Rear DS door stop pushed through door - club advice/help wanted!

[Shuksan]

Well this is an odd one but apparently I am not the first:

Rear Doors Tearing at Door Stops?

Finally..........getting going on these. This one I unbolted and let hang for months. As a result it reduced the tear out. I’m going to tack the cracks and then put on a 18 ga plate. I’m accessing thru the speaker hole.

forum.ih8mud.com

My ds rear door stop had a little clunk for awhile, but I didn't ever think too much of it. Today it wouldn't close right and this is what I discovered:

I took the door stop off of the B-pillar and pushed it through into the door so it wouldn't damage the sheet metal anymore.

 

[bassguyry]

Mine's been that way since I bought it.

I guess you could weld a little bit of sheet metal in there and reattach the door stop, but I just haven't cared enough to do so.

 

[Shuksan]

I ordered a new doorstop from partsouq for $75 shipped, which should be here in a few day or early next week. Beyond that I am assessing options and would like to call on the collective club brain.

Option 1: Find a new door. @Stuckinthe80s might have a white one available? but painting wouldn't be worth the cost probably. @DanielChase you don't need a functioning rear ds door on your 100 do you?

Option 2: Take new door stop to a body shop, have them cut and weld in a new piece of metal. Could paint myself and wouldn't need to look nice since it isn't really seen. Any ideas on what this would cost? and anyone have a recommendation for someone to go to?

Option 3: Basically like option 2, but do it myself. I just completed my first ever welding project so what is another? My hesitation here is my impression that body work like this is much harder than welding a bumper due to the thinner metal. Also it seems that it is quite important to get the door stop positioned just right to have it function properly in the future. Maybe some folks that have done body work have an opinion here (@AimCOTaco )

 

[Shuksan]

Mine's been that way since I bought it.

I guess you could weld a little bit of sheet metal in there and reattach the door stop, but I just haven't cared enough to do so.

So your door just flings open and closed?

 

[AimCOTaco]

I know this happens to 100's and probably other 'yotas as well. I try to keep users from letting my doors swing to the stops and so far haven't torn one out on off camber windy adventures.... yet.

It seems plausible to make a patch panel that would accept the jamb and be installed inside the door and held by some spot/rosette welds... I could check it out and see what I think we could come up with.

I'd fix that door vs replacing, I think it would be eaiser to get a door jam lined up than a whole door and don't have all the paint match issues.

OR: Just weld that door shut, you have others ;-)

 

[bassguyry]

So your door just flings open and closed?

It closes just fine. Just doesn't stay open all that well once it's opened.

 

[J1000]

I say try to weld it yourself since it's hidden from view except when the door is open and if you screw it up then find a replacement door to swap on. I try to be gentle when opening my doors especially on a hill for this reason.

 

[SteveH]

My hesitation here is my impression that body work like this is much harder than welding a bumper due to the thinner metal.

This is somewhat true, and you need (ideally) a gas-shielded 220v wire feed welder for best results. you can't use a big old nasty arc welder. But, the only way to learn to weld sheet metal is to jump in and do it. You can turn the amps and feed down and make a series of spot welds and pull that off. At least the fix will not be super visible and you can spray-bomb it when done to match. I'd fix that existing door and then figure out how to get that door check to move a lot more readily and put less stress on the door.

 

[OHUZJ100]

A rising sun member has posted their fix here. Just can remember their name.

I am also apart of the rear passenger door hole club

 

[Shuksan]

A rising sun member has posted their fix here. Just can remember their name.

I am also apart of the rear passenger door hole club

Guess this is more common than a 3 page mud thread suggests. Likely to happen more and more as the 100s turn 20.

 

[Shuksan]

I say try to weld it yourself since it's hidden from view except when the door is open and if you screw it up then find a replacement door to swap on. I try to be gentle when opening my doors especially on a hill for this reason.

This is what I am leaning towards. My to do list just got a little bigger.

 

[On the RX]

I'm pretty decent at welding small stuff like this. I could teach you if you want! I went ahead and took the pro course at the JB Weld School. All you really have to do is make sure to smoosh the putty together real well before applying it and then give it enough time to set up. I would maybe buy around twelve tubes and stuff that empty hole section and then press the new piece in till its lined up just so. Probably smear some around on the outside to get a nice overlap and then click send. BOOM! Bobs your uncle!

On a more serious note, I would, if there is enough working space, weld it back on while its attached to the b-pillar to make sure you have good alignment. I am by no means a welder and this is just spitballing. I would not suggest the JB weld!

 

[Shuksan]

I'm pretty decent at welding small stuff like this. I could teach you if you want! I went ahead and took the pro course at the JB Weld School. All you really have to do is make sure to smoosh the putty together real well before applying it and then give it enough time to set up. I would maybe buy around twelve tubes and stuff that empty hole section and then press the new piece in till its lined up just so. Probably smear some around on the outside to get a nice overlap and then click send. BOOM! Bobs your uncle!

On a more serious note, I would, if there is enough working space, weld it back on while its attached to the b-pillar to make sure you have good alignment. I am by no means a welder and this is just spitballing. I would not suggest the JB weld!

Oh sarcasm in text works so great. I was reading the first part...

I am gonna give welding it a go. How hard can it be? Worst case... I burn my truck down.

 

[On the RX]

Oh sarcasm in text works so great. I was reading the first part...

My backwoods ohio part of my brain took over for a second!

 

[Shuksan]

This was one person's solution in that mud thread:

Hey if it works, it works.

 

[On the RX]

I was actually thinking of some strong rivets and nylon strap or webbing with a medium stretch factor but since you ordered the new part, that seemed like the best way to go. Maybe you could even put a thicker piece of steel in there with some puddle welds to reinforce that section in an attempt to keep it from happening again. I guess that all depends on how much space you have when it's closed.

 

[bassguyry]

This was one person's solution in that mud thread:
View attachment 94414
Hey if it works, it works.

This is 100% my level of engineering/problem solving.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Is this happening from doors slamming open? Wind, hills, etc?

 

[Shuksan]

I was actually thinking of some strong rivets and nylon strap or webbing with a medium stretch factor but since you ordered the new part, that seemed like the best way to go. Maybe you could even put a thicker piece of steel in there with some puddle welds to reinforce that section in an attempt to keep it from happening again. I guess that all depends on how much space you have when it's closed.

I was thinking about a few pop rivets to hold the new sheet metal in place while I tack. Others have put a little reinforcement plate in. I am gonna do 16 gauge sheet since others have had success with that. I might make a plate to reinforce the area and put that on top to "double up".

 

[Shuksan]

Is this happening from doors slamming open? Wind, hills, etc?

This has been discussed on the Mud thread. The fact that it breaks to the inside of the door would suggest that it is actually during door closing. Folks seem to think it is do to the door check not operating smoothly during door closing so the metal flexes a bit before the mechanism kicks in. Over time it stresses the metal, cracks further misalign the door check and it gets worse until the metal fails.

Solution seems to be keeping mechanism clean and well lubed, being gentle on rear doors (especially when out wheeling and you stop on a hill), and check for fatigue. Some folks have caught with just little cracks and just put a reinforcement plate on. Also I didn't see any reports of this happening on the front doors, which typically get used 10-100x more.