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serious door issue!! Need help

 
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rockhound72  



Joined: 29 Oct 2012
Posts: 107
Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas

PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2015 1:00 am    Post subject: serious door issue!! Need help Reply with quote

Apparently this is an issue in older Audi cars too. The pillar where my upper door hinge is attached is literally tearing loose! A repair shop said the would have to cut into the side to weld a plate from the inside. Can I just get a good carbon steel plate welded to the pillar and have the hinge welded to that? My door drops almost 3" when I open it. The door is literally tearing off because of its weight. It all started d when a lady bumped into the driver's front side bumper. What can I do? I feel better asking you pros rather than a body shop.
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michaelodonnell123  



Joined: 20 Mar 2015
Posts: 235
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2015 1:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the pillar itself is tearing loose then that needs to be addressed first. I don't think your suggestion of welding a carbon plate to a pillar that is already tearing loose will address that. Sounds to me like your body shop is on the right path.
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JasonK  



Joined: 01 May 2014
Posts: 28
Location: Detroit, MI

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 7:27 am    Post subject: Re: serious door issue!! Need help Reply with quote

rockhound72 wrote:
The pillar where my upper door hinge is attached is literally tearing loose! A repair shop said the would have to cut into the side to weld a plate from the inside. Can I just get a good carbon steel plate welded to the pillar and have the hinge welded to that? My door drops almost 3" when I open it.


Is the pillar moving (with the hinge) or is the hinge separated from the pillar?
Can you lift the door while it's open and see what moves?

The hinge on one of my doors was welded by PO, it's not perfect I had to adjust the door a bit with some washers (as spacers) but my pillars are solid.
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rockhound72  



Joined: 29 Oct 2012
Posts: 107
Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The pillar is moving with the hinge. The pillar is tearing from the weight of the door. I may have a solution for it now. Thx.
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bhartb  



Joined: 05 Jun 2013
Posts: 3
Location: Sacramento, CA

PostPosted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:35 pm    Post subject: Re: serious door issue!! Need help Reply with quote

My door is having a similar problem. Both hinges in the drivers side have been welded to the surface of the pillar skin and now the skin is tearing. The door drops as much as an inch and is knocking the door post, messing up my new paint. A shop in Auburn, CA said they have done a rebuild of the hinges before and I should expect $1200-$2000 to get it fixed.
I wonder if I can take off the fender and get to the other side of the pillar and place a 1/4" steel strap on the other side and drill through it and the center of the upper hinge to pull it together with a bolt.
What do you all think, possible? thnx!
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jason c  



Joined: 13 Jan 2014
Posts: 1018
Location: Nwi

PostPosted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 3:25 pm    Post subject: Re: serious door issue!! Need help Reply with quote

bhartb wrote:
My door is having a similar problem. Both hinges in the drivers side have been welded to the surface of the pillar skin and now the skin is tearing. The door drops as much as an inch and is knocking the door post, messing up my new paint. A shop in Auburn, CA said they have done a rebuild of the hinges before and I should expect $1200-$2000 to get it fixed.
I wonder if I can take off the fender and get to the other side of the pillar and place a 1/4" steel strap on the other side and drill through it and the center of the upper hinge to pull it together with a bolt.
What do you all think, possible? thnx!


There's no access to the backside of the pillar through the wheel well area without cutting into the pillar. There is some limited access through some holes in the kick panel area on the inside.
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bhartb  



Joined: 05 Jun 2013
Posts: 3
Location: Sacramento, CA

PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2015 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Jason C:
Does this mean there is no practical alternative to major surgery? thnx
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jason c  



Joined: 13 Jan 2014
Posts: 1018
Location: Nwi

PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2015 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bhartb wrote:
Hi Jason C:
Does this mean there is no practical alternative to major surgery? thnx


Depends on what you consider major surgery. Once it really starts to tear off, you'll have to get it back into position & weld it back together. If its too tore up to put back together & weld (the metal fatigues, cracks & small pieces fall off) you'll probably have to cut the pillar (or part of it) off. If you can make a reinforcement piece to fit inside the pillar to support the hinge mount by welding it to the hinge mount & the rest of the pillar, the repair will last longer. You may have to make one of the access holes on the inside larger to get a piece in.

In rereading your question, I'm not sure I understood you correctly. I think now you might have been asking about putting a through bolt though the back side of the pillar (towards the front of the car) & out the center of the hinge using a strap as a washer?
If so, yes that is possible. You would have to notch the mounting flange of the fender to fit around it because the fender sits flat on the surface & covers the pillar. The problem is that it will then put a stress on the back of the pillar & it will eventually fatigue & pull through.
There's no access to the inside of the pillar from under the fender, which is what I initially thought you were asking....putting a piece of strap on the inside & bolting it in.

If it were my car, I would replace the pillar for a factory (or better) repair. Given that most diy don't have the equipment to do it that way & most don't have the money to pay a shop, you'll have to do the best you can with what you have.
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Fasteddie313  



Joined: 29 Sep 2013
Posts: 2596
Location: MI

PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whenever I need to fix something, I always think "How can I upgrade this?"..

(yellow not a Porsche)




Vid of hinge operation on 944 + pasha..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zfehF5xAog

Cut out old hinge area, mount new hinges to chassis under fender, problem solved... May even be cheaper, <$400 for hinges + install..


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fiat22turbo  



Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 4040
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fasteddie313 wrote:
Whenever I need to fix something, I always think "How can I upgrade this?"

Cut out old hinge area, mount new hinges to chassis under fender, problem solved... May even be cheaper, <$400 for hinges + install..




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rockhound72  



Joined: 29 Oct 2012
Posts: 107
Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas

PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have considered that type of door. I like it!
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