Door Handle Breaks Twice!! Hmmmm

[Explorer_Pat]

After owning my 2000 Ex for a little over a year my driver's side exterior door handle started getting stiff on me and eventually broke. Got a new one and everything was fine for a 2-3 months and now out of the blue this one broke on me, too, but without the "stiffness" warning like before.

I'm wondering if it could be something within the door mechanism that's causing this or is this just a coincidence? Both handles broke in the same place, which was the right side hinge. I had a mechanic perform the work last time and he also "lifted" my door because there was a little sag in it. Don't know if that would affect things in anyway.

The new part is on its way (from 1a Auto) and just wondering if there is any other thing to think about during this next repair. Don't want to keep going through this if I don't have to.

 

[410Fortune]

try to find an older metal door handle from the junk yard.
Ford used to make metal door handles, then they went to the plastic POS, the plastic ones will just keep breaking IMO

 

[Explorer_Pat]

Sounds like good advice!!! Do you know what year they stopped using metal handles and what will fit a 2000?

 

[410Fortune]

I installed a metal handle from a 97 sport onto a 2002 Sport trac last week.

I believe many of the sports (2 doors) had metal handles for whatever reason. My 96 4 door also had metal handles.

All we did for the sport trac was spray the purple door handle white with krylon, drill the rivets on the broken handle, swap over the lock mechanism push bar, and install the new handle with new very large rivets (had to get a new rivet gun, mine does not go that big)

So I am not sure what years, but they are out there. FYI the 97 sport handle was a different shape then the ST handle, but the owner doesnt care because he was so sick of going through the pass side.

 

[Explorer_Pat]

Sounds good!!! Appreciate the help.

 

[Charlie]

I believe with the 4 doors, they switched away from metal in 98. I hate the plastic ones, it just makes the vehicles feel cheap.

 

[turblown]

Exterior Door Handle (plastic to metal) Conversion? > YES!

 

[Jungoica]

After owning my 2000 Ex for a little over a year my driver's side exterior door handle started getting stiff on me and eventually broke. Got a new one and everything was fine for a 2-3 months and now out of the blue this one broke on me, too, but without the "stiffness" warning like before.

I'm wondering if it could be something within the door mechanism that's causing this or is this just a coincidence? Both handles broke in the same place, which was the right side hinge. I had a mechanic perform the work last time and he also "lifted" my door because there was a little sag in it. Don't know if that would affect things in anyway.

The new part is on its way (from 1a Auto) and just wondering if there is any other thing to think about during this next repair. Don't want to keep going through this if I don't have to.

FYI I've been through

After owning my 2000 Ex for a little over a year my driver's side exterior door handle started getting stiff on me and eventually broke. Got a new one and everything was fine for a 2-3 months and now out of the blue this one broke on me, too, but without the "stiffness" warning like before.

I'm wondering if it could be something within the door mechanism that's causing this or is this just a coincidence? Both handles broke in the same place, which was the right side hinge. I had a mechanic perform the work last time and he also "lifted" my door because there was a little sag in it. Don't know if that would affect things in anyway.

The new part is on its way (from 1a Auto) and just wondering if there is any other thing to think about during this next repair. Don't want to keep going through this if I don't have to.

Fixed a handle and did a little hack, been through 5 handles... bought a new plastic handles then made a metal backing on the handle arms... the two arms that extend from the inside of the exterior handle to the interior action in the door. Then using a torch I shaped the metal to conform to the bends in the arms, I then epoxied the two metal pieces and let all cure overnight. Going on a year and half with no issues. If you need more detail shoot me a note. Ps I did this because it's really hard to find the old metal handle

 

[GTMountain]

Pretty sure you can get the handles through Rock Auto. Similar crap spring design though. When they break (the springs do on the metal handles) I replace them with my own setup.

 

[J_C]

Yes it's the mechanism inside the door, too much resistance. Inspect it and lube it. Plastic isn't a strong material but they shouldn't be breaking if there's nothing wrong with the rest, unless someone is ham-fisted and tugging too hard on them.

I don't consider the plastic ones especially fragile though, I'm on my originals still and what failed was the spring tension on their hinges so some got floppy.

On the other hand the avg temperature is hotter in Fresno than here, I'd wonder if cooking in the summer made them more brittle but if I'd had to guess, it would have been that mine were more likely to crack apart in the cold of winter here.

 

[koda2000]

I've never actually broken a plastic exterior handle. My daughter broke one after an ice storm once and I've currently got 3 driver's door broken tension springs, none of which broke during my ownership, but the tension springs just break after a while due to metal fatigue. I've used the add-a-spring fix to get around replacing handles due to broken tension springs. I agree that something else in the door needing lubrication or misalignment is probably what causes the plastic handles to break. All they do is push a rod in the latch mechanism, so if the latch is worn, dry, or if the door is misaligned it causes extra stress on the handle.