1. Chapter 13 Servicing Doors, Glass, and Leaks

2. Objectives R and R a door and adjust it Replace both welded and adhesive-bonded door skins Replace an SMC door skin R and R and adjust a door regulator R and I (remove and install) a windshield

3. Objectives (continued) R and I other stationary glass Find and fix air and water leaks Describe gasket, full cutout, and partial cutout glass replacement procedures Describe the basics of vent window and tailgate door glass service

4. Introduction Doors are the most used parts of a vehicle Doors must be strong enough to stay closed and protect the driver and passengers from injury during a collision Doors must seal out water and wind noise to keep the interior dry and quiet Glass adds structural integrity and visibility Windshields, door glass, stationary glass, and related parts must be serviced properly

5. Doors Vehicle doors allow entry into and exit from the passenger compartment –Designed to be strong assemblies that provide easy access Doors must be dependable structural units Doors are commonly damaged in collisions –Important to understand construction and service

6. Door Construction Framed doors surround sides and top of door glass with a metal frame –Door frame seals against the door opening Hardtop doors have glass extending up out of door without a frame around it –Glass must seal against weatherstripping in door Door frame is main steel frame of door –Other parts mount on the door frame Door skin is the panel over door frame

7. Door Construction (continued) Door glass channel serves as a guide for glass to move up and down Door regulator is a gear and arm mechanism for moving glass Door latch engages door striker on vehicle body to hold door closed Door trim panel covers inner door frame Plastic or paper door dust cover fits between inner trim panel and door frame to keep out wind noise

8. Door Adjustments Doors must be adjusted so they close easily, do not rattle, and do not leak When doors on a four-door sedan need adjusting, start at rear door Quarter panel cannot be moved, so rear door must be adjusted to it Front door should be adjusted to fit rear door Front fender can be adjusted to fit front door

9. Door Adjustments (continued) Adjust hardtop windows to fit weatherstripping starting at front edge, working to the back To adjust a door to fit its opening, loosen hinge bolts and use jack to support door Move door as needed to align it, and tighten hinge bolts, repeating until the door fits Loosen door striker and position it as needed Check door and glass to ensure proper alignment of roof rail and weatherstripping

10. Figure 13-3. When working on a door, use a holding tool to keep the door in alignment while removing or installing hinge bolts. This door tool fits over the saddle of the floor jack.

11. Door Adjustments (continued) Door must be aligned in and out to fit panels –Loosen hinge-to-door bolts and shift door as needed, then tighten hinge bolts Center door post, striker pin, and lock determine position of rear of door –Front edge should be slightly in from fender to prevent wind noise Adjust welded hinges by bending slightly

12. Door Inner Trim Panel R and R To work on parts inside door, remove inner door trim and window crank handle Use a forked trim tool to pry the plastic clips out of door trim panel With door panel off, peel back paper water shield to access window regulator When replacing inner trim panel, fit panel over top lip on door and down into position Pop each clip into door, use your hand to pop each clip into place

13. Window Glass and Regulator R and I, Adjustment Small nuts and bolts or rivets secure window regulator and glass guides in position Glass bolts to upper arms of regulator, or it is held on with adhesive To remove glass, unbolt from regulator and remove any parts that prevent sliding it out Roll window all the way up to adjust glass and regulator Inspect where glass contacts inner door channel to be sure it fully seals door

14. Door Lock and Latch R and R Door lock assemblies consist of outside door handle, linkage rods, door lock mechanism, and door latch Replace door handles by raising window, removing interior trim panel and water shield To remove lock place a drop light inside door, pop off small clip holding lock rod, then pry clip off lock

15. Replacing Welded Door Skins Welded door skin has spot welds that hold skin onto frame Remove door and move it to a work area Remove paint from spot welds, and remove spot welds Remove welded portion of skin from door frame using a plasma arc cutter or grinder Grind off edge of door skin hem flange and separate skin from frame

16. Replacing Welded Door Skins (continued) Repair any inner door damage to frame Apply weld-through primer to bare metal surfaces, and cover with an antirust primer Prepare new skin for installation by making holes for plug welds, removing paint from weld and braze locations, and apply primer to metal Attach silencer pad, and apply body sealer Attach new skin to door, welding where required

17. Replacing Welded Door Skins (continued) Use a hammer and dolly to flange hem, and after working the flange within 30 degrees of the frame, use a flanging tool to finish the hem Weld the plug locations of glass opening, and tack weld the hem flange Drill holds in new door skin to accommodate moldings, trim, etc. and install all door parts Prepare door surfaces and install door Use a seam sealer to protect seams from rust

18. Replacing Adhesive-Bonded Door Skins To remove an adhesive-bonded door skin, remove all hardware, trim, and glass from door and remove door from vehicle Grind edge of door, and peel off remaining hem flange using a chisel Sand or grind all areas where door skin meets door frame Thoroughly clean edge of door frame with a good adhesive cleaner Prime sides of door frame with adhesive primer

19. Replacing Adhesive-Bonded Door Skins (continued) Apply adhesive to inside of door skin creases or to door skin side of frame Position door skin on frame, and flange door skin in usual manner Seal crimped seam with seam sealer, and apply antirust compound to inside of door Bond or tack weld tabs at top edge of door skin, and paint and reassemble door

20. Figure 13-12. Installing an adhesive-bonded door skin is similar to installing a welded-on skin. However, you must use a special two-part adhesive to bond the skin onto the frame.

