Easier Egress/ingress (door Handle Issues)

[89five.o]

Couple of questions concerning difficulty getting into and out of my Foxbody.

1. I've replaced the stock plastic door handles a couple of times on the car with metal ones, but in order to open the doors I have to press/lift on the handles just right in order for them to open the door. It helps if I press the door slightly inwards with my knee. Is it normal having such trouble getting in with aftermarket door handles that 50resto sells, or a flaw in the Ford handle design? I wish I could just pull on the things like every other car in existence and have them work.

2. Getting out of the car is also a bit difficult with the flimsy Ford plastic handles. I have to tell my passengers to pull the armrest towards them at the same time as pulling the handle. Again, is this typical due to a design flaw from Ford, or could something else be up? Do the aftermarket aluminum inner door handles help any?

Couple of notes about the car: It has power locks, and I've upfitted door lock actuators with the jrichker upfit (have issues with one of those popping up nicely every time as well, but that's another issue)

Appreciate any insight you guys can give.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I'd have to say this is not typical. My Mustang, nor any of the other Mustangs I've ever been in exhibit this sort of behavior.

This happens with both doors?

I wonder if the issue is door striker alignment. have you tried adjusting that? having to push the door in to open is not normal

 

[89five.o]

Yeah, it's difficult with both doors. Has been doing it forever, but I'm finally wanting to address all the little quirks which are starting to drive me crazy on the car. I'll take a look at the striker alignment to see if that happens to be the issue. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Mstng93SSP]

I agree that the door strikers are not adjusted properly.

 

[Boosted92LX]

Sounds to me like accumulated misalignment from different areas. Check the door hinges. Lift up on an open door and see if you have any play. Most likely need a hinge kit and striker pins. I did my son's car and it's like brand new now.

 

[89oem]

Look at the pins the door latches to, my guess is you see metal. They should have a plastic/nylon type sleeve on them that wears out and falls off causing this issue.

Any parts store has replacement sleeves in their help section for a buck, you'll need a torx head bit to unscrew the striker bolt and it also fits the seat belt bolts etc so good to have in your tool kit...

 

[stpete]

My driver door got significantly easier to open with new hinge pins/bushings. Can you move the door up/down relative to the car when it is open?

 

[ned911]

I've had this problem with my drivers door. Bent door rods which I'll be replacing this weekend.

 

[89five.o]

Thanks for the help guys. I moved the strikers up on both sides, and replaced the striker bushings. Helped quite a bit. Now the door to body alignment is off though. I've read in other forums about having to use a 2x4 in between the mid/lower part of the door while pressing on top to fix this alignment. Sound about right?

 

[Mustang5L5]

Are your door hinge pins shot? If you open the door, can you pick it up?

 

[Boosted92LX]

+1

Definitely replace the pins before you pry ANYTHING. They aren't expensive.


https://lmr.com/item/LRS-BP7-K/79-93-Mustang-Door-Hinge-Pin-And-Bushings-Set-Of-4

 

[Boosted92LX]

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OqjKg2c9VKI

 

[MFE92]

99% of the time this is a pin problem (more specifically, the bushings). If they've been replaced before, the job is pretty easy because the pins are held in with a cotter pin. If they've never been replaced before, it's a PITA to cut the old pins out.

 

[89five.o]

Nah, pins are good and door doesn't have up/down play. Replaced those when I swapped doors out on this car. Still can't get the striker positions quite right though. What's generally the correct location for these? If I close my doors softly they sit unaligned as shown above. If I close the doors harder the gap is taken up and the doors are quite tough to get out of from the inside. Also, my inside door handles have some play to them, will taking the door panels off and bending the rod in there take up that slack making egress easier?

 

[89five.o]

I lied. Pins/bushings shot again. Didn't notice the slop until I moved the door up and down in a nearly closed position. Couldn't tell when fully open. Getting those and a new roller spring plate which is also shot on the driver's side. Thanks.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Yep, adjust the strikers back after you do the pins, and lubricate the latches.

Incidentally, if you have already done pins and bushings before the holes on the latches may have become egg shaped, which causes premature wear on the new pins and bushings. If that is the case they have to be welded and redrilled or replaced.

 

[mikestang63]

Yep, adjust the strikers back after you do the pins, and lubricate the latches.

Incidentally, if you have already done pins and bushings before the holes on the latches may have become egg shaped, which causes premature wear on the new pins and bushings. If that is the case they have to be welded and redrilled or replaced.

They make an oversize pin and bushing set. to remedy that. LMR sells them.