How To: Rebuild A Door, Make your doors like new again! Options

[McMark]

I took some time out from my engine build to rebuild my doors in preparation for the WCC. It's a fairly quick process (1.5 - 2 hours per door) and makes a great weekend project. If your key is hard to turn or the locks and latches are hard to operate, then this will really help you out.

Tools you'll need:
1. Standard screwdriver
2. Phillips screwdriver
3. 5 mm allen wrench (preferably a socket)
4. 10 mm wrench
5. 10 mm socket
6. 6 cans of brake cleaner
7. 1 can of aerosol white lithium grease
8. Plastic bristled parts cleaning brush

Parts you'll need:
1. Exterior door handle seals
2. Lock cylinder seal
If someone can give me a screen grab from the PET of the exterior door latch I'll add it here. Thanks.

Start by taking off the door panel.
(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/DSCN2811.jpg)

Next remove the interior door handle by unscrewing the two bolts with a 10 mm socket. Unclip the rod by pulling the tab off the rod end and moving it out of the way.

(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/DSCN2819.jpg)
(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/DSCN2820.jpg)

Once you have the interior handle free, clean off all the old grease with the brake cleaner and the brush. Apply a liberal amount of white lithium grease to all moving parts and reinstall.

Remove the exterior door handle by removing the nut that hides behind the handle flap on the outside edge of the door and using your 5 mm allen tool to remove the bolt inside the door cavity.

(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/DSCN2814.jpg)

Set the door handle aside for now. Remove the door latching mechanism by first turning the actual latch so that it is straight up and down. If you don't do this it won't fit through the rectangular hole in the door and you'll wonder why you can't get it out. Remove the clip from the rod that goes to the interior door handle. It's the same style of clip as before. Remove the three phillips head bolts that hold the mechanism in place.

(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/DSCN2818.jpg)

Remove all the old grease from the latching mechanism and apply a liberal amount of lithium grease to all moving parts. Reinstall the latching mechanism. Reattaching the rod clip is a test in patience.

Now for the most complicated piece. On a clean work area with plenty of good bright light place some white paper towels. Remove the phillips bolt from the back of the latch and remove the cam. Be careful because there is a spring back there. It probably won't go flying across the room, but be careful anyway. Once the cam is off, put your key into the lock cylinder and pull the cylinder out of the handle. Set the handle aside for now.

Right now, with the key still in the cylinder everything is safe. Once you remove the key from the cylinder you're officially in the danger zone. There are a lot of small pieces to lose but if you're careful you won't have any problems.

Before we jump in notice how the lock plates all sit flush with the lock cylinder. They don't stick out on wither side. Take a deep breath and lets do it. SLOWLY remove the key from the cylinder making sure that none of the lock plates fall out of their slots. You'll notice that there are 10 plates in all, 5 on each side of the cylinder. You'll also notice that the plates are offset, one side is closer to the keyhole. This is important to remember so that you don't forget which plate goes in where. If you put the plates in the wrong holes, you won't be able to put the cylinder back into the handle and you'll have to fiddle around with it for a lot longer time. Print out the image below and use it to help you keep track of the plates. Acutally put the plates themselves at the end of each arrow. That way when you put it back together there's no chance of confusion.

(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/lock.gif)

Carefully pull out the lock plates one by one and place them on their appropriate places on the paper. Be extra careful of the small springs under the plates. Sometimes the springs will stick to the plates and try to come out at the same time. If they come out it's okay, just set them to the side, just be careful not to loose them. Once you have all the plates out use a pick to remove all the springs from their bores. You don't have to keep the springs in order, they're all the same.

(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/DSCN2821.jpg)

Carefully clean the old grease off the springs and lock plates with brake cleaner. Be very careful with the springs. They're easy to drop and hard to find. Once the plates and springs are clean, then clean out the cylinder itself. When everything is clean then apply a liberal amount of lithium grease to the cylinder and carefully place the spring back into the bores on one side. You can use the pick again if you have fat fingers. Place the appropriate plates into the slots. Make sure you are holding the cylinder in the correct orientation and get the right plates in the right places. Once you have all the plates on one side, do the other. Keep a finger over the plates you already put in to keep them from falling out. Now that they're clean they have a tendency to do that. Once all 10 plates are installed put your key back into the cylinder to hold everything in place. With the key in place nothing will fall out. Look at the plates and make sure they are all sitting flush like before we started. If some are sticking up too much you'll have problems. If you have an old worn down key you might have some plates that stick up higher than others. Just make sure everything looks like it did before we started. If everything looks okay, then apply more lithium to the cylinder, clean the bore in the handle, spray lube into the handle and insert the cylinder into the bore. Make sure it sits flush, if not turn the cylinder over 180 degrees and try again. Install the spring as pictured and screw the cam back onto the back of the cylinder and reinstall the handle.

(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/DSCN2822.jpg)


WHEW! The hard part is done and it's almost over.

