stupid door check strap PIN question

[patbob]

I've got a stupid door check strap question on my '83 300D..

The pin that attaches it to the body is supposed to come out from the top after you remove the retaining clip on the bottom, right?

Yeah, I know, duh.. but it appears all four of mine were painted in place with a nice fillet of paint and I can't find a clear enough diagram to reference. Looks like it might even have been original from the factory that way. I'd hate to chip off that paint only to find out there was something else non-obvious (to me) that I was supposed to do, so I figured I'd ask the stupid question first.

I just hope some moron didn't weld the tops into place and then hide their mistake with a nice coat of paint.

[bustedbenz]

Mine all come out by removing the retaining clip and then driving from the bottom with a punch and/or hammering on the bottom of a vise grip at the top. Some of them have put up HUGE fights, but I've never had one painted-over.

I just replaced an original one on my car. I tapped the bottom and used a small screwdriver to gently break the paint seal at the top. Once the pair was loose, it was easy to lift out with a pair of pliers.

[patbob]

Thanks.. sounds like breaking that paint fillet is the plan then. I couldn't come up with anything better, so I just wanted to check and make sure I wasn't missing something obvious.

[bustedbenz]

"Paint fillet"

I never heard that term before. Is it something like a chicken fillet?

Or is this something that everybody who's ever painted a car knows about that I missed the memo on?

[patbob]

Originally Posted by bustedbenz

"Paint fillet"
I never heard that term before. Is it something like a chicken fillet?

From the net (wikipedia):
"In mechanical engineering, a fillet is a concave easing of an interior corner of a part design"

Or is this something that everybody who's ever painted a car knows about that I missed the memo on?

No, you didn't miss the memo. In mechanical engineering, its generally used to make the perpendicular attachment point stronger. I'd be suprised if many people think of paint being used in that way since it doesn't make any sense -- it won't make any joint much stronger. It just hides the joint and glues it together so separable pieces are harder to disassemble. Which is why it threw me off.

I suspect they glopped some matching body paint onto the heads of the pins to make them color match to the rest of the body (the pins probably didn't come prepainted to match the color of the car or something). Probably just one of those little details that one might do if they were being paid buku bucks for a car.



BTW, thanks all. I got the pin out last night and removed the broken check strap mechanism. Gently used a chisel to crack the paint and get under the lip of the pin. From there it tapped out very easily. Apparently, that paint was a stronger mechanical fillet than I give it credit for since I gave it a few good whacks without budging it before my initial posting.

Now I just need to check the other three doors to see if any of them need new ones of they just need a relube before I order a new one for that door

[Stretch]

Out of interest - which door retainers do you have?

W123 300D door retainer question - a CSI dating exercise!

[patbob]

Originally Posted by Army

Out of interest - which door retainers do you have?

W123 300D door retainer question - a CSI dating exercise!

It was like the one you found on your drivers side. In other words, the ones with the big ball bearings.

Looks like one of the balls stuck in its outermost detent and was ripped out of the spring-loaded housing. Then cascade failure set in and its pretty much unsaveable now.

Like someone on that thread said.. keep your balls well lubed

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by patbob

...

Like someone on that thread said.. keep your balls well lubed

Yeah don't want 'em ripped out...

[Stevo]

Warning....Dont do what I did. Brand new door check arrives and what do I do? start trying too pull the strap out further when suddenly the strap tweeked over to one side and balls flew all over the shop. Forget about ever getting them back in, I ordered another, DOH

[JWJ]

I'm unlucky, the PO had a mechanic weld the pin in place on the driver's door. What crazy person does this?

Now, the check strap failed - stuck open.

I am now debating whether to saw or torch the pin out.

Any advice?

[wildest]

Originally Posted by JWJ

I'm unlucky, the PO had a mechanic weld the pin in place on the driver's door. What crazy person does this?

Now, the check strap failed - stuck open.

I am now debating whether to saw or torch the pin out.

Any advice?

If they just welded the top of the pin, I'd try a Dremel with a cutoff wheel. That or a small grinding stone, just to keep collateral damage to a minimum.

[patbob]

Yeah, I'd nix the torch or saw -- in that tightly confined space, both will cause too much collateral damage. That pin mount isn't easily replaceable so it's clearly the part to be saved. Everything else, including the pin, is expendible.

It might be easier to cut the strap and lap-weld the replacement to the stub.. but I don't know if such a mess would have sufficient clearance. If there's clearance to bolt the new strap to the stub, that'd be even better than welding 'cause it'd be replaceable in the future too.


Im my utopia, stupid people like that mechanic would be forced to correct their mistakes at their own expense as a learning exercise. But then again, in my utopia, everybody is smart enough to not ever make any mistakes if they don't want to. Pity I wouldn't be able to live there either