rain guards on right so I can't open the rotating windows all the way. The thing is though, I'm poor as hell. Just don't worry man. Things will get better; that's how I look at it.

 

I've had two of this series truck and the sheet metal where the door handle bolts on has tore on all 4 doors. My neighbor is a welder and the way he fixed them for me was to cut a small piece of 1/2 or 3/4 inch wide flat bar about an inch or so long and weld it behind the sheet metal. You'll have to drill a hole in it for a bolt (don't remember what bolt) and you're done. It's an easy fix if you can weld.

I understand the frustration. But just remember that everytime you have to spend a portion or all of a weekend day making a repair, that's your car payment. I prever that over $300-500 monthly. Once you can get your mind set that way, the frustration subsides.

I have 5 cars and the newest is a 98. Two summers ago I swear I spent all but maybe one or two weekends fixing the junk (as I call it). It was a different car every week. That was a lot of car payments at one time but I haven't had many since.

Just remember, moving parts wear out. There's no ifs, ands, or butts about it. So the older the rig, the more things that are gonna wear out. I've owned my F150 (195 Kmi) for 2 years now and I've replaced just about all of the wear items. The engine runs like a horse and I am now sitting on a real nice rig. I don't forsee many car payments on this thing for a while.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I do think of it that way though, I would rather fix my truck than pay $30,000 for one that is half plastic and aluminum and comes complete with a built in *** wiper. I don't want a truck that rides like family sedan either. The way I figure, with only 208,000 miles, the beast is only getting warmed up Even if drives me crazy at times.