My driver side door gives out a pretty loud cracking sound when opened 75% or more. When the mech opened the door he commented that it was the door stay. The passanger side doesn't stay open at all.

I assume I need to replace the door stay on both sides...however what are the part numbers? I checked PET and couldn't find it...but perhaps I dont know the technical name for it.

Also how difficult is it to do this? any directions out there?

thanks,
Adrial

 

From my Parts & Technical Reference Catalog there is a part called the "door check rod" and has a part # of 944 537 609 00...

It's about 1/2 way down the door and is the part that slides into the frame (of the door)...It is secured into the door by two screws...the hinge is above it...

Does that sound like the part?

 

Hi Adrial

Had the same on all of my "older" VW/Audi and current P cars. (The design is identical, flat plate shaped rod that slides through an set of blade type springs).

Cause: most probably neglected at the maintenance routine, should be greased with every routine maintenance service.

-left side: corrosion/debri on the flat shaped rod, grease with graphite or lithium grease.
Alternatively too much play in the pin (at the pillar).

-right side: debris or might be a broken spring. Try an overdosis of WD-type cleaner first.

Take care

 

Adrial,

Not to sound smart, but have you tightened up the the door stay mounts on the door side? If I remember correctly it is a 6mm allen head. My S2 was making that clunking sound and after I tighted up the bolts on the door plate and gave the guides a little lube everything is quiet now. Good luck.

 

Craig, you dont sound smart at all, not in the bad way anyway.

I haven't looked into it much and assumed that the mech was right. Besides, if he was wrong Rennlist would tell me that.

Right now I'm bleeding the clutch (well about to...just ran to sears a few times and finally got the right wrench). Also doing the front sway bar bushings and recharging the AC.

I'll try your suggestion as soon as I can.

thanks everybody,
Adrial

 

$#@$#$#@#$@^#%&&#^%**^*!!!!!!!!!!

So anyway...I tackled the driver side door stay..

First with a 6mm allen wrench...well it worked pretty good on the bottom one...until it felt like the bottom bolt snapped. (How much force can you apply with 6" of leverage in an awkard position?!?!). So..on to the top bolt...6mm hex again...feels like it just strips..clean it out..hammer the thing in..same deal.

It looks like a cheese head...PET says its a cheese head...but I've read here that its a 6mm hex...

So I start asking around on Aim and MSN messanger...One person says his looks like mine..a cheese head...another person says that a Torx T-20 works on his. So I go out and I look for a T-20 at sears..I look at it and it doesn't look big enough. So I snag a T-30 as well..T-30 fits, but same as the 6mm hex...just turns. I can see notches in there...the right tool will be able to grip it.

But what is the right tool?!?! PET says its a M 6 x 12 if that helps anybody.
Also, where can I get the right tool? Sears didn't seem to have any cheese heads...

Was I using the right tool and it stripped and its time to drill it out?

I used the same T-30 tool on the passanger side to losen the bolts to make sure all was ok...losened fine...but when I tightened, same thing..it just started turning although it's not in as bad shape as the drivers side.

Help!!

thanks,
Adrial

 

OK, First off I hate Sears for the more complex/harder to find tools.

Second off...its a 6mm tripple square, aka 12 point.

I asked my mech (Rennsport in Bedford, NY) to get it from the snap-on guy for me...he said sure. They are expensive ($80/hr), but its times like this where it kinda feels worth it.

 

Lisle makes a set of triple square drivers, you should be able to source them at a good auto parts store. The quality is no where near snap on but if you're in a jam they will work. I've used the 8mm one for my axles a number of times already without a problem. I think the whole set cost me $39 (the one 8mm from snap on is about that much) and i believe it included 6, 8, 10 & 12.
Good luck

 

Peter, Thanks!
I called the biggest auto parts store near me and they had it, but for $17.99. Made by Lisle.
6mm,8,10 and 12

--adrial, just hopin I didn't strip it using the wrong tool..

 

I bought that lisle set a few years ago. In high torque applications, they bend very easily. I since have replaced the 8mm and 10mm with a snap on socket. Spend half an hour driving around near auto dealerships/repair shops and you should be able to find a snap-on/matco/cornwell tool truck that should have what you need. That's what I do.

 

How much torque are we talkin here?
50 lb/ft ?

For the door stay I think the Lisle is good enough. Thanks for the heads up though.

 

The reason they use these 12 point bolts is that they can do more torque than a 6 point bolt, but in the same size. Thus, by design all of these bolts require a high torque. The tool needs to be much harder than the bolt, have a nearly flat end, and a close tolerance. Also, since the lisle has to go into a socket, it is more difficult to keep it straight in the bolt.

 

I've had it with using the wrong tools...

Snap on it is!

$19.65, the mech will get it for me and I'll know for sure that I'll be using the best tool for the job.

Oh...and the door stay itself is $29.98 from paragon.
Part number is the one Mike B listed: 944 537 609 00

 

adrial,
I went through this same process about three months ago. Usually those bolts have been in there a long time, and unless you use the first tool the right time, they strip out very easily.
What I ended up doing, and it worked very well for me, was drilling out the bolt and taking it out with a bolt remover. (I don't know if that's the correct name, but they are four sided with sharp edges to spin out a broken bolt) I replaced the bolts that screw into the door with tapered hex bolts and the bolts into the door with regular metric bolts.
If you do decide to drill out the bolts, don't pound the bolt remover into the bolt, cuz it will push on the whole unit that the bolts screw to. Put the bolt remover in a high speed drill and push it into the hole in the bolt at full speed.
Like I said, that's what I did, take it for what it's worth. I know I explained it badly, let me know if you have any questions. You can get the bolt removers at Sears.