Door shims
 

Driver side door is dragging on bottom of door sill. Suspect I need to install door shims on bottom hinge. Not sure of thickness required. I am looking for a source for these shims. Can anyone help?

Jerry Feather was fabricating some earlier this year. Not sure if he's still making them, though.

I have a supply of them made which will last us for a while. Then I can probably make some more. Send me your address and I'll mail you a "set.' But first you need to check the gaps on both doors to be sure they are the same all the way around so that I can include enough to correct it all. I think the thicknesses in a set are .020, .032, and .040 inches. I might also have some .050 from before, but they are not usually needed since the others, maybe in combination, can usually lift a door.

I have gone thru this before, and I don't recall the measurements right off, but I think that the distance from the hinges to the rear of the door is about 3 times the hinge spacing. That means that a shim under the top hinge will lift the door three times its thickness. Do a search and find the thread or maybe two of them about this.

PM me the name and address. The shims are free, and I'll pay the postage. Pay it forward.

Just to be clear, the way the hinges are mounted to the car it is the top hinge that needs to be shimmed forward in order to lift the rear of the door.

I started making these hinge shims when it was kind of determined that there was no other source for them, even from Porsche. The first ones I made were intended to move someone's door forward which was likely because of it having been replaced with a door from a different 928. Then there has been only about one other 928 needing a door moved forward. (The shims will not move a door aft.)

Nearly all of the rest of the shims I have made are used now to lift one or the other door that is dragging on the door sill. They are free to all 928 enthusiasts in need, for either purpose. Please don't request some to "have just in case."

I have the three shims mentioned above going in the mail about noon today to S. R.

I did the measurements again and find that the hinge spacing is 12.5 inches and the distance from the hinge axis to the bottom rear corner of the door is about 42 inches. That means that shimming the top hinge forward a given amount will lift the rear corner of the door, where it is dragging, about 3.34 times the thickness of the shim.

I also find that the door gaps are about 0.22 inches and maybe as much as 0.25 along the bottom. If the door is just dragging, and not being lifted by the door sill before it drags across it, it will take about .070 of shims to lift it to the correct gap. That will be a combination of the .040 and the .032 shims if the bottom gap should be .025. If the bottom gap is less, then it might take only the .040 and the .020 shims to get it right.

If the door is being lifted any by the door sill before it starts to drag, then it is likely to take all three shims in the set. If that isn't enough, I'll send some more.

Many or most of you may find that if you take your dial or digital caliper out and measure the gaps along the bottom of your 928 doors that they are sagging. I measured the passenger doors on two of my S4s and find that the gap in the front of one is 0.22 inches and the other is 0.25. The rear gap along the bottom of both of them, however, is about 0.15. They could both benefit from the 0.020 shim or the 0.032 shim under their top hinges.

Sent PM, Thanks Jerry for keeping the 928 alive.
Tony

Thanks, Tony. I'm happy to oblige.

It will be helpful in any request for shims if you include some details about just what you are trying to accomplish with your door(s). Then I can be sure to include enough of what might be the correct shims to meet your needs.

In particular, what I have been describing as a "set" of shims is one of each of the three thicknesses mentioned above. That set is really intended to lift a door at the rear. If, however, you are needing to move a door a set will not be sufficient since to move the door forward, you will need two shims or combinations of shims the same thickness in order to do so, and a single set cannot be divided or combined into two equal thicknesses.

PM sent

FWIW before you try to remove the door hinge bolts yes you should heat them first,

I would suggest put a couple of screws into the bottom edge of the door panel,
the chances are good that the door panel is catching on the door sill and creating the binding

The hinge area where the bolts are is painted body color, so how much heat do you propose applying, with what, and how in order not to bubble or burn the paint off?

The inside door panel (door card) will sometimes deteriorate along the bottom and/or the bottom hidden panel clips may have failed to the point that the panel comes loose. It is, however, mounted about a quarter inch above the bottom of the door itself and even if loose it is not likely to be causing the door to drag on the door sill. It might be catching on the plastic door sill trim, however. In any case the door alignment is most likely to be the issue, requiring the shims that are the subject of this thread.

In addition, I think that putting screws along the bottom of the door panel is one of the tackiest things one can do to their 928, or, for that matter, to any car with hidden door panel clips. YMMV. Rather, I think that you need to remove the door panel and do whatever restoration might be required, which may only be replacement of the broken or failed panel clips.

I have sent shims to the recent two guys requesting them, one batch to Australia. Those were of course the version for the RHD 928s. Just kidding.

NOTE I f your not sure if the door car is catching then remove it.

NOTE Before adding hinge shims you may find the door operates smoothly without the door card.


Jerry, how do you propose to heat these the door attach bolts?

With the door card removed you will also find that the door clips may be broken so these should be replaced.

NOTE when the door card is installed there should be 2 or 3 screws used to secure it to the door,
one hides behind the rear edge of the armrest and 2 are used along the bottom edge of the door.

If the vapor barrier is missing then this will cause further deterioration of the door panel.

It was your suggestion, Stan, not mine. That was my question to you.

before doing any heating I suggest to remove the door card
I would use a quality heat gun.
If using the conductive heater this will damage the paint on the bolt though
but it will leave the smallest heat signature compared to the flame of a torch.

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