UPDATE:Door button panel rubbing on GTS. How to adjust?

[toddt]

Thank you Dixter for that fine explanation.

I'll take a VERY close look at full door adjustment later today.

You didn't mention the stantion panel, though. Is it adjustable or not, as far as you know?

 

[Tomer]

WINDOW TRACK? Rolled up the window? What? Did the factory forget something on my car??

haha

Tomer
96 RT

 

[toddt]

Tom--

Windows are a somewhat recent innovation in 400HP American sports cars.

You should really look into them.

(no pun intended)

I guess it's the price you pay to have the girls be able to stare at you as you go by.

 

[Bobby Likis]

I had problems with my driver's door since new and on two separate occasions, spent two hours trying to correct. Finally (one year later), I took the whole afternoon off to fix it! I did everything but remove the door. I now know how to adjust the door, door glass, glass stop, window channel, and upright that you are referring to. If you want help, call or e-mail me. There are adjustments for all that are accessible without even removing the door panel.

 

[toddt]

I just had the most amazing experience with Bobby (above)!

Could there be a nicer guy? I don't think so. He walked me out to my car and basically proved to me that my door was sagging and out of alignment!

Not only that, he took the time to walk me through each adjuster on the door and showed me where every window aligning screw was, along with giving me instructions on how to recover from my current mal-adjustment...

As if that weren't enough, Bobby explained why my A/C blows HOT under low vacuum conditions (6th gear on hills)...AND he's sending me the check valve to fix it!

Email me for details and I'll pay it forward...

Thanks Bobby, I mean it--you're the best!

 

[Bobby Likis]

My pleasure.

 

[toddt]

I've searched the archives, but only was able to find out that the panel CAN be independently adjusted.

How is it that it actually gets adjusted?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ulysses]

todd,

I believe that your door has shifted down. Possibly from leaning on it before closing, etc. You have to adjust from the door hinge. Best to let a Viper Tech do it.

 

[toddt]

Actually, I'm fairly sure that's not the case. I've never, not once, leaned on the door. I knew they were delicate before I bought the car (from reading this board, actually!)

Furthermore, the lines on the actual door as compared to the body lines are perfect. No sag is indicated.

Finally, the window track on this door is broken. It is quite possible that when I rolled down and up the window the track pushed the panel.

So does anyone know how to adjust it?

 

[Dixter]

I hope this post will help you ...

The track issue you bring up could certaintly cause for more
investigation in that area, I do not know off the top of my
head how that is adjusted... ( have to look at manual )

But don't discount the door adjustment(s) yet... The door
adjustments are:
1) up and down ( corrects for sag )
2) in and out ( away from and towards the body of the car )
3) rotation ( look at the door from the end while it is open)
4) placement ( symetrically in door cavity )

All adjusted from the door's hinge plate...

The one I'd be looking at is #3... its adjusted on the hinge
plate ( door side )

If you do decide to play around at the hinge plate, you should
mark all the way around the plate with a pencil and the bolts
location as reference before you start anything. You can always
get everything back the way it was before you started....

Just remember, it just takes a very small adjustment to move the
door alot.
There is no doubt in my mind that by adjusting the rotation
of the door it will in fact fix the rubbing. But that may
or maynot be hiding the real culprit.
The rotation can get out of alignment simply by closure of the
door over time.

 

[Dixter]

Aaaah... I see you didn't read my post very well...

remember #3 will correct the rubbing... but the rotation
is adjusted on the door side of the door hinge...

Think of it like this... take a coke can and lay it on its
side on a desk in front of you. Lay it length wise from left
to right. Now imagine the coke can as your door and grab the
left end and pivit the left end towards you. ( you have now
opened your door ) Now rotate the can clock wise about a 1/2
inch. Did you see that if the can had a window coming out of
the top ( length wise ) and you rotated the can that the window
would move away from the frame of the roof???

If you were so inclined you could rotate the door ( on the car ) until the glass was several inches away from the frame... I'm 100% sure the panel couldn't rub even if you wanted it too...

 

[toddt]

Dix--

What you seem to be saying is that I need to rotate the door outward at the top. I don't see how this would help me. First off, the window fits into the rubber quite well. Rotating the top outward would perhaps cause the seal to leak.

Secondly, the problem stems from the rearward-most point on the door button panel rubbing once as it opens and once as it closes. When the door is closed, it is not in contact with the surface of the b-pillar, though it is closer than the other GTS I'm looking at.

 

[Tomer]

Todd, maybe we can look at it tonight

My car has no problems in the area you describe

Tomer

 

[Dixter]

Ok... slowly I'm getting the picture... what it sounds
like from your last description is that the door is too far
back... So if I have the picture correct this time you just
need to move the door forward a smiggen. That adjustment
is again at the door hinge but this time its where the hinge
is mounted to the body. You'll have to loosen both bolts
at the body mount and slide the door forward.
I wouldn't even open the door... just loosen the bolts and
push the door with the palms of your hands planted flat against
the door and push forward.

Wishing you the best of luck ...

 

[toddt]

I took a close look at the other GTS at my office. His doors have MUCH more clearance, and perfectly straight clearance all the way up when closed.

Two hours did I spend yesterday adjusting (it was actually my drivers side, regardless of the pic) my door. In the end I was satisfied that the door was PERFECT, but still the panel rubbed!! Especially when I closed the window (which also looked pretty close to perfect). I only loosened the bulkhead half of the hinge in my efforts. I think I found a methodology for adjusting the door fairly quickly--I'll try to formulate it soon.

My passenger side also seems close, but doesn't rub.

I guess I need to either try again, or to actually move the panel around. I wasn't able to figure out how to get to it.

 

[toddt]

GOOD NEWS!

I attacked the door adjustment again yesterday before our viper get-together in Danville.

Bingo! I was able to use the two center bolts on the bulkhead side of the hinge to lever the door forward, like so:

(numbering bolts on bulkhead hinge from top to bottom, 1-4)

Loosen 1 and 4.

Support door, loosen 3.

Lower door slightly till hinge moves.
Tighten 3 loosen 2.
Raise door till hinge moves. Tighten 2.
(I've now actually raised the door HEIGHT, which I wanted to do)

Check door alignment. If wrong loosen 3 and pivot on 2.

When correct, tighten all.

This worked for me...no more rubbing!

 

[getbit]

Two of my Vipers have had this same problem. Dealer fixed it both times with a little adjustment. Congratulations on taking care of business yourself!