A while back one of my supercab doors would no longer open. I was able to follow the instructions here and fix it. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...wont-open.html It worked.

A year or so later, the lower cable broke. Here's how I fixed it.
There is another post with some drilling and rivets. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...tch-fixed.html
I only used some zip ties and plastic screw anchors.

The main cause of problems with stuck doors is that all the cables use plastic bushings to hold the cable into the proper position. Apparently, this plastic degrades over time and disintegrates, causing the cable to no longer be anchored where it should be. This repair is just re-securing the cables to their proper position.

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Remove the door panels from the inside, 2 screws at the window. Pull the top half of the door panel off towards you. For the lower panel, there are two 7mm bolts and possible a screw. Remove them and lift the lower panel straight up to remove.

You can now use a screwdriver to unlatch the lower door catch. To open it, you need to leverage the screw driver to mimic pulling the cable. It may take you a couple of times to get it right. If the upper latch is also broken, you can unlatch it by just pulling down on the upper cable. I had to pull down on the upper cable and use the screwdriver on the lower latch at the same time to open the door.


Once the door is open, use a T27 screwdriver to remove the 3 screws at the bottom of the door holding the latch in place. Then you can remove it and work on it much easier.

All I did was cut and trim a simple plastic screw wall anchor to mimic the original size and shape of the plastic bushing. I then used zip ties to hold it in place.

When you have it secured, just remount the lower latch and you are good to go. If you top latch is also bad, you can use the zip ties to anchor the cable in the proper position.

Here are some pics.

The original disintegrated bushing. Use a razor knife to remove it.


The plastic screw anchor used to replace bushing. Cut it to size.


Anchor the plastic screw anchor to the cable with zip ties.


Insert the ball end of the cable to the lower latch and then secure the cable with 1 more anchor.


Used a couple of zip ties to secure the upper cable into its proper place.


Here is a fuzzy picture of the lower latch remounted in the door, with the zip tied cable in place.

 

Good info and pics. Thanks

 

Did you get your door to work long term? Sounds like the fix on this page combined with the info in the video below should fix my problem. I had the same problem with my upper latch. Turned out to be a broken cable sheath. I wouldn't think the zip tie would work long term, but it is worth a try. This guy made a video about a different way to fix it. I haven't tried it yet. Just looking around for ideas before I start. But I know I don't want to pay $160 for a new latch and then have the other 3 break also! Be sure to click a few ads if you like the guys video. It was a three part video. Takes a little effort to rig yourself. I think the bottom cable is pretty similar. ford super duty rear door wont open part 1 of 3 - YouTube

 

Yes, my little fix with zip ties and using plastic screw plugs as a bushing is still working fine.

 

I got lucky and found a local company Mako Hose and Rubber Co. They are in South Florida, but they made a custom assembly with brass mounts to prevent them from breaking, which happened to mine. $25 and took them 15 minutes. I found them on the web at www.makohose.com

 

I went to Mako hose and got both lower cables for $50. the dealer wanted $205 each.Thanks

 

I recently inherited my grandfathers truck, which has both back doors locked up. I have only opened one up door and it seems to just the be the upper latch. I have taken it all a part and pulled down on the upper cable, but its still not releasing. Any advice on what is keeping it from releasing?

 

It can take a couple of attempts. Try pulling on the cable from different angles, at the same time pushing the door open.

I had to pull on the top cable and use the screwdriver on the bottom latch. It took quite a few times before I got it, but once I did and understood which way the latches and cables moved it was easier to do it again.

Did you review those 2 links I included in the 1st post? They have great pictures and more examples. There is a link to a video in one of them.

 

I ended up opening up the opposite stuck door, and fixed that one hoping that it would help me learn about the one that won't open. I had to open and repair both top and bottom latches, but the door that is still stuck only has the broken top latch. I'll give it, and my brain, a few days to rest and see what happens.

 

Good idea, sometimes it just helps to take a break.

If you can't get it open next time, we could meet up and take a look. I'm in Stone Oak.

 

Saw this thread searching out how to fix my own rear door latches. One has been non-working for about a year (would have looked into fixing it sooner, but with my work going as well as it is and the "honey do, before honey don't list" I have put it off until the other quit working 2 days ago) and now the other side is not working either. I really like the ideas and pics that BigTexan99 has, but I thought of another, maybe stronger, fix that his wall anchors gave me. I'm gonna try metal rivets with the center "pin" taken out and crimp it onto the cable. May not work as planned right now, but I really appreciate the ideas and help these forums give us guys that try to fix our own problems when we think the oem "fixes" cost too darn much.

 

Mine did the usual cable break where the upper latch cable broke off the retaining end where it's held into the door handle mechanism. Rather than drop $100 for a new cable I simply bolted an L bracket to the inside of the door in such a way that I could zip tie the broken actuator cable to it and thus prevent it from jumping free of the latch mechanism even though the end is still broken


I had to physically unbolt the upper door striker from the door frame to get mine open

 

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instead of using the cable tie and plastic anchor thing, I used something called Woodepox. It's what one would use to fill holes on your wood parts. It's very strong (stronger than wood and plastic), easy to form into any shape you want to. If your door cable assys start giving your trouble, you might want to order some of this stuff, you will never regret it since there are houndreds of other uses for it around the house and the truck.

Look at the picture attched. I'm confident that it will outlast any new OEM parts! Hope that this will help someone. Eriwn

 

I wish I had that latch to do over again so I could have taken pictures of the entire process. My door latch works great to this day, it was just my luck that the cables didn't break.

If someone needs one of those lower door latches worked on and want to send it to me I'll take some better pictures and update the thread on that lower latch.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...tch-fixed.html