Is there anything we can do to prevent it from happening? Is modding it the way Phil did it the only/best way to go? Regards, John Tien DOC 8 RHD 3046 --- Daniel Shane <dan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> »¡¡G > Hi Phil, > > That was bloody lucky mate. Normally the plate that > is bolted to the > fibreglass moves over time and causes the fibreglass > to break off. We've > seen that and it's a nightmare to fix. > > Glad you got it sorted > > Dan > > > On 16/5/06 23:55, "Phill Wright" <psw@xxxxxxxx> > wrote: > > > Hiya ... > > > > well, the generally reliable (disgustingly I'm > told) 'Sorbet', > > decided it was time summat broke the other day, > and tried to eat me > > in the process :-). > > While closing the drivers door there was a very > loud crack and the > > door collapsed onto me :( > > Immediate thoughts was torsion bar failure, but > fortunately it was > > less serious. > > What had happened was the lower pivot for the door > gas strut had > > sheared off!! > > I was very lucky that the strut dropped into the > door channel and > > not onto the stainless or some serious damage > could have resulted - > > it was close judging by the scrape up the rubber > seal right to the > > edge of the stainless. > > Main problem in the repair was the bolt had > sheared off in the mount > > attached to the car body, this is fixed to the > inner skin of the > > fibreglass tub. It was obvious the broken stud > wasn't going to be > > removed in situ, so, the mount had to be removed. > To get the mount > > out you need to dremel out the shape of the > bracket from the outer > > skin (its hidden under the door seal so can't be > seen after anyway) > > and take the mount off the car. This done the > broken stud was still > > unremoveable and I opted to grind off the welded > on fixing nut and > > fit a new one - this involved turning a shoulder > on a 10mm nut and > > brazing it into the plate. > > The mounting plate is no longer available at > Houston (though shown > > as available at just over $3 ). > > The actual pivots are available at about ¢G5.00 a > pair! so, perhaps > > it would be worth investing in a pair to save you > having the same > > problem - they are 25yrs old now and take a lot of > sideways stress. > > I've taken a few pics of the repair - 3 are linked > here, note the > > long temporary bolts - these are used to stop the > backplate that the > > two fixing bolts go into from dissappearing in > between the skins, > > never to be seen again! > > Pic of the sheared off pivot ... > > > http://www.fab1.net/sorbet/strutfail/broken-stud.jpg > > Pic of repaired mount plate ... > > > http://www.fab1.net/sorbet/strutfail/repaired-plate.jpg > > Pic of the door frame with the dremelled out shape > and plate > > removed - note the long retaining bolts to allow > the plate to be > > slid out the hole while keeping the backplate in > place! .. > > http://www.fab1.net/sorbet/strutfail/removed.jpg > > > > PhillW > > DOC233 > > VIN 6772 (de-cat'ed and sounding lovely) > > AVI and SERA > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > DOC UK Website: www.deloreans.co.uk > > Unsubscribe: doc-uk-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > ** Unless otherwise stated, all messages posted to > the group are assumed > > public and may be printed in the club magazine ** > > > > > > > > > > > > YAHOO! 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