Door check help - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Ara T. · #1 12-13-2006, 07:07 PM

I got a new door check and am trying to install it. Got the door panel and the old check off just fine and dandy, everything's goin pretty well till I try to put the new one in. Looking at the picture you can see that the arm is mounted lower on the new check than on the old one and it will fit but I believe if I use the new one the door won't open fully, correct? Can you remove this arm and place it in the upper detent or am I SOL?

OMEGAMAN · #2 12-13-2006, 07:22 PM

That are the same. The old one is just extended all the way out. The new one will look just the same if you pull it out with some vice grips.

C Sean Watts · #3 12-13-2006, 07:23 PM

you should be able to move the arm - with some effort.

Grease it and slide!! If I'm not misteaken

the check straps pop from one detent to the other (door half open to full open) without slamming your shins.

Biodiesel300TD · #4 12-13-2006, 08:18 PM

They are the same. Those big dimples in the sides are the spots where the door catches to stay open. Some have all the way open and a middle open spot. Others only have all the way open.

JimmyL · #5 12-13-2006, 08:26 PM

Where did you get it?

Stevo · #6 12-13-2006, 08:56 PM

I tried moving the arm to another detent on the last one I installed and the results were disastrous. The ball bearing came adrift

and putting it back together reminded me of a saying involving a cube of butter, and a wild cat.
New door check is toast. Has anyone put one of these together or is it just me.

It can be installed the way it is, just pull the door closed a little.

Ara T. · #7 12-13-2006, 09:11 PM

Well never mind, it was impossible for me to move the arm to the other detent but the door moved it for me. I didn't realize they worked like that.

Unfortunately the door isn't totally smooth, still has some of that notchy feel to it, even with all the grease I dumped in there. The old check's grease had turned into a hard gum-like substance though so I can understand why it was so bad. I probably coulda reused the old one.

Stevo just grease it as much as you can, bolt it in, and gently move the door back and forward till the grease works its way along the rails.

Stevo · #8 12-14-2006, 12:32 AM

Thanks but...Too late for that. One side dropped down to the next detent and the other side didn't and trying to straighten it out resulted in the two ball bearing falling to the shop floor. We learn by doing

I wont make that mistake again.

MBeige · #9 12-14-2006, 03:03 AM

Give it some time for the grease to get distributed. Mine was making notchy noises, and I lubed it temporarily with WD40 (already have the new strap ready). 2 days later after driving home, I didn't hear the notch anymore.

Amazing, the engineering of these things are! Mine are still original with 172k miles.

One note, don't lose the washer that comes loose when you remove the strap from the doorjamb. They don't come with the strap when you purchase at the dealer. A quick trip to the yard should furnish you with enough of these small parts for spares.

Ara T. · #10 12-14-2006, 04:03 AM

Sorry to keep this thread alive, but wondering what grease everyone used and waht the manual calls for. I just used cheap Valvoline multi-purpose grease.

I think the manual calls for white lithium but I've never been able to find any.

Hit Man X · #11 12-14-2006, 04:16 AM

Grease in the strap? Should be prelubed... mine all are/were.

If you mean in the door hinge, you need a special pointy bit. $5 maybe at Mc Parts

Ara T. · #12 12-14-2006, 06:13 AM

Hm. No, wasn't prelubed.

dannym · #13 12-14-2006, 08:18 AM

For situations like that where the grease has the potential to get wet I use marine grease. It's a grease that's water resistant. It's used for boat trailer bearings and such. You can get it at any auto parts store.

Danny

Phil · #14 12-14-2006, 10:14 AM

I replaced the strap on my drivers door and a short while later noticed a notchy feel to it. I started looking very close while opening and closing the door and discovered the welds that hold the other end on the door frame had broken loose and were moving just a little bit. I took off the kick panel so I could hold any wires out of the was and then drilled three holes through the door frame and backing of the strap pivot. I coated these holes with primer and then ran in some stainless screws and it has held for over a year with no more popping.

Samuel M. Ross · #15 12-14-2006, 02:36 PM

and in the process discovered that the driver's door stop had already been replaced before but once again would not safety hold the door open when on a hill of much slope.

I now see that the driver's door stop on the 240D needs replacement... so lesson is that the driver's door will probably need changing twice as often as the other doors.

I just found an extended familyMember's 1995 VW Jetta driver's door [120K miles] needs a door stop too !
Regards,