Sticky rear door and $ of R-12

[SqueakyBrake]

I did a search with not much luck so here goes. Got an '87 560 SEL and the rear doors are sticky. Sometimes to the point that I have to put some real force on them to open the entire way. I asked the dealership to take a look and he then proceeded to tell me that they would have to take the paneling off and that it was not a viable job, least for my wallet at the time. I think it has something to do with the weather because at time they open with no problem or stick at all. What gives?

Happen to be getting some A/C service in about a week. Quoted a price of $52/lb.


Thanks everybody!

[300EVIL]

you could just do the 134a conversion and save money/enviroment. i did the conversion on my 300e myself and it works great!
good luck,
adam

White lithium grease on the metal type close that goes in and out of the door when you open it also on all the hinges and pins just had the same problem myself.

[ejsharp]

The doors stick because the latches no longer line up properly. Slight stresses on the body can cause doors to stick when attempting to open them... parking on an irregular or sloped surface etc.

To rectify... take an allen head wrench and loosen the two small bolts that hold the door latch to the post of the car(not the latch on the door itself but the one it latches onto).

Scribe a pencil line around the latch before loosening it. Then move the latch to new locations untill you find a spot that allows the door to open and close smoothly. Snug bolts each time you move latch to new location. Once you have the right adjustment ... tighten the bolts again. If you hear wind noise while driving after you are finished it means that you have the height adjusted correctly but the latch is adjusted too far out along the inward outward axis. The outside of the doors should be flush with the post.. when so, there should be no wind noise.

Smiles

I think this answer was a little of the mark Not to disagree but the door opening all the way has nothing to do with the part mounted on the car but the inability to open comes from the bracket (slider) that goes in and out of the door and the hinges they sound like they are grinding when you open them if i read him right. Trying to re-align the door is not the answer and if you did have that problem(closing the door all the way) new hinge pins would be the best answer not trying to move the part on the body around that will make things worse I think?
pete.

[ejsharp]

Oh OK... I think you are right Pete. I misread the post. The sliders are a common problem on the rear doors. There are two steel balls that ride on a cahnnel inside the door. They corrode, wear out and jam and in the process tear the channel up.

They are cheap, available at any MB dealer and its a do it yourself job.

There are two or three 10 mm bolts holding the channels inside the door.

Ask if you do not know how to remove a door pannel. They are different from most other manufacturers and can be severly damaged if you do not know the procedure.

[SqueakyBrake]

I think ejsharp has the right idea. What I would like to know is there any kind of way to lubricate it without removing the door panel? I am not quite certain due to the fact that both back doors will behave as if off the show room floor one day and other days I have to heave-ho to get it open? BTW it's not the rear door's alignment both are fine. I don't want to spray WD-40 on this track for it might get power window functions covered in it. I have heard of one other owner of a Benz to have the same problem but find it odd that I can't seem to find any other stories similar to mine on the site.


Story continues...

Well here it is agin I think some white lithium grease on the"channel " will help to stop the rust that builds when there is some moisture in the air will lube the track and prevent the problem.The stuff comes in a spray can but does not act like wd40 it stays put kinda like cheese whiz only thinner.Good luck

[ejsharp]

Lithium will work if no damage has been done to the bar that slides in and out of the door and the spring socket and the two steel balls that the bar uses to slide and catch with. Also if no damage has been done to the channel that the bar assembly rides in.

If the problem has just recently begun then chances are that no damage has yet occured and white lithium greese is your best bet. But if the problem has persisted for some time chances are that damage has occured and greese will not help.

[Robert W. Roe]

I paid $48 a lb for R12 last year, and my SD took 3 lb... ouch! Nice thing is, my AC still works