At lunchtime today, I replaced both driver side door checks in my '82 300D. The old ones were non-functional and either partially or fully disintegrated.

The rear went on fine, fit perfectly, and works great -- no more screetching when opening and closing the door.

The front went on fine, fit perfectly, but will not allow the front door to fully close. The check strap apparently runs out of travel with the door still open a couple of inches.

The manufacturer is Meyle. Is there a chance I got the wrong part? Anyone run into this before?

Thanks,
Bob
82 300D

Based on my car, it seems like the front opens more. If you got the same part front and rear, I'd be wary. Put the new and old side by side, though.

__________________
'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

I bought different parts for front and rear.

Front door check P/N marked on the bag is 123 720 05 16

I can't lay old and new side by side. The old had desintegrated into about 8 pieces.

I think there are different part numbers depending on the year, but I don't know what year they changed. You might be able to figure it out from Performance Products online catalog.

__________________
Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

Although this is not directly related to your problem I want to share what happened to me with door checks. Perhaps an improperly made door check is stressing the door because the door check is clasped all of the way before the door is completely shut, thus loading stress on the door. Hopefully this information might save someone the grief I had with a broken window because of a door check.

Just over a year ago I had a very ugly experience with the door check on my driver’s door. I got out of the car with the window down and I did not notice the lack of the catch from the door check when you open the door. When I shut the door there was this awful sound of glass breaking. I thought, "what is going on?!?!?" I removed the door panel to find the window in a pile of glass. What broke it? Upon studying the door check I notice that is was not attached to the door. When I closed the door the door check 'drifted' in line with the edge of the window and push against it when I shut the door. CRASH!!

How did the door check come loose from the door? The door check has three mounting points to the door. Two of the mounting points are at the opening on the door for the door check. The check has two 'tabs' and each one has a hole. On mine the tabs had broken off of the stamping. The third mounting point is to the stamping on the door to which the door panel attaches. On mine the bolt had ripped through the stamping on the door making a hole about twice the size that was originally there. I believe that the tabs broke off first and then the stress on the third point caused the metal to tear.

After removing the old door check I notice that the ‘catch’ mechanism is a bit much for the metal on the door that is holding it in place. I ordered a new door check thinking that the catch would not be as severe. I was wrong; the new one ‘latched’ harder than the old one. Not wanting another broken window I decided to make a change. A door check has two functions; one is to hold the door in place and the other is to limit how far the door opens. Being only concerned with limiting the opening of the door I removed the two balls and spring that hold the door at the open positions. I like how this works. The door is not stressed by the door check, but is still limited as to how far it can open. I have peace of mind on my door operation.

I believe that Mercedes did not use the best of judgment in designing a seemingly insignificant part. I spoke with two people that I had been in contact with regarding old Mercs and both of these people said that ‘historically’ Mercedes has had some door check designs that were not very good.

Please just be aware of the condition of your door checks and the portions of the door to which they attach.

I wish the rear checks on the 123 would allow the door to swing open a little more.
I could get a few more large items in the back seat area.
I pulled the pin and noticed it has a ways to go before interference.

My drivers door check in my '84 300D decided to break the bracket loose from the A-pillar attaching point - Ouch! Time to tack-weld it back in place I guess? And the drivers side rear door doesn't open as far as the passengers side rear door - WTFlip?

Bryan in NC

The problem is that the broken weld is on the inside of the kick panel.

One guy did cut a hole in the kick panel and re-weld it.

When mine broke, somebody advised me to take the door strap out and remove the balls and spring. I did that, and it seems to be a reasonably good shadetree fix. The door is prevented from opening too far, although the detents no longer work. Not so good on a windy day, but OK otherwise.

Another recommended fix is to wedge some shims between the pin and the A-pillar. That should work, except that the check strap probably is already fubar, which was what caused it to break the weld in the first place.

__________________
Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

The bracket on the kick panel for the door check strap can be welded back on from the check strap side without cutting any holes. The "trick", if there really is any, is to direct more heat into the bracket than the panel, without distorting the bracket. If I can do it, any semi-competent welder should have no problem at all.

__________________
'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

I just replaced the two rear door checks on my 300SE. The new part has been redesigned and functions much better. The new part is also encased so as not to be exposed to the elements.

__________________
2003 SLK 230 (85000)
1999 E300 Turbo Diesel (388,000)
1991 350SD Turbo Diesel (185,000)

there are vacuum lines behind those brackets and they will melt causing all sorts of vacuum fun. I have posted about my own experience with this before. Drill a hole or two and 'pool' weld it in place. Get those vac lines out of the way!!!!

Bernie

__________________
1982 240D 313,000 (4 speed)
1984 300CD 172,483
1985 German Shepherd Dog -Lacey- R.I.P.11/04/05

Hood Stars, Wrist Crowns and Obsession Dobs

Any chance you put the front check strap on the rear door (which seems to work) and the rear strap on the front which doesn't for some reason? Do the rear doors open wider than the fronts -- making the rear straps a bit longer? If this is the case, the rear would still seem to operate OK, and you wouldn't notice that it wasn't opening as far as it was designed to do ... You could check this by opening both rear doors & checking the angle of opening --- or the length of check strap exposed on each rear door. I'm betting front & rear parts are different, and got mixed up in the middle of the job because they look the same..

Front and rear parts are different. They look different as well.

Just to be sure, I checked the part numbering on the package as they went in. Unless someone at the factory put the wrong part in the bag, they are in the correct spots.

Here is one of those times I think people should consider rivets instead of welding for designing a fix....Remember, they put Airplanes together with them.

might hold for awhile. The pillar would need to be countersunk and a flush rivet lnstalled for clearance. Probably wont have enouhg surface tension to accept the pressure and stress of the doors opening and closing.


bernie

__________________
1982 240D 313,000 (4 speed)
1984 300CD 172,483
1985 German Shepherd Dog -Lacey- R.I.P.11/04/05

Hood Stars, Wrist Crowns and Obsession Dobs