Gjbacci

I searched the forums for any resources on the above topic. Tony recommended Chicago Performance Tuning. I called and they don't do it.

Has anyone actually had their door strap repaired in the Chicago area. If yes were you pleased with the results and who did the work.

I need to schedule this soon and while I see recommendations for body shops (like O'hare) I don't know if those shops have actually done this work. I would rather not let them learn on my car.

Thanks in Advance.

earossi

I live in Naperville, and had a strap repaired at a small specialty shop that does welding.

But, to answer your question, I have to ask "what type of repair" are you in search off. There is a proper way that completely hides the repair from sight, but is fairly costly. And there is another way, that is rather inexpensive, but is visible from the door jamb.

To give you an idea of the spread in costs, I believe that the "proper" repair will set you back close to $1000. Whereas, the inexpensive repair will be more in line with about $100.

The issue is that the flimsy tack welds that hold the door stay in place on the jamb can only be accessed from behind the door jamb. This usually involves removing the front fender to gain access to that area, and then cutting a hole in the pillar to access the back side of the door stay. Once you are in that area, you can beef up the area with steel and weld out the stay. This replaces the flimsy tack welds with a proper weld out of the area. You then have to weld in patches to close out the window and then finish the area to prevent corrosion. Ive never seen this repair done; but, have read about it. This is not a DIY project and should be done by a professional.

The less expensive repair involves welding up the cracked stay from the front side. My repair involved two parallel welds, each about an inch long, on the top and bottom of the cracked stay. This type of repair is visible, so your welding needs to be cosmetically ground when done. And, this weld is not as strong as the first technique described; however, this repair is quite a bit stronger than the original tack welds. Since my original tack welds had lasted 15 years, Im assuming that my inexpensive repair should last as long.

In both cases, welding heat will damage the paint around the door stay; so, either technique requires paint prep and touch up of the door jamb. I was able to do a DIY for the prep and repaint of the area myself.

The bottom line is that if you intend to show your car, you may want to opt for the proper repair. However, if your car is a driver and you just want functionality, you may opt for the repair I chose.

You're welcome to take a look at mine if you are trying to decide. Just PM me with your contact info, and Ill get back to you.

justin-in-athens

It also depends on which part of the door stay has failed. I have seen failures occur on the door themselves that are slightly easier to address. Pelican carries a renforcement kit for this exact scenario.

ble2011

This is what the less expensive repair looks like. It's held up very well for me. If interested, I had it done at Zero to Sixty garage in Sherwood WI.

osugasman

I just went through this cycle. First off, Pelican no longer provides the "reinforcement kits". Secondly, it's a gamble to let anyone near your car with a blow torch. Thirdly, I purchased the complete kit (Part # 911 531 957 00) and performed Chris Walrod's adjustment to the door arrestor before installing--you can find it via Google. FYI, you only need to remove the front door speaker to access the arrestor as you unbolt it--not the entire panel. Throw out the old one. Modify the new one, install and open/close SLOWLY. No more noise or impact on the front A pillar. Check with Bob at Sunset Porsche for good price on all OEM parts. I think it cost around $35 total.

Try this first. If you're not satisfied, spend $1,000 and cross your fingers.

--Brian

Silver993

I had mine done at "Body Shop of Barrington." They did the inexpensive fix, described by erossi above, and it looks like the photo posted by ble2011. Had it done 6 years ago and it is still nice and solid. They welded and painted to match. The cost was $425. Their number is 847.381.6004.

bobbyp

$425 for some patch work vs $1000 for a stronger than factory fix

I went for the $1000 fix (NYC). Completely invisible.

abiazis

$1500 in Atlanta... for a lifetime fix...........

jbravenec

Has anyone ever tried preventing the weld from breaking loose before it happens? Would a few blind rivets strengthen the area?

pp000830

The prevension involves disasembling the strap and trimming the rubber friction pads reducing the forces dramatically on the pivot point.