Floppy door handle fix

CBII · 06-04-2008, 11:16 PM

I finally got around to fixing my floppy door handles.

Pretty easy to do.

Removed the inner door skin and swap them out. I spent more time removing the stupid rivets that Ford used then anything else.
These...

I used a punch to knock the centers out and then a pair of pliers to break off the back of the rivets. You could drill them as well I suppose.

New and old side by side.

Can you see the problem here? Broken spring.

Cost me $25 off e-bay and the work great. Just thought I'd share.

yellowcat · 06-05-2008, 07:31 PM

oh, so thats why my door handle flops. Thanks

beauboy · 06-05-2008, 08:26 PM

Thanks CB, for the education. I have two "floppy" door handles.

*Four0Sport* · 06-06-2008, 10:19 AM

i have one floppy handle bc i thought my actuator was messed up and i violently tried to open the door and the spring on the handle broke. ten mins later i sprayed pb blaster on the actuator assembly and its worked fine ever since. so now i have a floppy door handle to remind me that PB Blaster is our friend.

Jo the Explorer · 06-06-2008, 10:26 AM

I wonder if the is what my problem is as well. I should take a look at that.

beauboy · 06-07-2008, 08:18 PM

Good point, Four-O. But I think I'd rather have 2 solid handles than 2 floppys to advertise PB.

YourNameHere · 06-08-2008, 03:00 PM

I was worried that one day the handle wouldn't work. So, I guess my handle is perfectly fine with "the flop", right? It's just a beater for me anyway.

*Four0Sport* · 06-10-2008, 09:06 AM

maybe i should send an email to PB and see if i can make a commercial out of this, make some money

CBII · 06-15-2008, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YourNameHere

I was worried that one day the handle wouldn't work. So, I guess my handle is perfectly fine with "the flop", right? It's just a beater for me anyway.

Yeah the handles still work fine after the spring breaks. I just found it annoying to have them flopping around.

Four0Sport...I think most of us have a very similar story

*mgmgmg* · 10-08-2008, 10:58 PM

Just a question here. My driver side door handle doesnt flop but I have some loose play in the handle. Do i need to replace it? Is this almost the same problem? Did you use any rivets... was there a size ? What do i need for this job?

Thxs

brenna · 12-22-2009, 10:47 AM

My handle is floppy and won't open the door

YBCold · 12-22-2009, 12:24 PM

i wonder if the spring can be replaced? instead of new handles.

beauboy · 04-25-2010, 12:09 PM

I've seen this fix before. I too have 2 floppy handles, but I've heard that the replacement handles only run about $45-$50 each from Ford.

KobeJ05 · 04-25-2010, 09:23 PM

my drivers doors handles floppy been like that for almost 3yrs no problem. like they say if its not broke dont fix it.

qtrmill · 04-29-2010, 08:31 AM

that sucks that the new ones off ebay don't retain the 1st gen appearance... only the front doors on my 4 dr are floppy but no way do i want mismatched handles.. *sigh*

cklinejr · 05-28-2010, 05:43 AM

are all the ones on ebay a different style?

Has anyone found a reman handle that matched the original style?

FirstExplorer · 05-28-2010, 12:26 PM

Excellent! I have two floppers. Plus, the handle finish looks new again.
I spray white lithium grease on the door latches and it keeps them operating well.
After seeing your pictures, I think I'll spray each side of the handles as well.

06-04-2008, 11:16 PM	#1
CBII Wannabe Elite Explorer Edmonton, Alberta Canada 91 XLT Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 317 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Floppy door handle fix I finally got around to fixing my floppy door handles. Pretty easy to do. Removed the inner door skin and swap them out. I spent more time removing the stupid rivets that Ford used then anything else. These... I used a punch to knock the centers out and then a pair of pliers to break off the back of the rivets. You could drill them as well I suppose. New and old side by side. Can you see the problem here? Broken spring. Cost me $25 off e-bay and the work great. Just thought I'd share. __________________ 91 Explorer - 4.0L, A4LD, Manual BW-1354, 31" BFG AT's, HID's. 87 BII - 2.9L, Manual, D35, 31" BFG MT's, 4" lift, James Duff(radius arms, shocks, bushings), Cobra CB, tons of other cool stuff.

06-06-2008, 10:19 AM	#4
Four0Sport Elite Explorer West Virginia 1993 Sport, 1997 5.0 Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 2,582 Vehicle Specs	i have one floppy handle bc i thought my actuator was messed up and i violently tried to open the door and the spring on the handle broke. ten mins later i sprayed pb blaster on the actuator assembly and its worked fine ever since. so now i have a floppy door handle to remind me that PB Blaster is our friend. __________________ 1993 Explorer Sport, EB44 SAS, 6" lift, 35x12.50s

06-06-2008, 10:26 AM	#5
Jo the Explorer Wannabe Elite Explorer Graysville, Alabama 08 Mustang GT Conv. 96XLT Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 155 Vehicle Specs	I wonder if the is what my problem is as well. I should take a look at that. __________________ 2008 Mustang GT Convertible. Too many mods to list. '96 2wd XLT 5.0 V8: Sun roof, 6 disc cd player. Mods: Dual Flowmaster's, K&N Air Intake, 30x9.50x15 on 15x8 Black DC-1s, TT, tint, Euro taillights, Euro Chrome headlight + clear corners with 6k HIDs, billet grilles, and two 10" Pioneer speakers with 600 watt amp.

