Help with 99 Ram extended cab rear door latch cables

[Reaper1]

Well, just as the title says, I am looking for help with the door latch cables on my 99 Ram extended cab rear doors.

I have seen and read that this is a common problem and today I found out why! Whoever designed that system, specifically where the cable attaches to the outer door latch. WTF were they thinking!? The cable is being forced to make a severely sharp 90* turn where it immediately terminates at the attach point! The turn radius is no more than 2". All of that bending stress is now on the termination sheath, which is also resisting a lateral motion on a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis. This causes a grinding motion, which eventually with vibration and use breaks the termination end in half rendering the inside handle useless.

New cables are fairly inexpensive (~$30-40), but getting to it and well...it just shouldn't fail, damn it! So, does anybody have any experience with this? Suggestions? Want to add to my b*tch-fest?

I would post pics, but I need to replace the lens on my phone's camera because I shattered it. :(

[Ondonti]

So both are failed now or just the one? Not making me feel good about wanting a 1998 with rear door option. Maybe broken doors are still better than no doors.

[Reaper1]

Nah, it's only still the driver's side. But with enough use I bet the other side will fail, too.

The outside latches still work fine. Those are attached to the catches by rods.

I would get a full 4-door cab in the future.

[Vigo]

Rear passengers can reach the outside handles if they try. I probably wouldn't even fix it.

[Reaper1]

The outside handles can absolutely be reached by the rear passengers. It's just a lot less convenient.

[RoadWarrior222]

If I'm understanding it right, it's the end of the sheath messes up?

I'd be thinking some kind of extra clamp to support it, maybe get a small chunk of ally, drill through it, saw across hole, then drill/tap other way for clamping/mounting screws.

Or something like that made from brake line clips.... plus a bunch of graphite lube.

Orrrrr, completely re-engineer with solid pushrods and bellcranks.

[Reaper1]

If you think about the cable like one of our shift cables, the part of the sheath that "clips" into the holding bracket...that part over time basically just gets cut off, so there's nothing left to hold the cable from moving that direction because the end is floating.

The problem is the angle at which the cable is expected to enter into the holding bracket. In a static situation where it would never move or operate...yeah, it's fine. As soon as you start putting ANY stress on it...you are already helping it fail. It truly is a crap design.

I think I am going to end up with some sort of mechanical something to make it durable. We'll see. It's kinda low on my list right now.