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  1. #1
    FEP Power Member fgross2006's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Freeport NY
    Posts
    2,024

    Default interior door handle wont open door

    on the driver side of my 84 convertible the inside door handle no longer unlatches the door with normal pull.

    If I snap the handle hard and fast I can get the door to open but its getting worse.

    Inside the door the handle connects to a long rod that connects to the door latch. When pulling the handle to open the door the rod pulls and rotates which I assume is what unlatches the door. I thought that the rod may be stretched from years of use so I tried putting a small bend in it to shorten the travel when the handle is pulled but it didn't fix the issue.

    Is the rod the issue or the latch in door that catches the bar?

    I don't want to put my door panel back on until I solve this, and a minor widow guide adjustment.

  2. #2
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Nebraska
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    4,575

    Default

    Power locks or no power locks?

  3. #3
    FEP Power Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    San Mateo, CA
    Posts
    2,271

    Default

    A bad power lock actuator adds quite a bit of resistance to the interior handle release. If no power locks, then it's probably in the latch mechanism. You can try closing the latch with the door open to rule out binding due to the striker engagement.
    Fox Body/3rd Gen MCA Gold Card Judge
    84 SVO 24K miles, 85 Mclaren Capri Vert. 84 GT Turbo Vert.
    88 Mclaren Mustang Vert 20K miles, 89 Mustang LX Sport Vert,
    03 Mach 1 7900 miles, 74 Mustang II, 69 Mustang, 67 Mustang, 07 GT500,
    14 Mustang CS/GT, 15 F150 FTX Tuscany, 16 F250 Crewcab, 67 Tbird 47K miles

  4. #4

    Default

    Take off the door panel. Clean everything off that you can get to. It will be dirty and really greasy. Everything you can't get to, I like to regrease with white lithium in a spray can. White lithium will collect dust (as will any other grease), but is much smoother then most creases and holds up food under preasure and heat (not that either really matters inside the door.).

    Also make sure the door has no play in the hinges. Its really easy tho check, open the door and try to lift it up. If it moves at all, door hinges have play. You can get a dorman kit from an auto parts store pretty cheaply. You basically drill out the hinge and get a bass bushing onset to take up the slack, then it should be good to go.

    Another thing to check on a convertible especially is body flex. I think we've all jacked up the car and tried to open the door before and not been able to.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

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