Door literally falling apart, what to do
05-06-2010, 11:06 AM
#1
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Door literally falling apart, what to do Ok, so now Karma is catching up to me for the price I paid for my recent 98 T/A acquisition. My driver's side door is actually falling apart!
This thread my be useless without pics, but I'll try and explain the best I can first and if not add pics later. At the front of my door I can actually pull the top front corner of the door panel away from the rest of the door if that makes sense? The rivets are not connecting it anymore, it looks like someone had almost glued it to the door a while ago and it's just starting to come apart. In other words, I know if I give a good tug or I bet even if the wind were to ever catch that, it would rip right off and you'd be staring at my window and the rest of the inside of the door.
Would bondo be a good solution for this? i really do not want to buy another door because then I would have to sand it down, primer and paint it likely because the paint on the car now is a different white than what these cars came with. I figured i could bondo it back down, give a good sand job and just touch up the paint in that area?
Are there any suggestions for a industrial type glue i can use for the time being? Like I said I think the wind could actually catch this and rip it off the rest of the door!
Thanks in advance for any help/suggestons
This thread my be useless without pics, but I'll try and explain the best I can first and if not add pics later. At the front of my door I can actually pull the top front corner of the door panel away from the rest of the door if that makes sense? The rivets are not connecting it anymore, it looks like someone had almost glued it to the door a while ago and it's just starting to come apart. In other words, I know if I give a good tug or I bet even if the wind were to ever catch that, it would rip right off and you'd be staring at my window and the rest of the inside of the door.
Would bondo be a good solution for this? i really do not want to buy another door because then I would have to sand it down, primer and paint it likely because the paint on the car now is a different white than what these cars came with. I figured i could bondo it back down, give a good sand job and just touch up the paint in that area?
Are there any suggestions for a industrial type glue i can use for the time being? Like I said I think the wind could actually catch this and rip it off the rest of the door!
Thanks in advance for any help/suggestons
05-06-2010, 11:46 AM
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Staging Lane
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yeah maybe door panel was a poor choice of words.
its the outside of the door. i can actually pull the corner right in front of the mirror away from the rest of the door about 4 inches.
im pretty sure its fiberglass?
its the outside of the door. i can actually pull the corner right in front of the mirror away from the rest of the door about 4 inches.
im pretty sure its fiberglass?
05-06-2010, 12:02 PM
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http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/a...high51/4-1.jpg
05-06-2010, 12:11 PM
#6
YEAH the door skin, sorry I just could not think of what to call it.
http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/a...high51/4-1.jpg
http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/a...high51/4-1.jpg
If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, you could always take it to a body shop, but it may be cheaper to buy a door from somebody parting out a TA and replacing it yourself. I'd personally try it myself.
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05-06-2010, 01:18 PM
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I'd get some bondo glass (fiberglass repair) instead of bondo.
If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, you could always take it to a body shop, but it may be cheaper to buy a door from somebody parting out a TA and replacing it yourself. I'd personally try it myself.
If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, you could always take it to a body shop, but it may be cheaper to buy a door from somebody parting out a TA and replacing it yourself. I'd personally try it myself.
05-06-2010, 02:07 PM
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if you find a good way to fix it let me know. im going to pick up some 3M heavy duty adhesive tonight from autozone and give that a go (just temporarily). then I think im going to take the door off and fiberglass/bondo it back together the right way and repaint/touch up.
05-07-2010, 10:20 AM
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Fiberglass or bondo will not work, it will waste your time and money. You need some two part 3m panel bond. Any local shop should be able to do this fairly cheap.
05-09-2010, 03:33 PM
#17
Something to keep in mind to prevent it from happening again in the future is when you put the window all the way down, bump it back up just a smidge. When the windows hit the very bottom they put pressure on the doors and make them bulge. Poor design by GM.
I've always made sure that once they hit bottom to nudge them up just a tad to make the bulge go away. Not sure if the previous owners did or not, but at nearly 148k and original doors and nothing is separating yet.
I've always made sure that once they hit bottom to nudge them up just a tad to make the bulge go away. Not sure if the previous owners did or not, but at nearly 148k and original doors and nothing is separating yet.
05-09-2010, 10:09 PM
#18
Hey:
Superglue gel from like the dollar store works like a charm, just don't get it on everything or you'll wish you hadn't. Three tubes are a dollar, vs $19.00 for the carquest adhesive, with almost the same adhesive makeup. Just apply it in two good lines, not too much and use some good spring or pressure clamps for about 15 mins. I did mine 80,000 miles ago and all is still good even after the coldest winter it has ever been driven in this year.
Dub
When In Doubt Do Without
Superglue gel from like the dollar store works like a charm, just don't get it on everything or you'll wish you hadn't. Three tubes are a dollar, vs $19.00 for the carquest adhesive, with almost the same adhesive makeup. Just apply it in two good lines, not too much and use some good spring or pressure clamps for about 15 mins. I did mine 80,000 miles ago and all is still good even after the coldest winter it has ever been driven in this year.
Dub
When In Doubt Do Without
05-10-2010, 12:03 AM
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