Gen2 vs Gen2.5 exterior door handles

[Swank Force One]

On my Gen2.5, my driver's rear door outside handle doesn't work at all, the inside handle doesn't work well (linkage is... bent? Somehow?), and the passenger rear inside doesn't work.

All outside handles are pretty sun-baked, so i bought 4 new assemblies when i purchased the rear door handle that was also broken. Purchased "normal" Gen2 handles after someone on here told me they were the same, since there was a set for cheap on Ebay.

They're not the same. They look the same exterior-wise, but the linkage hooks up completely different.

Anyone else run into this? Is there an easy-ish way to "adapt" them? Or do i just chalk this up to a learning experience and try to track down some Gen2.5 specific ones that don't cost $TEXAS?

 

[jeep-N-montero]

They are not the same, I recall reading a thread a year or two back about them when I was reading up on it, kind of learned the hard way AFTER pulling the handle assembly off a 95. Did you already try pulling the door card off and adjusting/fixing the linkage?

 

[Swank Force One]

They are not the same, I recall reading a thread a year or two back about them when I was reading up on it, kind of learned the hard way AFTER pulling the handle assembly off a 95. Did you already try pulling the door card off and adjusting/fixing the linkage?

Linkage is pretty messed up on that door, bent up and out of shape because of the idiotic PO. Even if fixed, the exterior handle would not work, as it itself is broken.

I'm after a new linkage for that door as well, because in my experience trying to re-bend linkages is an exercise in futility.

There's a 95ish in the junkyard i'm going to pillage anyways this weekend. Considering putting the linkage and handle from that truck on mine and just dealing with it being frankenstein'd because at least it might work?

Otherwise i'll just probably give someone on here a great deal on 4 new exterior pre-98 handles and try to find the right ones. Rockauto has them listed but i'm not super confident that they're the right parts, and they're salty.

 

[Toasty]

The rears are definitely different. Learned that the dumb way as well.

 

[Swank Force One]

The rears are definitely different. Learned that the dumb way as well.

Wish i knew why the rear doors were so jacked up in this truck. I found almost no evidence that anyone had ever sat back there. I threw out a damn near perfect rear seat.

Passenger rear inside doesn't work at all. Driver rear inside works badly. Driver rear outside doesn't work at all.

Neither rear window worked when i got it. Thought maybe it might be switches, so i pulled some. No change.

Imagine my surprise when i pulled the rear panels off and found that there weren't any regulators or motors at all in the doors. Just windows held up with pieces of wood that had been held in place by driving wood screws through the inner door frame. Idiots.

Front doors that get used all the time? Everything great and looked original when i was swapping panels. Makes zero sense.

 

[Toasty]

Some people are stupid. I hate to find stuff like that.

 

[PA_JERO]

That's rough man, if you end up wanting to get rid of the handles I may be interested. Mine are in good shape still, but this is one of those things where if I don't buy them, I will say in a month from now, I should have bought them. Let me know dude.