Door handes (inside and out) hard to open...suggestions?

[TheUser]

I've dealt with this and now I'm ready to actually do something about it. My door handles are hard to open on the inside and outside. I know Mustang door handles aren't the best and are often not the easiest to open, but I feel like i'm gonna break my handles (they're steel replacements, so I'm good) when I try to open the door.

To solve the problem for the outside handle, I tried sliding a small nut over the rod where it rests on the little curve in there that the handle uses to push down on the rod..well the nut (and everything else i've tried) manages to work it's self around the bend in the metal and I'm back to square one. Anyone successfullly fixed this?

Not only that, but the inside handle is the same way. I feel like I'm going to break the handle before I can get it open. Sometimes it seems easier than others, but usually, I have to apply pressure at certain places or it won't open. Has anyone else experienced this and came up w/ a solution?

There's not much room in there, so I don't know how to fix these problems.

Anyone?

 

[HISSIN50]

James, I have had several cars like this, including the 88. i simply bent the long rod a little (or straightened it - I cant remember which it was on the stang. when you look at it, it will be intuitive) and that makes it open like a champ.

this was only for the inner door handle though - not sure on the outer. good luck.

 

[Insane3D]

The only other thing that would affect that, assuming your hinges are ok, is a faulty latch mechanism. New ones are pricey though...

 

[TheUser]

James, I have had several cars like this, including the 88. i simply bent the long rod a little (or straightened it - I cant remember which it was on the stang. when you look at it, it will be intuitive) and that makes it open like a champ.

this was only for the inner door handle though - not sure on the outer. good luck.

I swear I thought about that when I looked in there and saw the rod all bent, but it looked like it was bent to kinda go along w/ the shape of the door inside there. I'll see what I can do

 

[HISSIN50]

exactly - the rods/linkage are almost always bent (contoured) for the inside of the door (on about every car). it is amazing what a tiny bend (not even perceptable) will do to take a tiny bit of slack out - enough that instead of being on the verge of breaking the handle to opening at ~3/4 or handle pull.

 

[allballsmustang]

Mine did the same thing and it ended up to be that the door lock actuators were bad. i replaced them and they worked awesome. 5.0 Resto sells them at a good price.. I think it was like 75 for both.

Jim