Help - Door stop snapped!

traveler · 10-14-2003, 04:20 PM

Driving back from Chicago today I stopped at a rest stop and as I opened the driver's door the wind caught it and pushed it wide open. This rapid motion was accompanied with a sickening "SNAP!" sound. Looking down I saw that the door stop had broken. It appears to be reinforced, too, because there are actually two strips of metal that broke, not just one.

I did a search of the Pelican site and can't find any '87 911 Door stops. So my first question is, where do I get the replacement stop? My second question is, how do you replace this sucker?

Superman · 10-14-2003, 05:04 PM

This is a bad thing. The door has two sheet metal bulkheads, perhaps a half-inch or so apart. The "door stop" is a mechanism that bolts there. It bolts to the inner of the two bulkheads. Sounds like you may have ripped both.

In order to reinstall another door stop, you will need to have that inner bulkhead repaired so that it will at least ACCEPT a new door stop. Unfortunately, as you can see, that inner bulkhead is very difficult to get at, particularly with welding equipment. Some folks believe that the easiest way to fix this is to find a used door, have it painted and transfer all your existing door hardware to it. Tyson repaired mine, at least enough to install a new door stop WITH the special door stay reinforcing kit, available from Pelican.

Sorry.

cyprusx · 10-14-2003, 05:39 PM

Folks... If you don't have the reinforcement kits installed yet, do it this winter... Cheap insurance for something that I hear occurs often.

Beethoven · 10-14-2003, 06:01 PM

Ouch! That sounds painful. I imagine it happens often becasue there's no intermediary stop, as on modern doors. What's the reinforcement kit and how difficult is it to install?

Beethoven

cyprusx · 10-14-2003, 06:24 PM

Here is a link to our hosts offering of the reinforcement kit.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/autocat/load_page.cgi?page_number=4&bookmark=24&model=911E&currsection=miscel

Here is the description; "Is your door swinging open widely? Did you accidentally bang that Mercedes parked next to you while the driver was sitting in his car? You probably need a new door stay. These often wear out after many years of service. Replacement is easy, and while you're at it, install the door stop reinforcement kit. This plate reinforces the metal on the door to prevent fatigue and tearing of the door panel--a worthwhile upgrade if you're planning on keeping your car for many years.Made from heavy gauge steel and Cad-Plated for corrosion resistance, installs with simple hand-tools. No cutting or welding required."

Installation for me was very easy. Just take the speaker out of the door and you have full access. Use the string method from 101 projects so you don't drop it in the door and you should have them done in less than an hour if you take your time...

ubiquity0 · 10-14-2003, 06:41 PM

Traveler,
sounds like its just the door stay strap itself that snapped? This happened to me some months ago. The sheet metal of the door itself happened to be undamaged- the strap snapped easily. I didn't install the reinforcement kit & still sleep soundly at night. Its probably not a bad idea though.

LFogelson · LFogelson's Garage

My door stop snapped a year ago on my 81SC. I was able to bend the broken pieces together, place the reinforcement kit over and compress it all together. It has held up fine so far...and I have two small not so gentle children. To compresses the broken pieces together I used longer screws than are supplied with the kit, tightened, then exchanged to the screws with the kit. Good luck.

traveler · 10-14-2003, 06:57 PM

OK, here are a couple of pictures of the broken piece. Are you telling me that I have to have the entire door replaced to fix this?!

Please say it isn't so!

cowtown · 06:28 AM

Looks like you got lucky to me...you can unbolt the door-side hardware (two bolts) and install a new stop. You will have to take off the inner door liner to get the stop out.

ubiquity0 · 10-14-2003, 07:22 PM

Thats just what mine did. You just need to take off the interior door panel & repace the stay itself (w/ reinforcement kit maybe). Its pretty strightforward, although I had a couple of sheet metal screws & washers left over when i was done?!? Guess i missed one or two door panel fixings.

Doug Zielke · 10-14-2003, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cyprusx

Installation for me was very easy. Just take the speaker out of the door and you have full access.

cyprusx.....Are you saying you do *not* have to remove the entire door panel for good access, just the speaker?

jyl · jyl's Garage

Traveler, you are a lucky guy.

The part of the stay in the door is held in by the two bolts that you see. You will need access to the inside of the door, either remove the interior panel or try removing the speaker like cyprusx suggests. If you need to remove the interior panel, either follow the procedure described in the Bentley manual or ask me for a step-by-step - I just did this on a '89.

When you install the new stay, also install the door stay reinforcement kit that PP sells. See my recent thread for chilling pics of how your door will eventually look if you don't. (Search my userid and "door stay"). And check out the procedure, described in that thread, for "weakening" the detent action of the stay, to reduce the stress on the door sheet metal. The part of the stay attached to the door jamb is removed by knocking out the pin.

cyprusx, I wish I'd known about just removing the speaker. Actually, my speakers have plastic water shields that might still block access. But it would have been worth a try.

traveler · 10-15-2003, 03:48 AM

John,
Thanks for the info. I did the search you suggested. This thread was particularly useful. I've ordered a new stay and the reinforcing kit from pelican.

Traveler

cyprusx · 10-15-2003, 08:00 AM

I was able to get complete access through the speaker. I also had the water shields which are very flexible and do not get in the way. I would suggest removing a speaker and see if it works for you. It was very quick, easy and painless. Let us know your results and the method of installation. Oh, and get a reinforcement kit for each side. It will cost you $100. $100 now or new door(s) later, you choose...

scottb · 10-15-2003, 08:47 AM

Traveler: You dodged a bullet, that's for sure!