06-08-2008, 03:00 PM	#7
YourNameHere Wannabe Elite Explorer Haverhill, MA 94 Explorer Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 291 Vehicle Specs	I was worried that one day the handle wouldn't work. So, I guess my handle is perfectly fine with "the flop", right? It's just a beater for me anyway. __________________ -P.J.- Winter Beater: 1994 Explorer XLT 4wd Summer Car/ Daily Driver: 1998 Mustang Cobra coupe #4941 of 5174 Born on June 19, 1998. 263rwhp/258rwtq untuned, with nonfunctioning IMRC's. Hoping for 285-290 next spring with a much needed tune.

06-10-2008, 09:06 AM	#8
Four0Sport Elite Explorer West Virginia 1993 Sport, 1997 5.0 Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 2,582 Vehicle Specs	maybe i should send an email to PB and see if i can make a commercial out of this, make some money __________________ 1993 Explorer Sport, EB44 SAS, 6" lift, 35x12.50s

06-05-2008, 07:31 PM	#2
yellowcat Wannabe Elite Explorer las cruces new mexico 91 4x4 Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 163 Vehicle Specs	oh, so thats why my door handle flops. Thanks

06-05-2008, 08:26 PM	#3
beauboy Wannabe Elite Explorer Jacksonville, FL 1991 Ford Explorer XL Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 164 Vehicle Specs	Thanks CB, for the education. I have two "floppy" door handles.

06-07-2008, 08:18 PM	#6
beauboy Wannabe Elite Explorer Jacksonville, FL 1991 Ford Explorer XL Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 164 Vehicle Specs	Good point, Four-O. But I think I'd rather have 2 solid handles than 2 floppys to advertise PB.

10-08-2008, 10:58 PM	#10
mgmgmg Elite Explorer Plymouth, MN '94 LTD '10 LTD V8 Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 203 Vehicle Specs	Just a question here. My driver side door handle doesnt flop but I have some loose play in the handle. Do i need to replace it? Is this almost the same problem? Did you use any rivets... was there a size ? What do i need for this job? Thxs

12-22-2009, 10:47 AM	#11
brenna Wannabe Elite Explorer harrisburg pa 1993 explorer sport Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1 Vehicle Specs	My handle is floppy and won't open the door

12-22-2009, 12:24 PM	#12
YBCold Wannabe Elite Explorer 702 LΛ§ V£GΛ§ NV / МØΠΤΣΓΓΣΨ ΜΧ 91 ×∟┬ Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,192 Vehicle Specs	i wonder if the spring can be replaced? instead of new handles. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/user/unaffiliatedperson ---)()(MUGSHOT()(--- All I wanted was a pepsi, just one pepsi! and she wouldnt give it to me just a pepsi!

04-25-2010, 12:09 PM	#13
beauboy Wannabe Elite Explorer Jacksonville, FL 1991 Ford Explorer XL Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 164 Vehicle Specs	I've seen this fix before. I too have 2 floppy handles, but I've heard that the replacement handles only run about $45-$50 each from Ford.

04-25-2010, 09:23 PM	#14
KobeJ05 Wannabe Elite Explorer Marina, CA 1994 explorer 157k miles Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 442 Vehicle Specs	my drivers doors handles floppy been like that for almost 3yrs no problem. like they say if its not broke dont fix it. __________________ My Explorer http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg535/sca...=640&ysize=640 http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg204/sca...=640&ysize=640

04-29-2010, 08:31 AM	#15
qtrmill Wannabe Elite Explorer Freeport, Bahamas '92 XLT Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 21 Vehicle Specs	that sucks that the new ones off ebay don't retain the 1st gen appearance... only the front doors on my 4 dr are floppy but no way do i want mismatched handles.. sigh

05-28-2010, 05:43 AM	#16
cklinejr Wannabe Elite Explorer Golden, Co 94 EB Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 41 Vehicle Specs	are all the ones on ebay a different style? Has anyone found a reman handle that matched the original style?

05-28-2010, 12:26 PM	#17
FirstExplorer Wannabe Elite Explorer Flower Mound, Texas 1991 XLT 4WD Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 63 Vehicle Specs	Excellent! I have two floppers. Plus, the handle finish looks new again. I spray white lithium grease on the door latches and it keeps them operating well. After seeing your pictures, I think I'll spray each side of the handles as well. Last edited by FirstExplorer; 05-28-2010 at 04:09 PM.