21. Replacing SMC (Composite) Door Skins To replace sheet molded compound (SMC) door skin panes, cut away center of skin Remove remaining door skin by heating bonding areas with a heat gun, and using a prybar/chisel Sand door frame flange, and clean and sand bonding areas to expose SMC fibers Apply a bead of two-part adhesive to door frame flange Set skin on door frame and clamp it

22. Glass Passenger side airbags can sometimes break windshield Air drag is reduced by fitting glass accurately to sheet metal and eliminating trim Stationary glass provides lateral bracing to help prevent roof collapse during a rollover Laminated plate glass consists of a layer of clear plastic between two thin sheets of glass

23. Figure 13-14. Study what happens when laminated glass is broken.

24. Glass (continued) Tempered glass is a single piece of heat-treated glass that shatters into small pieces Tinted glass contains a shaded vinyl material Self-defrosting glass has a conducting grid or invisible layer that carries electrical current –Windshields use transparent conducting medium Window antenna wire for radio reception is either between layers of laminated glass, or printed on glass surface

25. Glass (continued) Anti-lacerative glass has one or more layers of plastic inside of glass Modular or encapsulated glass has a plastic trim molding attached to its edge

26. Windshield Service Two methods of windshield replacement: gasket and adhesive installation When replacing glass, failure to restore original integrity of vehicle could violate federal law Butyl tape alone cannot be used to completely replace urethane because it has no structural bonding properties Windshield gasket is a rubber molding shaped to fit windshield, body and trim

27. Windshield Service (continued) Gasket is grooved to fit glass, a sheet metal flange, and exterior reveal molding Adhesive installation uses adhesive to secure glass, mounted flush with roof panel Reveal molding is metal or plastic trim that fits around glass to cover gap Partial cutout method uses some of the original adhesive, which serves as a base for new adhesive

28. Figure 13-16. When installing windshield with a large rubber gasket, install a piece of cloth cord inside the gasket. Then, when you pull the cord, it will force the edge of the rubber gasket over the lip of the body.

29. Broken Glass Important to clean up pieces of broken glass from seats, carpet and air ducts before returning vehicle to customer Vacuum up as much glass as possible Blow out glass from heater and behind dashboard with low pressure compressed air

30. Windshield Gasket Method Remove interior and exterior moldings, as well as garnish moldings and the rearview mirror Locate locking strip on outside of gasket, and pry up tab to open gasket Use a putty knife to pry gasket away from pinchweld inside and outside of vehicle

31. Windshield Gasket Method (continued) Install setting blocks and spacers, and install glass on blocks to check fit Install glass and gasket assembly in body opening Apply a small bead of waterproof sealer around body side of gasket, install moldings

32. Windshield Full Cutout Method When using full cutout method, first remove windshield Remove rearview mirror, wipers, antenna, moldings and any other parts Using a hook tool, lift molding at bottom of windshield, and remove it carefully Score urethane all the way around outside of windshield Cut through adhesive next to glass

33. Windshield Full Cutout Method (continued) Pneumatic windshield cutters use shop air pressure and a vibrating action Electric adhesive cutters use either 12- or 120- volt power to produce a vibrating action Piano wire can also be used to cut adhesive, but two people are required Cut out remaining urethane adhesive from pinchweld with a razor knife Dry set new windshield, checking for clearance

34. Windshield Full Cutout Method (continued) Use a urethane cleaner on a lint-free dry cloth on the pinchweld area to remove loose urethane Apply a urethane primer to all bare metal in pinchweld area, and to inside contact surface of the windshield all the way around Install square ribbon sealer to inside edge of pinchweld Apply a fast-curing, high-strength urethane adhesive following manufacturer’s directions Install windshield

35. (B) Use a plastic spreader or putty knife to level off and remove excess adhesive. Figure 13-19. Apply adhesive slowly in a uniform bead of the recommended size.

36. Partial Cutout Method Partial cutout method should be used only under ideal curing conditions Most of the steps are the same as for the full cutout method Old adhesive left on pinchweld serves as a base for new adhesive Installation of rear stationary glass is similar to windshield installation When working on small side windows, use duct tape to secure window while working

37. Air and Water Leaks To conduct a water hose test, direct water over gaps in parts that might be leaking To conduct an air hose leak test, place a soapy water solution on possible leakage points, and use low air pressure on inside of vehicle –If soap bubbles, you have a leak An air leak tape test involves covering potential leaks with masking tape and driving vehicle An electronic leak detector uses a signal generator tool and signal detector to find leaks

38. Rearview Mirror Service External rearview mirrors normally bolt to outside of driver and passenger doors Screws on outside or inside of door secure mirrors Gasket fits between mirror and door To replace mirror glass, heat mirror with a heat gun to soften adhesive, then pry off broken pieces of mirror Some interior rearview mirrors attach with adhesive

39. Protect Glass When Welding Glass can be pitted and easily damaged when welding and grinding Hot bits of molten metal falling on glass will burn small pits into the glass –Expensive and time-consuming mistake Always cover all glass with a welding blanket or remove glass when welding or grinding

40. Summary Two basic door designs: framed and hardtop –Framed doors surround sides and top of door glass with a metal frame –Hardtop doors have glass extending out of door without a frame around it Basic parts of a door include –Door frame, skin, glass, glass channel –Regulator, door latch, handles, door trim panel –Dust cover, weatherstripping and rearview mirror

41. Summary (continued) Air leaks will results from improperly adjusted doors, window glass, or damaged weatherstripping Most common causes of water leaks are poor seal around the windshield, window glass, sunroof, doors, or lids