C5 Stress crack in Drivers door
03-22-2018, 06:32 AM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
C5 Stress crack in Drivers door
I was told by the repair center that the driver's door had a stress crack - starts at the top inside door and goes down, I could put my finger nail in the crack and that was why the window would not seal properly. How hard is it to repair this?? Thanks for your help.
03-22-2018, 09:09 AM
#2
Le Mans Master
Could be a big project.
First deduce why there is stress, what cracked the door.
Why I say big is perhaps you need to get inside the door and apply support to the area where cracking. This may involve removing the window mechanism.
Then the outside. "V" the crack and maybe drill holes at the top and bottom of the crack to stop the crack from growing.
Then remove mirror, door handle, belt moulding etc to prepare for paint.
Also be aware of paint mil thickness, so some original paint may need to be remove before painting.
Also note depending on the color, you may need to blend the paint onto adjacent panels.
Noting, perhaps likely clear paint coat will be sprayed onto the adjacent panels anyway.
Noting, again you need to remove any trim on those adjacent panels.
You could even go so far as removing the panels and paint them off the car.
Then polishing to match the orange peel of the rest of the car's paint texture.
So I think a big project depending on your perfection goals.
That's some cent guidance from me.
Good luck.
First deduce why there is stress, what cracked the door.
Why I say big is perhaps you need to get inside the door and apply support to the area where cracking. This may involve removing the window mechanism.
Then the outside. "V" the crack and maybe drill holes at the top and bottom of the crack to stop the crack from growing.
Then remove mirror, door handle, belt moulding etc to prepare for paint.
Also be aware of paint mil thickness, so some original paint may need to be remove before painting.
Also note depending on the color, you may need to blend the paint onto adjacent panels.
Noting, perhaps likely clear paint coat will be sprayed onto the adjacent panels anyway.
Noting, again you need to remove any trim on those adjacent panels.
You could even go so far as removing the panels and paint them off the car.
Then polishing to match the orange peel of the rest of the car's paint texture.
So I think a big project depending on your perfection goals.
That's some cent guidance from me.
Good luck.
The following users liked this post:
Z06Berlin (03-22-2018)
03-22-2018, 06:37 PM
#3
Race Director
FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH:
In my opinion....
Drilling holes in the SMC to keep the crack from growing does NOT apply here. On a metal panel it can be done...but not in this scenario. It is pointless because when SMC cracks...it does not crack straight through the panel like metal does. It cracks laterally due to how the panel is layered with the fiberglass during manufacturing. So...there is no way ion knowing how or where to drill the hole.....thus....pointless. OR at least in the countless cracks in SMC I have repaired...I can not count on one hand the number of cracks that went straight through the panel. And usually when it cracks...it destroys the integrity of the layers of fiberglass...and it needs to be ground down to good solid SMC before a repair can begin. Which also means dealing with a hole that was drilled into the panel that you are going to fill back in was also a waste if time and does nothing. But do as you wish.
As for advising you on how to repair it. A good photo of the damaged area would be a great help so I can see the extent of the crack and where it is and have you describe how the panel reacts when you apply pressure to it to see if you can get the crack to grow or not...which can then begin to be a part of a structural repair and not simply filling in a crack.
Or do as 'Kenny94945' suggested and hope for the best.
DUB
In my opinion....
Drilling holes in the SMC to keep the crack from growing does NOT apply here. On a metal panel it can be done...but not in this scenario. It is pointless because when SMC cracks...it does not crack straight through the panel like metal does. It cracks laterally due to how the panel is layered with the fiberglass during manufacturing. So...there is no way ion knowing how or where to drill the hole.....thus....pointless. OR at least in the countless cracks in SMC I have repaired...I can not count on one hand the number of cracks that went straight through the panel. And usually when it cracks...it destroys the integrity of the layers of fiberglass...and it needs to be ground down to good solid SMC before a repair can begin. Which also means dealing with a hole that was drilled into the panel that you are going to fill back in was also a waste if time and does nothing. But do as you wish.
As for advising you on how to repair it. A good photo of the damaged area would be a great help so I can see the extent of the crack and where it is and have you describe how the panel reacts when you apply pressure to it to see if you can get the crack to grow or not...which can then begin to be a part of a structural repair and not simply filling in a crack.
Or do as 'Kenny94945' suggested and hope for the best.
DUB
04-29-2018, 12:03 PM
#4
Heel & Toe
Very interested. I have the same on my 2004 Z06. There is a crack in the door right over the locking mechanism and now (after some track-days), I see some spider-web on the door-panel itself. Sorry, I don’t have pic’s..
One mechanic suggested cracked frame – which scared the he** out of me.
How common is this thing?
What causes it and how can it be rectified?
Obviously, just fixing the crack (the symptom) is not going to solve the problem.
Last edited by R.c. Ness; 04-29-2018 at 12:03 PM.
04-29-2018, 12:35 PM
#5
Race Director
Without GOOD photos..I am just guessing.
If the part that is bolted to your door that latches into the latching mechanism that is located in your door jamb 'B' pillar. And that part on the door and around it is cracked.
YES...due to you running this on the track hard...you can get some twist and flex and this area can possible crack due to repetitive fatigue.
Can the frame of your car have a crack in it allowing more movement in it. YES it can. Does it??? I do not know if it does.
But what I DO know is that even though the frame on your car is one of the stoutest that GM has produced for a Corvette. It I still not immune to fatigue and overtime it can crack.
DUB
If the part that is bolted to your door that latches into the latching mechanism that is located in your door jamb 'B' pillar. And that part on the door and around it is cracked.
YES...due to you running this on the track hard...you can get some twist and flex and this area can possible crack due to repetitive fatigue.
Can the frame of your car have a crack in it allowing more movement in it. YES it can. Does it??? I do not know if it does.
But what I DO know is that even though the frame on your car is one of the stoutest that GM has produced for a Corvette. It I still not immune to fatigue and overtime it can crack.
DUB
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R.c. Ness (04-29-2018)
05-20-2018, 05:24 PM
#6
Instructor
Thread Starter
Turns out it wasn't a stress crack. The crack was caused by the car being pickup up by a water funnel and dropped. Ended up obtaining a used door and am now waiting for the repair to be completed. So much for the car had never been in an accident, only if you report the car to your insurance company to get repaired will it show up in Carfax. Jim
05-21-2018, 04:51 PM
#7
Safety Car
Turns out it wasn't a stress crack. The crack was caused by the car being pickup up by a water funnel and dropped. Ended up obtaining a used door and am now waiting for the repair to be completed. So much for the car had never been in an accident, only if you report the car to your insurance company to get repaired will it show up in Carfax. Jim
