123 front driver door problem
 

I have an '84 300TD. The drivers door had wat sounded like a door check problem. A loud snap/click twice as the door opens and closes. (Pardon if my spelling or typing gets too bad. I am recovering from a stroke.) On closer examination the noise was coming from the peice connected to the door check. There is a peice on the door jam, connected to the door check that is loose and snapps very loudly as the door check is operated. Is this just the door check needing to be replaced or what do I do with this.

Examination of the leg area show no readily eccessible entry way for doing any work int the inside of the door post.

It does sound like a door check problem and would be expected at this age. Typically, the check wears and allows some of the "BB" sized bearing to work loose. There is also one large spring loaded metal bearing that is used to engage the different door position "stops" that might be stuck. It takes about a half to an hour to unfasten the door panel, undo the hinge pin on the chassis, unbolt the check and lift it from the door. Replacing goes much faster. I've noticed that the new door checks come with a plastic sleeve that keeps the check dry and the lube in place.

oh boy
Based on my understanding of the issue as you described it the problem is not in the door check but the piece that the door check "pin" slides into on the jamb. Those pieces can break loose from their weld. The issue is fixing it. When you remove the pin it will fall down into the jamb area and you play heck fixing it. You have to remove the inner panel and then cut away metal to get in there behind it to replace the part that the pin goes into. Have to use a welder to put everything back together.

Thanks for the quick feedback, guy. I have replaced a door check on the rear door and was concerned that I may have different sort of critter on this one. If I understand you, Jim, there is virtually no way of fixing this with out doing some welding on the body. I'm wondering what the down side is of just leaving it alone. I don't like to entertain that but it sounds like quite an undertaking.

The one that I had experience like this on is the '83 240D I sold my neice. I ended up just pushing the check rod all the way in. The piece that the pin goes into is down in the jamb somewhere. You can run it like this but you just have to be careful opening the door in a strong tail wind. On one car I saw that had issues in this area was a 400k mile 300SD and the jamb around where the pin holder goes had some pretty severe cracks.

Thanks much! I guess I'll check out the logal folks and see what it will take to fix it then decide if I will or won't.

Thanks,

DEH

It happened to me. I tried to use 4 rivets close to where it was, and that didnt help. Then I put a screw in the middle between the two ears on your car body, and drilled and tapped it. That helped a little. Then I welded it, but the welds got contaminated. I think I am going to do it again, but really clean it, then tig weld it instead of mig.

Best of luck,

Thanks for the continued input. I hope to talk with a guy how does Mercedes restoration this next week. Maybe I can get him to weld it for me with out having to pay for the car again.

Just a thought, is there any way to remove the BBs from the doorcheck so I can still get the benifit for at least some stabilzation of the door with out the destrutive problem. I was just wondering if I could buy some time this way and then get it fixed right this spring, after the economy improves. Just an idea.

Thanks agaoin for the input.

DEH

Confused
 

I have removed a number of these from 123's...I am going to remove 4 of them tomorrow from a 123...I think they are the same as yours and I have never cut any metal out to access them..send me your address and I will send you the one you need..I will send you some pics of how I remove it...also some written instructions by email....Jim Harris

I have always wondered how MB built that part of the door jam. This "pivot point" for the door check is obviously a seperat piece that is tack welded in, but how did they get it in there in the first place?

Tomorrow
 

Tomorrow I will look and see if I can figure it out..Do you want any parts..If you do just send me your address by email...Jim

update
 

For anyone interested, I was able to get the thing fixed. I took it to a local "Import Auto/Classic Shop" They did a very nice welding job on the broken peice and repaitned it so it looks good as new. They were able to reinfource the pivotby building the sides up with the weld. It cost me about $125. I guess only time will tell how well it works.

I asked the guy who worked on it how they get that peice instaled in the first place. The only explanatin that really makes since is thay weld it in place before they assemble the door frame!

In an unrelated experience I did discover that it should be possible to remove one of those pivots that has broken loose without cutting up the car. If you remove the carpet you will find a single screw that holds on the trim for the side panel. This trim is also attached with a clip almost in the center of the panel and the bottom corner is locked under the door molding. If you take out the screw, free the bottom of the panel you can slide panel back into the doorway to remove it. It seems that one should be able to recreive a lost peice out of one of the holes that provide entrance to the door jam. It might require the us of a magnet.

Thanks again for all the info and kibtuzing

Is there a spell check on this board. I just read my last post and am enbarrassed at all the glitches and this is after I proofed it several times. Hope illeracy dosen't disqualify me from posting!!

That was not that bad of a repair at all. You did set off a light bulb in regards to being able to retrieve the piece. I vaguely seem to remember retrieving it once.