Door Openings

[Hawaiis0]

I discovered today a difference in the door opening "width" if that's the right word. My 86 door compared to a 92 door opening only goes about 75% of the way a later model does. Two questions:

1. Is this "normal" or is my door iffy?

2. Can you modify old to new, to get the wider opening door?

Regards and thanks in advance

[amarshall]

Normal.

There are two different types of door check strap. Pre-86 and post-86.

I'm not sure how interchangeable they are - the parts manual mentions some differences in the hinge brackets to accommodate the wire spring in the later version.

[CHRISYD]

that's probably why my passenger door is harder to get out of than drivers door as the door beam is new on the drivers door.

[smokey]

I modified my drivers door strap when I replaced the pivot pin in the beam. I cut and welded in a ~20mm slug of material. I have an 87 SE which certainly had a small opening angle.
It makes a big difference to the ease at which you climb into the car - and also the ease for working upside down in the footwell..
The check strap spring took a couple of attempts to fabricate using a big hammer and vice from spring piano wire but this was cheap and easy enough to obtain.
I intend to do the same to the passengers door when I replace the pin there but I will put off that job for as long as possible.

[Hawaiis0]

I modified my drivers door strap when I replaced the pivot pin in the beam. I cut and welded in a ~20mm slug of material. .

Would you have a piccy of the fabrication?

[smokey]

Sorry for delay, on holiday without an internet connection.
I only found a picture of the (before) original version but not a shot of the modified (after) part.
All the mods are hidden out of view inside the door.

I do intend to take the door trim off again in 2-3 weeks as the window frame needs some adjustment so hopefully I will expose the other end enough to to remove the strap to take a photo.
Simon

[smokey]

So I have finally got around to removing both door straps to take a photo, very pleased I had as my modified drivers side was rather loose and the passenger side uncovered a scary amount of corrosion around the window frame and door beam.

Anyway at least the straps were not too hard to remove, fortunately I have small hands to squeeze inside the door and remove the 10mm bolt holding the strap to the beam, hopefully now I will be able to modify the passenger side this weekend, time allowing...

I took some measurements before removing the straps, I was unable to measure or calculate the angle so I measured the opening distance between two points so at least you may be able to check if you have a short or long strap, Although mine is an 87 excel I am sure my door strap was short, I thought the door did not open wide enough for comfort anyway.
Hard to explain the points I measured so I took photo's... on the door with the original strap I measured 86 cm, on the modified strap I measured 106 cm. This extra 20cm makes all the difference, no pun intended!

When I made up the spring, which was from 4mm piano wire, I had no template as the original spring was broken, so it was interesting to compare the profile from other side now I placed them side by side, never the less, the door latches open nicely.

The inner guide did not need to be filed much longer than you would have expected looking at the photo. The sleeve which fits in the guide is well worn so I would like to replace at some point.

The door could open a little wider but the loom starts to get pinched so this degree seemed nice to me




ruler on the outer edge of the car frame


to lower corner of door


Without strap ~ 106cm opening (with original strap ~86cm)

[Hawaiis0]

Brilliant Thanks for taking the time to show this. Now on the to do list

[Phantasm]

Do you happen to have a photo of the bolt /part/fastener that attaches the door strap to the top of the door beam?

I pulled my whole passenger door apart yesterday (Guess who will be buying new door beams in the not so distant future) and found the bolt head was sheared off and the door strap wasn't doing it's job. I have since drilled out the remainders of the old sheared off bolt, and retapped the hole to 6mm ( it was 5mm I believe). But have no idea what the fastener looked like? I'm assuming some type of roller or smooth sleeve to ride inside the strap slot with a screw at the end to fasten to the door beam. For now I just screwed a 6mm Stainless steel bolt in the hole and left the head about 3/16" above the door beam. It works for now but is sloppy and in the long run could cause some disforming wear and tear or even work itself out.

[Phantasm]

Nevermind, I found it in the parts catalogue - "Guide Check Strap" Looks about like what I imagined. Now to see if I can make one on my own with stuff laying around the house....