Outside Door Handle

[Bern]

Does anyone here know where to find the return springs for the outside door handle? Ford doesn't sell them separately, and they want $100 for the entire handle. To add insult to injury, it doesn't even come painted for that price. I would just as soon replace the springs in the existing handle.

Thanks

 

[JoeMahma]

Does anyone here know where to find the return springs for the outside door handle? Ford doesn't sell them separately, and they want $100 for the entire handle. To add insult to injury, it doesn't even come painted for that price. I would just as soon replace the springs in the existing handle.

Thanks

LOL, I just replaced my entire handle today. Got one at the scrap yard for 5 dollars painted. I'm not sure if you can replace the springs, I don't think they are serviceable. If you do get a used one get the rear handle. It's used less often and shouldn't break as quickly.

 

[awhughes]

LOL, I just replaced my entire handle today. Got one at the scrap yard for 5 dollars painted. I'm not sure if you can replace the springs, I don't think they are serviceable. If you do get a used one get the rear handle. It's used less often and shouldn't break as quickly.

Can you provide any tips or a procedure to change the door handle? Mine has been flopping around for about 3 years now.

 

[gijoecam]

They can be ordered color-keyed. Mine were. They weren't painted from the factory... if they're ordering you one that needs to be painted, it's probably not an OEM part.

As for replacement, there are a few write-ups on here. A search will turn them up. It's not difficult to do, just a little tough to reach into the door and release the plastic clips.

-Joe

 

[JoeMahma]

Can you provide any tips or a procedure to change the door handle? Mine has been flopping around for about 3 years now.

Remove the interior door panel. If you lift up the handle you are replacing you will see two rivets. I knocked out the center of the rivets from the outside with a punch (not too hard or you can do body damage, you might need to grind the heads off the rivets instead and knock them out that way...again be careful of body damage to the truck and you) and drilled out the rest of the rivet with progressively larger drill bits until the rivet was out. The holes are 1/4" in diameter so do not go any larger than that. Once you have that done there is one rod on the handle that goes inside the door. If you follow that rod down to the latch assembly to will feel a clip. That clip had a tab on it that is almost hinged and if you use your fingers to pull the tab towards the front of the door it will release and you can then just pop the rod out of the retainer leaving on the latch mechanism. This is a little hard to visualize I know but get in there with a flashlight and you will see what I'm talking about. Now the handle should lift right out rod and all. Transfer that rod over to the new handle and reverse procedure. I used 1/4" stainless steel bolts (half inch long I think), stainless steel nylon lock nuts, and stainless steel washers on the inside to hold the handle in place instead of rivets. When you put that rod back in the retainer you want the arm that retainer is attached to on the latch assembly hanging as far down as it will go before you pop the rod back in it and secure the retainer clip. I was pulling up on it and putting the rod in and the new handle would not open the door because of it. Hope this helps. Good luck.