W123 door jambalaya or how to install Striker Plates
 

OK, this isn't about an engine but I looked and saw nothing on the Body etc. threads and besides all the old timers hang out on this one :rolleyes:

For too long I've faced the dreaded job of replacing a striker plate that was preventing a door from latching. Finally good weather and I got charged up to tackle the job.
I had adjusted one of these before and knew getting the hex head bolts out was going to be a challenge. Last time I was just loosening the Striker plate to make the latch operate properly. So I learned how fragile hex head bolts can be after being in place a few decades ! (why didn't they make Torx head bolts back then?)
I started off by peening the head of the bolts with a nail set, something I learned that helps close the metal around the hex wrench tightly so it won't wallow out the opening and make the wrench useless. That failed, the hex became rounded out on 3 bolts, only one came out.
I proceeded to drill out three bolts and pulled out an old bolt remover I had on hand.
In the process of doing this a friend came by with a nice kit (last pic) but I decided to try the old bit I had on hand so I wouldn't damage any of his beautiful pieces. It worked, whew!

I got a little off-center when drilling a few of the bolts, the pic shown is the better of the three. Look close and you can see the threads on one side are basically like a skeleton with no metal underneath.

Then I chased the threads in the threaded plate one hole at a time with a bolt tight in the mating hole to keep the plate from falling down, I believe they are floating ie. non-captive.
Are there two plates? or one? my duh! :o

So this is where I have to ask for sage advise, anyone having done this will know more than I do.
If I removed two bolts on a side the plate in the door jamb will fall down, right?
I really want to avoid having to remove the interior covering so how can I keep the plate in place while I remove the old Striker plate?
or am I just not going to succeed with this and I need to remove the MB Tex over the door jamb?
the piping around the edges looks really awful anyhow, this is a well-used '79 300TD.
TIA DDH

The Proto/Mac RBRT hex removal tools are really the best thing you can use for stuff like this.

The Proto/Mac RBRT hex removal tools are really the best thing you can use for stuff like this. They may be called Proto advanced.

Disclaimer...I've not done this job.

Remove one screw and place the short end of the largest Allen key that will fit in the hole with the short end pointing up and pull the wrench to hold the plate in place. This will have to be done on two of the screws at the same time so an assistant will be needed. Remove the other screws and slide the striker off over the long end of the Allen key.

Keeping the Allen keys pulled tight, slide the new plate over the long protruding ends of the keys and start the last two screws removed, snug them, remove the keys and install the remaining two screws.

Report back if this works.

I don't recall mine falling out but then it was along time ago. But you can remove all of the bolts but one and tip the door jam to the side and install one bolt into the threaded plate and remove the other bolt and have the door jamb off and one bolt retaining the inside plate.

What some people have been doing on W123s is they buy a cheap striker but remove the rubber parts from the new one and put them on the original striker. That reduces the chances of having to adjust one with shims.

An old thread of mine.

https://www.benzworld.org/threads/removing-stripped-allen-head-door-striker-bolts.3064064/

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/403331-door-not-closing-latching-door-striker-repair-w123.html

Another thread: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/389472-new-w123-door-strikers-latches-out-spec.html

The hex holes in the stock bolts are not very deep.

When you re-install the door striker bolts put some never-seize type compound on the threads.

Thanks for the link, I guess I hadn't searched properly. STRIKER PLATES.
anyhow I don't see the seller with replacement rubber parts any longer.
I had to order new bolts which have yet to arrive....
DDH

The real ones are expensive. I went to an industrial hardware store ant got some that had deeper Allen head sockets in them.

I received bolts in the mail and just went out and finished the job.
The striker plate is a URO and I can see how its not made like OE, but I fiddled and cursed a while until I got it aligned and the door closes and opens like it should - whew! what a chore!
now if my brother who is a locksmith was near I would get him to fix the key lock, it stopped working decades ago. The other locks work. the vacuum however doesn't close all the way around, I had the door vac replaced on this door but I feel its not the problem, just learned to live with it..
DDH

Doesn’t matter. Those specific proto hex drivers are designed to prevent camming out and to remove damaged fasteners.

Maybe I’m missing something. I disassembled aftermarket ones and fit the rubber parts into the OE metal frame. Works great.

https://i.imgur.com/gbuI5bCl.jpeghttps://i.imgur.com/VRst9rel.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/UvXdKUpl.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/jmqnepVl.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/WBm50axl.jpeghttps://i.imgur.com/JiRTsGNl.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/WzjHB0El.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/sEPHT0Fl.jpeg

FYI… doors latching properly is almost NEVER the striker issue, it is the stupid plastic insert… I think there is a 3D printer file online to print up a set of them… lemme look…