Are all 4th Gen interior door panels same size?

[bobward737]

Hello fellow Explorer enthusiasts,

I just traded my terrific 2006 (190K..it was time) for a 52K 2010 explorer.

Only difference is the 2010 interior door panels are missing he assist grab handles just under the armrest. You have to reach out to the recessed hand pull at teh end of the door which requires a much longer reach (first world problem - I know)

My question is: is the size of all 4th generation door panels the same? If I find some 2006-2007 door panels with the pull handle can I simply swap them out?

OR...

Is there a pull handle I can mount on my current door panel? Is there a housing under there that will hold a bolt?

Many thanks! Bob

 

[F SANE IL]

I think most people were trying to swap the door panels you want for the door panels you have. What color is your interior and can you take a picture of yours? If the size is the same, color and I like them, maybe we can just swap. Cause I think I want the ones you have.

 

[Explorer_PL]

I want them too
Mine is 06 beige LOL

I need to swap them, people do not know how to close or open the door in my car.

 

[MotorCityFats13]

2006 did not have the lower pull bar... all the doors from 06-10 are the same body style... same bolt locations and wire connections... 100% swappable.... if your 2010 panels do not have the pull bar then they were swapped from a 2006.... if they were simply removed then they are 2010 door panels.... I rarely use my pull bars and think they were another bad design just like the latch pulls

 

[steve6534]

2006 did not have the lower pull bar... all the doors from 06-10 are the same body style... same bolt locations and wire connections... 100% swappable.... if your 2010 panels do not have the pull bar then they were swapped from a 2006.... if they were simply removed then they are 2010 door panels.... I rarely use my pull bars and think they were another bad design just like the latch pulls

By pull bar do you mean the dedicated handle like this ? If so those are the only ones the 2006 had. The cutout in the armrest came in 2007.

 

[thebrakeman]

2006 has the grab handle far forward and low on the door, near the front hinge. This means you have to lean forward to grab the handle, and you don't have much leverage. If a strong wind gust comes along, it can easily pull the door before you are able to grab the handle, and if the door is moving fast, it may be too much inertia to stop it from hitting the car next to you. This is why most '06 owners hate it so much. Ford listened, and they corrected the issue for 2007-2010, by including the molded-in door hold further back on the door (in/near the armrest), like most cars.

This is the first time I have heard of anybody preferring the 2006 doors over the later doors. I guess you just get used to whatever you have. I guess with the door release far forward, maybe it is good to have the forward handle.

Maybe they should have left both in, to make everybody happy!

 

[michael loibl]

Another 2006 owner here... The first time I saw a 2007 with better door panels I said "I wonder if those can be swapped" never got around to it but certainly wouldn't swap the newer type for my type

 

[BrianDye]

Sorry to revive an old thread here, but I'm piecing together a black leather interior swap, and came across a deal on some of the 07-10 style panels which have the handle I prefer.

Our 2006 panels have 2 bolts in the grab handle near the speaker area, and one above & below the actual door handle to open the door. I'm sure the mounting points must be different for the 07-10 style? Has anyone actually done the swap yet, or happen to have pictures of what the bare door looks like or a picture of the back of the 07+ panel?

 

[MotorCityFats13]

if you need a few pics Ill take some and do you want front and rear door... ill update this post and add the pictures... I actually takes me more time to upload the pic than to take the panels off and on

 

[BrianDye]

I would appreciate that so much man! Just the front door would be fine, I'm sure the rears are pretty much identical.

A shot of the back of the panel and the door if you would man. Thanks a ton!

 

[MotorCityFats13]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3487995#post3487995

this thread has pics of the inside of the panel... the inside door skin and panel will be no different from 06-10 as all parts from the doors are 100% interchangeable

 

[BrianDye]

Wow, I just noticed the newer panels still have the lower grab handle. Thanks for the link, that shows me pretty much what I was asking.

I assumed the grab handle in the armrest would've had some kind of hardware securing it to the door, as every other vehicle ive owned has had some kind of screw or bolt through the bottom of it.

When you take your door panels off, are there 5 screws you remove, and then lift the panel up? (One above and below the door opening handle, then one in either side of the grab handle near the speaker, and then one small one at the bottom of the door panel?

 

[MotorCityFats13]

The added feature in the 07 year was the indentation on the arm rest, there is 6 7mm bolts holding the door panel to the door.... 4 under cover plates and 2 at the bottom... so 2 holding the panel down at the grab bar and 2 that hold the panel down at the latch pull... this is the same on every explorer from 06-10

only difference with the rears is there is only 1 external screw at the bottom