s280 Door Hinge

[brucetsmith1664]

Hi

I have a 1997 s280, but yesterday the drivers door now makes a nasty noise when I open the door. When looking at it closer, looks like something is rubbing the hinge arm. I am considering investigating further, but would have to remove the door skin (I can only only one screw), but I not want to cause any damage. Does any one know how to remove the door skin?

Thanks

Bruce

 

[sportyreptile]

I had exactly the same with the passenger side front door. What happens is the check strap (which is the bar you can see from the forward edge of the door attached to the A post) becomes very stiff or siezes all together. The weight of the door swinging open against the seized strap causes damage to the seam weld on the forward door edge. I'm told by my Independant garage that they have seen duff check straps damage A posts and the adacent wing in bad cases.

On mine it had got so bad the seam was splitting open with a very nasty metal tearing sound every time the door was opened.

To cure it, the door had to be stripped, taken off because there was not enough space to get a welding torch in and the seam re-welded with new metal let into the seam.

The welding caused the paint to scorch on the outside of the door, so the door had to be sprayed, I encorporated some small dent repair and stone chip repair within this process, so effectively the whole side of the car got repainted. Expensive business.

I've now replaced all the check straps, to check - if you open a door and you hear a load clicking sound and the door is stiff, the check straps are on the way out - they're are cheap enough to replace by themselves.

I now encourage anyone in the car not to let the doors go under their own weight, but to hold onto the door as it opens. As you know W140 doors (like the rest of the car) are heavy.

 

[brucetsmith1664]

Thank you for your reply, I think I have best get it to my garage ASAP, to get it fixed.

 

[guydewdney]

as a fellow 140 owner - i have heard similar stories - take SR's advice...

 

[markku]

Door checks

If you want to fix the doors by yourself here is pictorial how to do it.

 

[frog1520]

If you want to fix the doors by yourself here is pictorial how to do it.

My W140 drivers door strap came off inside the door caused a dent as it tried to push its way out of the door! Good idea to sort it....

 

[sportyreptile]

If you want to fix the doors by yourself here is pictorial how to do it.

That's a good How To.. post, but there's a hell of a lot going on in a W140 door, I know I'd mess something up. If your a competent diy'er give it go, myself - I'd pay someone who knows his stuff to do it for me.

Door checks are about £15 -£16 each, so not expensive to replace. It's the damage they can cause that becomes pricey.

 

[pluggers]

Have you checked that the bolts for the check strap haven't come loose first? Its possible.