madsky012

Today I bought a new door latch cable and interior handle for my driver side for the infamous handle breaking that occurs on these trucks. After 4 hours of tedious B.S. with the latch mechanism I was down to one rod to finish installing. It took me another 2 hours to do that and I finally got it. I checked the outside handle first and there was no resistance, the interior handle had been working fine so I (stupid idea) closed the door to see if that would make the exterior handle work... It didn't. So I crawl through the passenger to open the door and... The interior handle didn't give. In fact it felt the same as it did before I replaced the cable. Any ideas what went wrong other than me thinking I could do it?

unit505

Cracked door frame! Where the latch mechanism bolts to the inner door frame, I'll bet it's cracked and flexing causing your initial problem. Unbolt the mechanism and check for cracks. If so, you can replace the old bolt and threaded insert with a large washer on both sides of the sheet metal and use a new nut and bolt.

Snaggletooth

^ that

madsky012

QUOTE=unit505;3427544]Cracked door frame! Where the latch mechanism bolts to the inner door frame, I'll bet it's cracked and flexing causing your initial problem. Unbolt the mechanism and check for cracks. If so, you can replace the old bolt and threaded insert with a large washer on both sides of the sheet metal and use a new nut and bolt.[/QUOTE]

So how do I open the door now?

madsky012

Also is it the mechanism that the inner door handle attaches too that I've seen people have issues with or the latch held on by the three screws? Sorry, I'm 17 and not very familiar with some car stuff. Still learning

TheCollector

your going to have to pull the door card off while its shut, get your hand in there or try to pull the cable from the handle opening, once you get it open again be sure you actually attached the door rods correct and lube everything! you would be amazed how many times i have repaired a sticky door handle with wd40, id does not sound like a cracked door frame at all considering he cannot open it at all and didnt say the entire handle was loose and moving around lol

madsky012

Alright. I'm working on it now so I'll see.

madsky012

I've got the door open again. I could only open from the inside when I detached the rod going to the exterior handle. So some thing's up with that

TheCollector

Lube it, up, my 1994 was being strange one day I pushed the button and it did nothing, after spraying some white lithium in behind the button in the door latch and down through the lock on the inside and worked it in for a few mins pressing the button locking and unlocking the door. It was back to normal, inspect the rods to be sure they are not damaged or bent to badly

Brandon587

Lube does wonders for many things.... Lol. But seriously I was having issues with my door, lubing helped a good bit in itself, but I also had other issues like the cracked door frame. But just yesterday I lubed up my tailgate that was becoming impossible to open, and now I can open it with one finger. Moral of the story, things like lube! These trucks are old and freezing doors and whatnot are a lot of times never done to a car or truck.