Loud "cracking" noise from door

[Gareth]

Every time I open the passenger' door I hear a loud "crack"

Upon investigation (as Sherlock Homes would say) it appear that this is coming from
the junction of the front wing panel and the front leading edge of the door.

It looks like the edge of the door panel should overlap the edge of the wing when opening the door but on
my car it's actually hitting the end of the wing which causes the noise.

I can also see this as the paint finish has rubbed off at this point

Any suggestions for an easy "idiot proof" solution?

[rip]

Wait until the weather changes:- the panels move a little due to the heat (honest).
Can you adjust your doors or clamshell at all? Just a little may be enough.

[Gareth]

Wait until the weather changes:- the panels move a little due to the heat (honest).
Can you adjust your doors or clamshell at all? Just a little may be enough.

Unfortunately the Science of car mechanics/bodywork are all a mystery to me

How is the door or clamshell adjusted ?

"idiot proof" instructions appreciated

[dapinky]

Just being really pessimistic here (and i hope your's is the easier solution).....


...when this started on the red one, i was expecting to just adjust the door/'A' panel gaps, but found that the reason for the original door movement was due to a collapsing rusted lower door hinge.

This is a replacement door situation, so i hope yours is still sound and just needs the 'simple' adjustment.

[Gordon]

...i was expecting to just adjust the door/'A' panel gaps, but found that the reason for the original door movement was due to a collapsing rusted lower door hinge.

That's exactly what I had - the scrap door is still in my back garden...
Scrap door - with pictures
No doubt at all that in the event of a side impact, the door strength would be seriously compromised...
Gordon

[RichardK]

I have the same problem on my passenger door too - but only when it is really sunny. I am pretty sure my adjustment is not due to rust penetration the car is a garage queen with bugger all rust anywhere except the rear disks..... can anyone point me in the right direction as to which bolts/screws/washers to adjust first.

Cheers ( and apologies for the slight highjack of the thread)

Richard

[Gordon]

Very quick test for rust (as it's not very obvious until you dig at it..)

Open the door about half way, and see if there is any lift/drop in the door (as in checking for hinge wear). The hinge pins themselves are quite over-engineered, and dont seem prone to wear - if there is any lift/drop in the door - it's probably a rusty door hinge...

Gordon.

[Gareth]

I have the same problem on my passenger door too - but only when it is really sunny. I am pretty sure my adjustment is not due to rust penetration the car is a garage queen with bugger all rust anywhere except the rear disks..... can anyone point me in the right direction as to which bolts/screws/washers to adjust first.

Cheers ( and apologies for the slight highjack of the thread)

Richard

Ditto above

Same request

[Gareth]

Very quick test for rust (as it's not very obvious until you dig at it..)

Open the door about half way, and see if there is any lift/drop in the door (as in checking for hinge wear). The hinge pins themselves are quite over-engineered, and dont seem prone to wear - if there is any lift/drop in the door - it's probably a rusty door hinge...

Gordon.

Thanks

Just checked as suggested : no lift/drop

But guess what : put car back in Garage earlier : noise has now stopped : could it be that temperature
has an impact? (as suggested by Richard K & Rip)

Still request "idiot proof" tips on adjusting door

[paulwatkins]

It sounds as though the panel between the door and front wheel has moved slightly.

You need to reposition it and then tighten the bolts (behind the panel) that hold it in place. You get to the bolts by opening the door and using a socket on a flexi-drive.

[John_W]

Gareth, Richard,
Mine started doing this at the Hethel 60th in September. I gave the A panel a gentle shove in and it stopped.
For a proper solution you'll probably have to tighten the bolts or shim it somehow. See the attached image.

John

[Exbury]

Ditto with mine, I just have not got around to fixing it yet. There should be bolt heads visible when you open the door at the bottom of the wing on the inside, need a flexible driver or bend a cheap spanner to fit, its a little tricky but is possible to get in. The next question will be - do the screws bite and clamp the wing in the right position!

[Gordon]

The two bolts securing the lower edge of the panel to the sill tap into "rawl nuts".
Rawl Nuts
These are rubber, with a brass insert, and they expand and clamp as the bolt is tigtened.
Lotus use them alot, but the rubber gives up with time, and they stop clamping...
The remains of an expired rawl nut can be a swine to get out aswell, as the brass insert will be bound onto the threads of the rusty bolt, but parted company with the remains of the rubber housing...

Incidently, the two sill bolts on mine have a clamping plate bridging between the two, which seems like an excellent idea..

Gordon.

[martin_bailey_1]

Gareth,

If it helps, here's a photo of the (L/H) hinge aperture on my car:

Dsc00943x.jpg

You can see one of the bottom 'A' panel mounting bolts at the right hand end of the photo (the one with the large washer under the bolt head.)

Also visible, are the various door hinge mounting bolts...... you may be able to adjust the door slightly, but If it were me I'd definitely be having a go at the 'A' panel first ..... the bolts are slightly more awkward to access, but the panel's much lighter and easier to manhandle

Good luck,

Martin,

[Gareth]

Thanks to all for the advice/tips/diagrams/photographs

I'm off to buy a sledgehammer to undo the screws/nuts

[kurgen]

I have the same problem. Cure? In my case a smear of vaseline on the wing, the door slides over it nice and quite now...
regards
dave

[ShaunM]

I had the same problem and did the vaseline trick (kurgen) and also the a-panel shove (John_W) to temporarily fix this problem. It has scraped a little paint off the A-Panel, but slides over okay now.

Will have a go at the bolts (nice one John_W) and adjust when it's nice and warm - a good sunday morning job, with the "treat" of an afternoon drive as reward