Need help with door ajar switch
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 420
Likes: 1
From: Lapeer MI
Need help with door ajar switch (updated with pics)
Here is what happened.
1) Took switch out
2) Had vehicle repainted
3) Tried to put switch back in...failed
4) Tried to use a tap to clean paint out of threads
5) Broke the rivets that hold the switch fastener on
Now I have a tap sticking out of my door. I cannot seem to reach the fastener very well. I've come at it from inside the car and through the access plate in the wheel well. If I'm lucky enough to remove the tap, how will I be able to get a new fastener riveted up?
FRSTR90 and I have this problem at the same time. Has anyone solved this problem before?
Thanks in advance for the replies.
1) Took switch out
2) Had vehicle repainted
3) Tried to put switch back in...failed
4) Tried to use a tap to clean paint out of threads
5) Broke the rivets that hold the switch fastener on
Now I have a tap sticking out of my door. I cannot seem to reach the fastener very well. I've come at it from inside the car and through the access plate in the wheel well. If I'm lucky enough to remove the tap, how will I be able to get a new fastener riveted up?
FRSTR90 and I have this problem at the same time. Has anyone solved this problem before?
Thanks in advance for the replies.
Last edited by Red_Shift; Apr 27, 2007 at 12:28 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Those aluminum pop rivets are pretty soft, aren't they?
Looks to me like your option is to get to the back, remove the plate and the tap. Clean the threads, drill the pop rivets out and put the plate back on with new rivets. Not had this problem, but that looks to me as the fix. The back should be accessible from the kick panel. Maybe tie a string on the tap so you can pull the plate back up.
When you drill out the rivets, go slow and use a sharp bit. Try to not spin the rivets in the glass.
Looks to me like your option is to get to the back, remove the plate and the tap. Clean the threads, drill the pop rivets out and put the plate back on with new rivets. Not had this problem, but that looks to me as the fix. The back should be accessible from the kick panel. Maybe tie a string on the tap so you can pull the plate back up.
When you drill out the rivets, go slow and use a sharp bit. Try to not spin the rivets in the glass.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 420
Likes: 1
From: Lapeer MI
Done
5 hours later I have the tap removed. And what a nasty little task it was. I was unable to get the the hidden fastener that came loose as I was trying to clean the paint out of the treads. I ended up having to make my own way.
First thing I did was use a Dremel tool and with a diamond cutting tip and cut enlarge the hole inside the access area in the wheel well. This was the longest step because its such a small area and very difficult to position the Dremel in there.
Hole before...
Hole after...
It doesn't look like much but there are hours of cutting there.
I was able to pull the fastener and the tap just barely through the enlarged hole. Once it was out of the car it was easy to remove the tap.
The grounding wire was hardly hanging on so I cut it off, cleaned up the metal, and drilled and tapped a new terminal to the fastener. I added a little anti-seize just for good measure.
Then I proceded to drill out the old rivets and fasten the switch fastener to the fiberglass body. All I needed to do then was run my wires through and attach the switch.
BTW: The other side took less then 5 mins to clean the threads, connect and install the switch. 5 hrs vs. 5 mins.
First thing I did was use a Dremel tool and with a diamond cutting tip and cut enlarge the hole inside the access area in the wheel well. This was the longest step because its such a small area and very difficult to position the Dremel in there.
Hole before...
Hole after...
It doesn't look like much but there are hours of cutting there.
I was able to pull the fastener and the tap just barely through the enlarged hole. Once it was out of the car it was easy to remove the tap.
The grounding wire was hardly hanging on so I cut it off, cleaned up the metal, and drilled and tapped a new terminal to the fastener. I added a little anti-seize just for good measure.
Then I proceded to drill out the old rivets and fasten the switch fastener to the fiberglass body. All I needed to do then was run my wires through and attach the switch.
BTW: The other side took less then 5 mins to clean the threads, connect and install the switch. 5 hrs vs. 5 mins.
