Marc Shaw

Hello all,

I've been searching on every term I can think of to find a thread I saw here before but have come up empty. I think that it was Jeff Curtis that started the thread but I am still having no luck after looking at all the threads he started.

I am trying to find a thread about how to take the door apart to be able to change the check straps in the doors. I was sure that I saw one with pictures and screws to remove circled etc. I have my check straps and reinforcement kits so I'm all set....if I could just find how to take the door apart.....

Many thanks...Marc

joey bagadonuts

It's pretty straightforward. The tricky parts are the lock **** and door latch. The **** has a flat cap which conceals a bolt. You need to pry the cap off to acces the bolt. The door latch works with a small metal rod which bends at a right angle and "hooks" into the back side of the latch. Disengage by pushing the rod upwards. Then it's a matter of taking off the door sill. Start with the screws in the forward door jam, then pop off the plug which covers the screw on the sill, unscrew and voila, it's off. Then it's simply a matter of removing screws around the perimeter.

Be careful with the rod connecting the door latch. It's small and can fall out of place--it's amazing people don't have more problems with these things. Also, the speakers are attached to the door (obviously) so just be sure to disconnect them when removing the panel. I miss anything, anyone?

garrett376

Hey Marc,
Pictures are worth many words, so here's a bunch of pics from a thread I did a while ago. I hope they help!

DarrylH

I'd suggest an upholstery panel popper (angled, forked tool, about $10 from an auto supply joint) for the little plastic male/female panel holders (two at the front, one at the rear, IIRC) - others report success with a regular flat blade screwdriver, but the specialty tool is cheap, and you don't risk breaking the fasteners. FWIW.

Marc Shaw

Hey Garrett - thanks. That was the thread I was thinking of (gave credit to Jeff Curtis accidentally, sorry!). The thread was called "tomorrow's project - door handle stopped working; got locked inside!!" and I found it by going back through all your previous threads (wow, 119 started by you, I'm impressed ).

Thanks again - blizzard outside now so hopefully will get to pull the door apart soon.

Marc

ps. Darryl - thanks for the tip but I'm too impatient to go find one...

greenjt

Marc,

I was just inspired this evening by your thread to remove a door panel and adjust the left window travel. Since it was fresh in my mind i thought i would add some minor details so you can avoid some of my time traps.

Your's may be different but here are a couple additional thoughts to help things go smoothly:

1. I first tried prying off the whole door lock ****. It didn't seem to want to budge so i came back to the thread and looked carefully at the picture and noticed that the center piece/cover of the **** comes off - not the whole *** - to access the screw. I popped it off with a dull utility knife.

2. The round trim behind the lock **** unscrews. I couldn't get it to budge at first but after several tries it came loose with little effort.

2. The grille on my small speaker unscrewed while the grille on the large speaker snapped off.

3. I simply yanked the 3 fasteners out of their holes - no damage and went back in just fine.

All in it's a pretty easy process and now that i have done it once, i think i could get a panel off and back on in very little time.

Marc Shaw

Hi,

I started playing with it last night (wife thought I was just taking the garbage out and got lost....) and started just to take the large speaker off. Unsnapped trim ring and took out 3 of 4 screws - last one at front/bottom I'll need a right-angled screw-driver for but I'm wondering if removing this speaker will give me access to the check-strap? Do I need to remove the whole door panel?

Marc

DaveK

Removing the speaker won't help. The speaker sits in a plastic moulding (sure there is an audio term for it) which will stop you getting to anything else.

You will need to take the door pocket off to get the door panel off - and that will mean you don't need the right angled screwdriver.

To be honest - I took my door panels off when I changed by speakers and it really is very very easy. Taking them off is about a 10-15 minute job as long as you have been told where all the fittings are.

Marc Shaw

Dave - thanks...just looking for the easy way around the door but it sounds like the door it not hard to take apart so I'll have at it tonight and report back once I've broken something

Marc

DaveK

Something just occured to me. If you are taking the door panel off, you don't need to take the speaker out - just unplug it when you take the card off.

Marc Shaw

Yeah, I figured that I'd just screw it back in and re-snap on the cover before I take the door panel off as I'm told I can just unplug it from the rear and leave it attached to the door panel.

Thanks...Marc

Marc Shaw

Hello all,

Got the door panel off and the check strap replaced - now the passenger door does not swing wide open to 90 degrees when any passengers fling it open. I also inserted a Weltmeister check-strap door reinforcement kit - very sturdy. Only a couple of minor problems but I'm gonna post a few pictures once I get them off my digital camera.

Tonight.......the driver's door 'cause it has that annoying "click" upon opening that can eventually tear the a-pillar.

Thanks for the help.

Marc