removing the complete door
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 161
Likes: 8
removing the complete door
Im repainting a 1990, doing a color change so looking to remore the doors, Can anyoner provide some info on the process and any tips or issuies, Any help would be much appreciated
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,263
Likes: 414
From: Muskogee OK
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Hated that job
Either have a muscular helper, a hoist system or door alignment platform. Those suckers weight about 85# and getting them realigned where a half millimeter is crucial is a PITA to do by yourself. I spent a couple hours doing mine in the garage by myself.
You'll test the tensile strength of the wiring harnesses inside it if you aren't prepared for it. Open up the door panels, remove the wiring, follow the main bundle with your hands and make absolutely certain it's all free from all the mounting clips and switches and whatnot inside. Then be prepared to find out you missed a mounting point and the harness is held fast behind the glass...
It takes about an hour for the internal prep work the 1st time. If it doesn't take you that long, you probably missed a spot or 2. A good flashlight and long sleeve shirt to protect your arms and wrists from scrapes or cuts are essential.
You'll test the tensile strength of the wiring harnesses inside it if you aren't prepared for it. Open up the door panels, remove the wiring, follow the main bundle with your hands and make absolutely certain it's all free from all the mounting clips and switches and whatnot inside. Then be prepared to find out you missed a mounting point and the harness is held fast behind the glass...
It takes about an hour for the internal prep work the 1st time. If it doesn't take you that long, you probably missed a spot or 2. A good flashlight and long sleeve shirt to protect your arms and wrists from scrapes or cuts are essential.
Last edited by flannel_man; Jan 25, 2025 at 04:46 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,394
Likes: 2,741
Yes, prepping the harness for removal is quite an effort. A study of the 10-6 section of the FSM can help considerably but there's routing retainers that for certain you'll likely miss. An hour the first door would be very good, I wouldn't plan on just an hour. An hour for the inspection and study of the inner door likely before you start? Yes. You need to understand that harness to component connectors are going to be very brittle. It's a test of patience for sure. The mirror harness routing is a treat by it's self. If you intend to do a very good jamb job get digital images of the driver's door tire placard and the certification labels before you start. From most vendors plan on 80+$$ for duplication, maybe more these days. No snapshots, no labels. The shop doing the refinish maybe have an ECS account and could help with the purchase. Are there others? Maybe but if quality interests you I'd suggest ECS. Buy mirror gaskets before you start and I believe new retainers for lock cylinder and rod mechanisms.
Snapshots of witness marks for all door hinge mounting points and hardware. Now's the time for pins and bushings on for sure drivers door and maybe the other.
https://ecsauto.com/
Snapshots of witness marks for all door hinge mounting points and hardware. Now's the time for pins and bushings on for sure drivers door and maybe the other.
https://ecsauto.com/
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,263
Likes: 414
From: Muskogee OK
Cruise-In VI Veteran
^^^
Oh gosh yeah, that darn mirror harness is the bulk of the time you'll spend, the rest of the harness is way more accessible. Luckily I don't have power locks so my harness removal was a little less involved. If at all possible do this work in a heated garage. Cold temps will make the plastic connectors even more brittle than they already are
Oh gosh yeah, that darn mirror harness is the bulk of the time you'll spend, the rest of the harness is way more accessible. Luckily I don't have power locks so my harness removal was a little less involved. If at all possible do this work in a heated garage. Cold temps will make the plastic connectors even more brittle than they already are
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,354
Likes: 325
From: San Antonio Tx
I had five layers of paint to remove and the door jambs were really rough so I had to remove the doors to sand them. I usually work alone so I made a jig to remove and install the doors. I used a padded moving blanket on the jig to reinstall.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 161
Likes: 8
Thanks for the info, i guess i,ll have to drill out the rivets of the door lock actuator as you cant access the plug to disconnect, other them that looks like eveything else is straight forward,,ll post some pics of the progress as it moves along
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