How many outside door handle. . .

[PetesPonies]

manufacturers has anyone run across? I'm talking repro. I'd love to have a good used set of OEM, but. . .  I wouldn't be surprised if only one manufacturer was making all the repro handles that are for sale. But looking to see if anyone knows more?

[Gary Lewis]

I have no idea.  But I'd bet that you are right - only one manufacturer makes them.

One way to try to figure that out is to look at the pics the various vendors have on their web sites.  If they all use the same pics you can be pretty sure they came from the same vendor.  

[PetesPonies]

You're right many do have the same. But for example Dorman, sell theirs for much more than everyone else .  and a different pic. So ??

[myrl883]

I'd certainly go used OEM over any import copies. The handles are the same for 18 years, and the boneyards are chock full of these trucks!

[Rembrant]

Fwiw, I have a set of the aftermarket door handles installed on my '84 (from LMC) and I'm pretty happy with them. Will they stand up as long as the originals? No idea. The chrome on my originals was starting to get pitted and peel, so I wanted a fresh new set to go with my new paint job.

The truck lives indoors now and doesn't get driven all that much (compared to a daily driver in the weather) so the handles will likely last forever at this rate.

One thing to note is that the new handles came with studs (I think) instead of bolts (for inside the door). The body shop that installed them said they reused the hardware from the original Ford handles because the studs wouldn't work as well as the bolts (or something like that).

[86 1/2 Brutus]

Do you need door handles?  i have an extra set on the parts truck

[Angelo Voltura]

Rembrant wrote

Fwiw, I have a set of the aftermarket door handles installed on my '84 (from LMC) and I'm pretty happy with them. Will they stand up as long as the originals? No idea. The chrome on my originals was starting to get pitted and peel, so I wanted a fresh new set to go with my new paint job.

The truck lives indoors now and doesn't get driven all that much (compared to a daily driver in the weather) so the handles will likely last forever at this rate.

One thing to note is that the new handles came with studs (I think) instead of bolts (for inside the door). The body shop that installed them said they reused the hardware from the original Ford handles because the studs wouldn't work as well as the bolts (or something like that).

I had a set of Dorman ones on for about 5 years and they are just starting to pit, and that was seeing salt every single year as well. I'm sure they'd hold up if I didn't put it through winters.

[PetesPonies]

How long have you had yours? I think I would be upset if they pitted in 5 years. I found a decent set of originals. Mine are marked, not peeling. I'm doing a paint on the truck and don't want to put back the worn looking originals. So looking around  .  pretty cheap were the repros . . but I thought decent originals would last longer. We shall see.