W124 Sedan: Is the front door adjustable?

[benedict]

Hi,

Some years ago my front wing was replaced due to an object in the garage falling on it. Ever since the repair, my front drivers door has been difficult to close and at a closer look is not in line with the rear door: it has dropped slightly and the bottom of the door appears to be inwards more than the top of the door.

The panel shop must have needed to take the door off to get to the bolts holding on the front wing.

Does anyone know if there is any room for adjustment at the hinge's?

Maybe the hole of the hinge is somewhat larger than the bolt going into the pillar giving some adjustment there?

Thanks

[Gilly]

I believe it is adjustable on a 124, yes. You can just loosen the hinge bolts and find out. Not sure if there is an adjustment on the door side of the hinge though, but I believe on the body side there is.
If the adjustment is fine where the door meets the fender it will be messed up by adjusting though, so consider that.
The striker can be adjusted, possibly this will help, you can examine the striker for an odd wear pattern or you can usually look in to the gap by the striker and tell if it is out of adjustment.
Gilly

[Ferdman]

benedict, the 124 doors are adjustable. Be sure to make some match marks at each hinge so you have several reference points before loosening the hinge bolts. Best to swing the door wide open and support the door from underneath with some wood blocking before loosening any bolts so the door doesn't drop. Use the reference points to make slight, incremental adjustments, snugging up the bolts after each adjustment, until the door fits properly. Once you're satisfied with the fit tighten the hinge bolts to 18ft/lbs (25Nm).

[benedict]

Hi and thanks for your replies.

I wanted to check before cracking the bolts because the panel shop had sprayed the bolts and hinge to cover up the nicks caused by tools.

It's just one of those things that annoy you, but you do get used to putting up with.

I think what finally made me do something about it, is my wife opening and closing it 3 or 4 times every single time she drives my car. I like the solid sound of the thunk, but thunk, then thunk then thunk!

[S124300]

Body shops, in my experience, only need to remove or adjust a W124 door to replace a front wing if they are using a none genuine Benz panel. Having removed several W124 front wings and bought a car with badly fitting front doors with bodyshop front wings fitted, the doors adjusted to nearly their proper position by slackening off the hinge bolts and jiggling the door - a little jiggle goes a long way - but the body shop had also altered the position of the latch plate so that the properly adjusted door wouldn't shut until the latch plate was moved. The front wings of course didn't fit then, but Benz wings did.

[pmckechnie]

I don't want to be dumb but what is a "Wing" on a 124? Down here in the southeast USA, cars don't have wings, only airplanes.

Paul

[porkface]

wing is fender when you live in england. good luck, chuck.

[benedict]

Originally Posted by pmckechnie

I don't want to be dumb but what is a "Wing" on a 124? Down here in the southeast USA, cars don't have wings, only airplanes.

Paul

Sorry, I try to convert most words to US, being a US based forum but sometimes I forget...


Below are a few words with Australian - USA comparison relating to car:-

Australian USA

boot .. trunk
bumper bar .. bumper
bonnet .. hood
wing..fender
windscreen .. windshield
mud guard .. fender
indicators .. indicators, blinkers
petrol .. gas
sealed road .. paved road
gravel .. road metal
bitumen .. asphalt
ute .. pickup truck
lorry .. big rig
car park .. parking lot
bowser .. gas pump
overtake .. pass

And then there are spelling differences such as
tyre..tire

[Gilly]

And the "hood" is the roof.

[Gilly]

I would be worried about an adjustment to the hinges if the side of the fender is in alignment with the door panel. You might just try adjusting the latch stiker first to see if the door can be made to close properly, then see how the doors align with each other.