One Man Door Fitting Device.

[288gto]

This was a job I'd been putting off for ages for fear of damaging the paintwork. The daft thing is that I'd taken the doors on and off heaven knows how many times while they were in primer or having new skins fitted without a problem

I ruled out getting my son to help on the grounds that if it took more than a minute he would have lost interest. Or, looking up and seeing him holding the door with one hand and texting someone on his phone with the other while insisting we had some pounding beats on and repeating "are we finished yet?" would have tipped me over the edge I love him dearly btw.

Anyway in the end I made a simple height adjustable jig that might be of interest to others struggling on their own. It allowed me to support and fit the doors on my own and at my own pace.

The pics speak for themselves. 18mm ply lined with high density foam. The scissor lift is a cheap (£35) E bay motorbike one.



Also a few tips that worked for me.

Before removing the hinge from the door, if you are happy with the alignment, drill two small holes in the hinge to door mounting and insert two rivet shafts. This will allow you to put the hinge back in the same position. The factory did this with two large self tappers but if the door is new ,has had work or a new skin these probably won't line up again.

Mask up the edges of the door ,A post and sill but don't put so much on you can't see what you are doing.

Place a strip of 3mm high density foam between the front edge of the door and the A post with the door in its fully open position.

Set the hinge to A post at it's furthest out position and very gradually adjust it inwards ALWAYS watching the clearance on the leading edge of the door.

Remember to fit the A post seal before the door is fitted. Be conscious that the area of the seal at the bottom of the screen pillar may need trimming or thinning out so don't glue that area until you are happy with the fit. Too much rubber in this area forces the door outwards and backwards and means that the door will need slamming to close it.

If you are doing a full restoration, it is imperative that the doors are set up with a set of rubbers in position prior to paint to minimise final assembly problems. You may wreck a set of "mock up" rubbers but it's worth it.















Simon

[Gfhug]

Will bookmark this for future reference, thanks Simon. Did you add weight to the doors to represent the glass and winding mechanism?

Geoff

[288gto]

Did you add weight to the doors to represent the glass and winding mechanism?

Geoff

Haha, you know me too well Geoff. Funnily enough that's where my son did come in useful or more accurately his weight lifting weights. They fit just nicely, wrapped in foam, through the large hole at the bottom of the door
By my rough calculations you need to add about 5 kg to represent glass, locks, mechanisms chrome and trim etc.
Surprisingly it didn't make that much difference but enough to notice. I would say less than 1mm on the rear lower edge of the door. I will keep checking at each stage until the trim goes on.

It is really important to me that the doors operate and close properly. It's one of those things that would drive me mad.
There is a video on here somewhere , perhaps the factory fit section of a door closing as it should.

Simon

[MarekH]

Geoff, that would be a bit silly as it simply means the doors are heavier and thus harder to handle.

This is slightly over thought, but it is always nice to see some pictures.

It is far easier to attach the hinge to the car and then hang the door. This way,you simply use an old cork floor tile gaffer taped onto the lip of the sill and lift the door into place, resting on the cork and then do up the hinge bolts with your other hand. Aside from the fact that the A post seal needs to go in first, that is all the special instructions really needed. Mine is also a long wheelbase car.


The limit of the "door gap" fit possible will be apparent as the door opens. It opens over a curved surface and at the widest part of the car at the A post is where it will contact the bulkhead bodywork, so gaffer tape a sheet of paper into the gap and adjust at the hinge so you can ride over the paper without hitting the bulkhead as you open the door. You can't get a smaller gap than that. All other gaps need adjusting relative to that prior to painting.

For all of the other seals, door card, trim and striker plate, i.e. how to have a door which doesn't slam see my post of earlier today on jag-lovers.com

Simply consider that each seal is a spring and the force it can push back with has to be exceeded by the weight of the door at any point along the length of that spring. This is a crunchingly huge force at the A post which is guaranteed to crush the A post seal and close the door but is a featherlight force at the B post where an unadjusted seal easily pushes back to make the door bounce open. If you only fit one seal at a time, starting from the A post and working towards the B post, you will see and eliminate the next biggest force each time until eventually only the lightest touch from the door card or trim piece is what stops the door from closing effortlessly.

kind regards
Marek

[288gto]

Thanks Marek,

Just to be clear, I took the doors on and off so many times in primer that I could practically do it blind folded. However having spent a small fortune on the respray and being painfully aware that a small chip on the A post or edge of the door would require the whole side of the car re painting, I lost my nerve.

I wanted a system whereby I could stop and walk away at any point. I am not suggesting it is a definitive guide to fitting doors, merely what worked for me on my own and of a nervous disposition. I also didn’t want to be leaning over a freshly painted door messing with hard to get at hinge bolts. They might be easier on a S3 but getting at them on a SWB is a bit of a pain as 3 are hidden partially by the door carcass. As regards putting the weights in the doors, I did that after they were hung just out of interest. To put them in before, would as you suggest, be silly.

If like Marek you have nerves of steel, then ignore my method and just go for it

Simon