door doesn't open from inside

**chriskelley2003** · 09-21-2009, 01:34 PM

First of all, the truck is a 98 Cheyenne with manual windows and locks.

I've had this problem for a while ... its more of a problem for my passengers than me, which are few and far between, but it's still annoying. My passenger side door opens just fine from the outside but it doesn't like to open from the inside. I can usually get it to open but everyone else gets too ruff with it and I'm afraid they're going to break it. What usually causes a problem like this and how hard is it to fix?

**someotherguy** · 09-21-2009, 02:40 PM

Handle is cracked and ready to break off, just hasn't broken yet...or the actuator rod has stretched one of its bends out, making it just slightly too long. It's got several angles in it to go around obstacles in the door and over time the bends can pull out a little.

Richard

**chriskelley2003** · 09-21-2009, 03:08 PM

so i need to pull the door panel off and look. how hard is the handle to replace? how about the actuator rod?

**thekl0wn** · 09-21-2009, 03:10 PM

If you've ever pulled the panel off before, the total job time is maybe 15-minutes, including drilling the OEM rivets. It's about $15 at NAPA for the door handle. I'm not sure how much the rod is, but it's not hard to replace either. I believe there's a sticky on replacing the Gen-II OBS interior door handles.

**chriskelley2003** · 09-21-2009, 03:15 PM

thanks, i'll have to look into that

**someotherguy** · 09-21-2009, 05:27 PM

If the handle isn't cracked, just re-bend the rod a little bit. If the handle IS cracked, replace it, see if that solves the opening issue. If not, re-bend the rod a little bit.

I gently pop it out of its plastic slider, then find a place where it already has an angle, hook a pair of vice grips on, and twist to increase the angle slightly. This shortens the rod a little bit.

Richard

**BHB** · 09-21-2009, 05:34 PM

Just go buy a new handle while you are at it. I've bent the rods slightly to fix the problem, and days or even minutes later, the handle breaks.

**chriskelley2003** · 09-22-2009, 07:08 AM

thanks guys

**Wallymander** · 12-03-2009, 11:07 AM

Yepp replaced the handle, then it broke again two months later. These handles are junk. It WAS $12.00 on Ebay New in Box.,

**someotherguy** · 12-03-2009, 12:23 PM

It's part of a system. If the handle broke, chances are other things are worn too. Hinge pins/bushings letting the door sag, latch damaged from wearing on the striker because the door is sagging, door hard to open because latch pawl is dragging on worn metal casing of the latch, etc. etc. on and on. Yes, the handles are weak by design and buying imported copies of the original part isn't the best plan but ignoring other possible contributing factors isn't helping either.

Richard

**Wallymander** · 12-03-2009, 04:32 PM

Since i replied, and brought the topic up again, i thought i would post my findings.
I tore the door open as far as i could, pulled the inside metal panel off. I sprayed the latching mechanism from the backside with WD-40 and worked the latch a bunch. sprayed some more, worked it again.. wash, rinse, repeat.....
I stole the handle from the back drivers seat (suburban) to use on the driver door for the time-being. My 2 year old doesnt need to get out on his own anyway. It seemed to free up the movement a lot. I also put a little more bend on one of the sections of the rod to mabye go back to where it was? I also did this out in the 40 degree weather. Now in Texas that is cooooold.
Im sure up in the Grea White North, or even Minn or elsewhere 40 is childs play. BUT NOT FOR ME! so it was a bit more of a challenge. JUST sayin..

So theres my follow up and mabye solution to my continued breaking of the handle..