2000 Explorer Broken Door Handles

[Varnell]

My sister has a 2000 Explorer and she doesn't use forums. I made this account in an attempt to help her out. She told me a few months ago that her front driver's side door handle and rear passenger side door handle were broken.

She came over and I replaced them with new parts. Two months later they broke again. No offense to me, she took them to a Ford Dealership and had them replaced. Four months later...broken yet again.

Cheap plastic pieces. Anyone know of any aftermarket pieces that don't break twice a year? Preferably metal ones?

 

[MarkZ28]

I wish they were metal on the inside and used a pull rod instead of a pushrod contraption thats much too complicated for a simple door handle.

 

[koda2000]

you don't say if it's the interior or exterior handles that keep breaking. in either case, i believe the reason they break repeatedly is due to a lack of lubrication on the latches. assuming you're referring to the exterior handles, yes metal would be much stronger. my '97 has metal handles, but i don't know if they'd fit the later models (or if they're even available). I've replaced a couple of exterior handles and one interior handle. when i had the doors apart i made sure to lube all the related parts (rods and latches) and haven't had any reoccurring problems yet, but being plastic i guess it's just a matter of time.