How do you replace the door handle on the drivers side of a Ford Ranger?

Answer 1

I am in the process of getting ready to do this as well. If my memory serves me correctly ( I was just inside to replace the door glass) you have to drill out the rivets that attach the handle to the door. If you look under the handle you will see two round flat rivet heads. You will need to remove the door skin. Roll the window all the way down. Pull the plastic trim up off the window regulator arm/handle and unscrew it, there is a screw inside the arm rest in the place where your fingers go, and another screw behind the inside door handle that holds the plastic molding in place. After those are unscrewed it is just a matter of popping off the skin with a suitable pry bar or trim plug pry bar tool (the door skin is attached by plastic barbed plugs that go around the outside of the door) Pry from the bottom 1st, then the sides. Lift skin away from door from bottom and then pull up to remove skin from door...this will release it from the top where the skin attaches inside the door next to the glass. Temporarily attach the window handle and roll up the window. Cut the doors inside plastic liner to gain access to the inside (Duct Tape this all back up air tight when re-assembly). Keep that window handle close...you may have to adjust the window height to move the glass/arm out of your way. Once the outside handle is drilled out (use a big drill bit and go just deep enough to break the head off then use a punch to drive out the rivet) you just have to unhook the metal arm that goes to the latch. Bolt on a new handle and re-assembly is reverse of disassembly. Take advantage of having the inside of the door open to lube up the window regulator or even spray a good dose of Rust Check etc inside to protect it from rust. Rangers are pretty bad for having the bottoms of the doors rust out. I went so far as to brush it on with a paint brush as it is hard to spray in all areas from the outside access hole :)