Door beam!!

[Richy B]

The story so far....

Went to Pure Lotus last Saturday to see if Jay could repair or replace my drivers door beam as the door had dropped to a point where you had to lift the door into place when closing!

After ordering a remanufactured door beam from Lotus Bits along with hinge pin. They delivered to Pure Lotus ready for this Saturday (today)

Arrived this morning are Pure and left them to work on it while we go into Harrogate for a look round.

We returned at 3 ish not really expecting it to be finished which it wasn't, however they pointed at the upper door frame which was rotten from about the window level down.

Gonna need a new frame and a new bush for the hinge pin as one shattered inserting it into the door beam so my motor remains down Pure till next week.

Question is...do I replace both upper door frames while it's in a nice warm garage?

[amarshall]

Question is...do I replace both upper door frames while it's in a nice warm garage?

If you could, you should - but you can't - there aren't any.

Oh - and odds-on, if you start messing around the other door the door beam will turn out to be a doily too.

(ain't I a little ray of sunshine today ? )

[don.hasi]

I have several times read about these rotten window frames. What is the reason for it? What can be done to pretend and what at this sad stage ?

[amarshall]

I have several times read about these rotten window frames. What is the reason for it? What can be done to pretend and what at this sad stage ?

It's just normal corrosion because moisture gets trapped inside the doors. Probably worse on the bottom of the frames because the rust can creep across from rotten door beams.

The only prevention that I can think of is to treat them occasionally with Waxoyl or something similar.

[don.hasi]

Ah.. Ok so we have to take a look at it too.

I have also seen sth like this:

and a picture of a door which is swollen in the area where in this picture the structure is already loosen or the top frame of the window rusts

So there must be also water ingress from the top.... And sometimes it goes further to flood the interior and the other times it rottens the frame...anyway... water and the doors seems to be a big topic

[Richy B]

Think I will leave the other one as it is.
Will contact usual supplyers Monday. Good news is they all the same no matter what age or model (apparently éclat frames are the same but with longer legs)

[RRHANS]

I know that Lotusbits are busy to have them remanufactured, but it would still take a few months before they will be available.
They will be made out of extruded alluminium.
In the mean time they can weld one up from a few different old ones to save you if yours are not repairable.

[don.hasi]

They will be made out of extruded alluminium.

That are amazing news. Is sth heard about the price?

[fitz]

i think an estimate of £180 per side is listed on their website..

[Richy B]

I can confirm.
I spoke to Lotus Bits today they have loads of old rotten ones that you could purchase but could be worse than the one I already have so will stick with my old one till the remanufactured ones become available (in a months time)

[Lotus-e-Clan]

I know anything is better than a rotten one, but to be picky, the door beam is a fundamental part of side impact safety and has been largely unchanged since the first 70s Elite won important safety awards (eg the Don thingy).

Perhaps insurers may not be happy if they found out that original spec steel door beams were being replaced by non-type approved/crash-tested aluminium versions? I mean if they can wriggle out of claims just because your tyres are marked incorrectly then....?

[amarshall]

I know anything is better than a rotten one, but to be picky, the door beam is a fundamental part of side impact safety and has been largely unchanged since the first 70s Elite won important safety awards (eg the Don thingy).

Perhaps insurers may not be happy if they found out that original spec steel door beams were being replaced by non-type approved/crash-tested aluminium versions? I mean if they can wriggle out of claims just because your tyres are marked incorrectly then....?

AHEM - Mike's doorbeams are galvanised steel, the WINDOW frames will be aluminium.

[Lotus-e-Clan]

^^^^^ OOPS!

Sorry. I must in future read previous posts more carefully ....

[Richy B]

Just to let you know,

I had the drivers door beam replaced but left the old window frame which will be replaced later with new alu ones

Pure Lotus did a really good job, all back together, no fuss.

I ordered the parts from Lotus Bits who delivered to Pure Lotus and did recommend Lotus Bits for supplyers for parts in the future.

Thanks must go to Danny whose patience is very saint like will certainly take her back if anything is needed beyond my capabilitys

Right what s the next job!!

[excel tel]

My excel was a real dog when i got it,have been off the road for about 10 years,but the door beams/window frames are perfect condition.How/why,window lift channels were rotten though.
Can't see that they had been replaced judging by the condition of everything else on the car,maybe it was just very dry when it was stood up.