Take this opportunity to lube with window mechanisms. I'll explain the late style ( mid 73 and later). There are two sliders, one just below the window glass and one bolted to the back of the door bracing that you can't see. There is a ball joint under the window glass, the gear that operates the mechanism is hard to see, but you can spray it with the lithium. And finally there's a pivot point where the arms come together. Spray everything that moves.

(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/DSCN2811b.jpg)

Also, spray some lube on the door stay.

(IMG:http://914world.com/members/markd/howto/door/DSCN2812.jpg)

Reintsall the door panel and enjoy the new smooth action! Yeah for you! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[SpecialK]

Great job Mark! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) I'll have to remember this post when the time comes to reassemble my doors on the '73.

[ablose58]

Excellent job (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) looks like a lot of fun!!!!

[Gint]

As long as you have the camera out...

[URY914]

Save this to the Classic Posts. Great Job!!

Paul

[rhodyguy]

very good mark. you might include using some 3m 2 sided tape and some 2 mil plastic to put vapor barriers on before you snap push the panels on.

kevin

[cha914]

Speaking of doors...I have a rattle coming from both doors when I am going over bumpy sections of road. I took apart the door in much the same way as you showed a couple weeks ago because I thought the rattle was coming from a loose window mechanism. However, I could find nothing dealing with the windows that was loose.

The closer I listen, it sounds like some part of the door hinge or stay is rattling, because the sound it coming from that front section of both doors. However, when the door is open I can't find anything that is obviously loose. I did lube those parts, but it hasn't helped the rattle.

Any ideas on what could be loose in that area and what to tighten/adjust? Or is this something that I am going to just have to live with in a stiffly sprung car?

Thanks for the help,

Tony

you know you are achieving some success when you have been able to drive the car enough for the rattles to be bothering you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[lmcchesney]

Fantastic job Mark. Yes, needs to be in the classics section for future referal.
Mark, since you did the interior of the doors, do you have any suggestions on door alingment?
I submitted an article with Guy T and John Kelly on the repair of the "oil can" door to PP, but have not heard back from Wayne as yet.
Thanks,
L. McC

[andys]

Mark,

Nice work! I did a similar procedure four months ago. I had to machine new door stay rollers, as mine were no longer round with a big flat that rubbed on the arm.

I too have a door rattle, except mine is only when closing the passenger door. After much fiddling, it appears that the source is at "slider 1" (according to your photo). Is there a plastic bushing or such in that area? As with much of the window mechanism, it's hard to see much of anything.

Thanks,

Andy

[markb]

Save this to the Classic Posts. Great Job!!

Paul

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[McMark]

cha914, I don't know if it would rattle, but one of the spring on my drivers side door stay was missing. That might cause the roller to rattle around a bit. Also check the arms that go to the sliders to make sure they aren't bouncing around.

andys, yes, there are plastic bushings in the sliders that can die. If there was a PDF version of the PET I'd get you a picture, but alas, there is not.

[andys]

andys, yes, there are plastic bushings in the sliders that can die. If there was a PDF version of the PET I'd get you a picture, but alas, there is not.

Thanks Mark,

And where might I find this part? GPR? Didn't see it at the Bird. Also, what is the part name?

Andy

[JohnB]

EXCELLENT POST! I agree this needs to go in the classic posts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[watsonrx13]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[campbellcj]

Hey...I can cut about an hour off each door...just don't reinstall the windows and locks and other unnecessary stuff (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I used up the time savings making some $15 ultra lightweight door panels though.

[Red-Beard]

Hmmmm.

That sems ta bee one o'them new fangled doors (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif)

[Rusty]

Mark,

Did you relube the lock cylinder? If so, what did you use?

-Lawrence

[McMark]

Everything white lithium grease. I really need to do some hardcore learning about grease and oil so I can make informed decisions about what's best. I hate trying to decide from the back of the can.

[horizontally-opposed]

I'd like to recommend this thread for the Classics, as it is excellent.

One update though: I used white lithium grease on everything first time I did this years ago, and it gummed up to the point a lot of things too much effort to use—I was worried about breaking something.

So I just did it again, and research led me to try use sparing amounts of Wurth HHS-2000 / HHS-K Penetrating High Temperature Lubricant. What a difference: Everything works even better than it did last time—it all feels new.

Now, if I can just figure out how to clean all the gunk out of my early window regulators…

[MM1]

I'm experimenting with DuPont teflon spray instead of grease.

Front trunk latch: soaked in kerosene for a few days and let it air-dry. Although at the suggestion of member here, I had some Park Tool PolyLube 1000 Bicycle Grease, I felt there was no way to make the grease penetrate the pivoting surfaces well - so I carefully sprayed the teflon into those joints.

As an unplanned event forced me to quickly wrap up, I couldn't properly clean/disassemble/lube the front trunk release lock cylinder, so I liberally blasted it with brake cleaner and then lubed with the teflon spray . . .it all works well now. I'm guessing I may have to respray all parts with teflon at some point, but there's no grease to attract dirt . . .we'll see.