Dreaded door strap!
02-13-2003, 04:54 PM
#31
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Friends;
The strap is attached in two areas, please look at the pictures. The spot welds will crack, and if not fixed will rip away. Here is a word of caution, if you attack the fix from the front, by welding the face, you WILL still get a noise because the crack still exists. If the car flexes over a bump you can get your dreaded noise.
The pictures taken are from an angle with the door and fender removed.
The strap is attached in two areas, please look at the pictures. The spot welds will crack, and if not fixed will rip away. Here is a word of caution, if you attack the fix from the front, by welding the face, you WILL still get a noise because the crack still exists. If the car flexes over a bump you can get your dreaded noise.
The pictures taken are from an angle with the door and fender removed.
02-13-2003, 11:14 PM
#32
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Maybe these pics will help myself--as well as others--understand this issue better.
First, a labeled pic of the general layout:
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DoorStayDetailed.jpg" alt=" - " />
In this pic:
-The joint between the door mounted strap and the body mounted strap is pinned.
-The lower side of the body strap is welded to the body sheet metal, and this weld is visible. Both of my doors have this weld, they are painted black (body color), and I've owned the car since 1 year old, so I have to assume these are factory welds.
Next, a pic of the door strap mount:
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DoorStayDoor.JPG" alt=" - " />
Now, a pic of the body strap weld, viewed from the bottom side of the strap (looking up):
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DoorStayWeld.jpg" alt=" - " />
It's hard to tell in the photo, but my weld is fully intact. No signs of tearing from the body. Same for the passenger side. No door clicking, either. So, I guess I'm lucky, especially considering that my car has 120k miles.
Studying the body strap weld closer, it appears to me that you shouldn't have problems in the non-visible area behind the fender, if the visible weld isn't torn. That is, the visible weld keeps the strap rigid, so no stress is applied at the base. Once the visible weld is torn, the non-visible base is free to pivot and rip away at the sheet metal.
First, a labeled pic of the general layout:
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DoorStayDetailed.jpg" alt=" - " />
In this pic:
-The joint between the door mounted strap and the body mounted strap is pinned.
-The lower side of the body strap is welded to the body sheet metal, and this weld is visible. Both of my doors have this weld, they are painted black (body color), and I've owned the car since 1 year old, so I have to assume these are factory welds.
Next, a pic of the door strap mount:
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DoorStayDoor.JPG" alt=" - " />
Now, a pic of the body strap weld, viewed from the bottom side of the strap (looking up):
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DoorStayWeld.jpg" alt=" - " />
It's hard to tell in the photo, but my weld is fully intact. No signs of tearing from the body. Same for the passenger side. No door clicking, either. So, I guess I'm lucky, especially considering that my car has 120k miles.
Studying the body strap weld closer, it appears to me that you shouldn't have problems in the non-visible area behind the fender, if the visible weld isn't torn. That is, the visible weld keeps the strap rigid, so no stress is applied at the base. Once the visible weld is torn, the non-visible base is free to pivot and rip away at the sheet metal.
02-13-2003, 11:46 PM
#33
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Thanks for the pictures.
Not sure about your 964, but on the 993 for sure the tab was not welded to the pillar sheet metal from the factory. The pillar is quite weak, and the meager spot welds that hold the door strap pillar pivot break as well as the metal itself flexes.
It looks like on your 964 someone did some welding. But I am not familiar with the 964. I know on my 993, and on my 83SC, both were not welded on the outside.
Cheers,
Mike
Not sure about your 964, but on the 993 for sure the tab was not welded to the pillar sheet metal from the factory. The pillar is quite weak, and the meager spot welds that hold the door strap pillar pivot break as well as the metal itself flexes.
It looks like on your 964 someone did some welding. But I am not familiar with the 964. I know on my 993, and on my 83SC, both were not welded on the outside.
Cheers,
Mike
02-14-2003, 01:10 AM
#34
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Hey Mike,
First of all, suppose I should clarify that the weld I show in the top (or first) pic above is the same one I'm showing in the bottom (or third) pic. In the top pic, it looks like I'm showing the weld on the pin/joint, as I wasn't able to really show that the weld is on the bottom side of the strap, attached to the body.
>I know on my 993, and on my 83SC, both were not welded on the outside.
Hmmm, interesting. So, your cars don't have the external weld I show in my third pic? I'm 99.9 certain those welds are factory. This is considering that I've owned the car since 1992 (1 year old), and I know I've never requested a repair. This means the welds (both sides) would have to of occurred during its first year of life. Or, some benevolent shop welded both sides for free, painted them body color, and didn't even seek credit for their generosity.
First of all, suppose I should clarify that the weld I show in the top (or first) pic above is the same one I'm showing in the bottom (or third) pic. In the top pic, it looks like I'm showing the weld on the pin/joint, as I wasn't able to really show that the weld is on the bottom side of the strap, attached to the body.
>I know on my 993, and on my 83SC, both were not welded on the outside.
Hmmm, interesting. So, your cars don't have the external weld I show in my third pic? I'm 99.9 certain those welds are factory. This is considering that I've owned the car since 1992 (1 year old), and I know I've never requested a repair. This means the welds (both sides) would have to of occurred during its first year of life. Or, some benevolent shop welded both sides for free, painted them body color, and didn't even seek credit for their generosity.
02-15-2003, 01:52 PM
#35
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Well, based on the survey I'm conducting on the 964 board, it appears that this a factory weld on the 964:
<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=003662#000003" target="_blank">964 Door Stay Strap Weld Survey</a>
Only 2 replies at this point. But, with my car, this makes three. All factory looking welds, no splatter, painted body color.
<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=003662#000003" target="_blank">964 Door Stay Strap Weld Survey</a>
Only 2 replies at this point. But, with my car, this makes three. All factory looking welds, no splatter, painted body color.
02-16-2003, 01:06 PM
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Here's one for all you guys with all this door strap knowledge: 6K miles on my garage queen with no damage to A-pillar evident. Both doors operate fine but have a very distinct "squeak" as the door is slowly opened to its full travel. This sound is not metallic or have any "grinding" effect to it. A pure high-pitched squeak. Any advice on what this is and how it can be remedied? It is embarrassing to take someone for their much-anticipated first ride in the vaunted 993 and have their door make such a cheap-sounding noise as they get in the car...Thanks Gents.
