Changing a door (3dr)

[C.A.R.]

Finally replacing my passenger side door on the DTurbo as it has bothered me since I bought the car. Very good price from our very own JDMparts chap too

I've done a lot on 306s over the years I've owned them but the job of swapping over an entire door is daunting. I believe this door will come complete - so just plug and play.

Now they're heavy, so I'll want assistance, right? The hinges, how are they best approached? And finally the wiring loom, which I know is weak on these as I've replaced loads, but I can't recall if it's on a multi-plug at either end or if I have to chase any of those wires back?

I know Niall done this recently so I'm hoping he will chime in *Ahem*

[Willo]

I swapped the door on a mondeo to help with the weight I got a piece of 2x2 cut a v in it with a saw and placed that on a trolley jack with a couple of cable ties and put that at the far end of the door

[C2K]

The loom is a twist ring connector that just plugs in and tightens with a hog ring. I've swapped a few doors, it's not the most difficult of jobs, you just need to be methodical. The aforementioned tip of a piece of wood on a trolley jack is a good one if you're working by yourself, ideally you need a helper.

Alignment is pretty obvious, it's quite iterative. You could be lucky first time.

[Niall]

if the door ever arrives, its quite simple. Unbolt the check strap (do not push it into the door), knock the lock ring for the loom round (easiest to use a flat head and tap it round with your palm) and then undo the bolts. Make sure someones there to bear the weight as they are heavy and will easily damage your wing if allowed to swing into it.

[ash240970]

Doors are easy as said - so far I've done 4 but a tip I will give you if you are doing it on your own is protect your paintwork with lots of masking tape around key areas such as sills/skirts
And the leading edge of the new door and the wing where it folds over as its very easy to chip or scratch the paintwork as they can be heavy as has already been mentioned but also awkward.

[Scott]

Not really got anything to add to this as most have covered what I would suggest (e.g. jack and block of wood) though if you'd like a hand, I'm around 25 miles from you so you're welcome to take a drive down and I'll give you a hand

[Connor]

The hardest part of this job will be receiving the correct part...

[cpikey316_]

I did mine on my own, I just opened the window and put it on my shoulder like a bag.

But then I am a big mo-fo

Aligning it to get it to shut properly is the biggest hassle. I never got mine quite right. But it was the passenger door, so not my problem!

[C.A.R.]

Sounds fun.

Scott I may take you up on that offer, so you may live to regret it!

Have people had problems with this chap before then? I can vouch for him, I bought a whole bumper for my Focus after an accident with a wall, he was slow to post but this was more down to posting everything out at once, I received the item spot-on after about 10 days.

And he does have a phone number so is available if you need him too.

[Niall]

he just lied to me about when he was posting my stuff. took two weeks for a master cylinder to arrive.

[Scott]

No problem Chris, drop me a PM and let me know

[Toms306]

Its easier to leave the 'blocks' bolted to the car and remove the hinge bolts iirc (I think it was the 306, might not have been though!) as the alignment is still there.

[Connor]

Yeah 2 10mm bolts that go up through the hinges, but that doesn't mean it'll line up, as the 2 halfs of the hinges will have been aligned for 2 different cars

[HDIkyle]

I have changed 3 doors front and rears and they all light up perfect by just undoing the bolts top and bottom of the hinge and lifting the door off. Leave they bodyside part of the hindge attached to the car! 10 min job