Stiff car door

Hi,

have a 2001 peugeot 206, and the driver door is getting very difficult to shut- sounds like metal on metal as it crunches back from fully open. Any idea where to start without taking the door off - or does it come off easily?

Have tried grease without much success.....

cheers

Rob

I can't follow this. Can someone please explain how a misaligned/ loose/poorly fitted door strap produces increased door closing (from a fully open position) resistance and a crunching noise? My thoughts are on a warped hinge and/or its bolt, but I am guessing.

the "bar" in the check strap is susposed to run straight and smooth, a loose or broken strap causes the "bar" to run out of true causeing a resistance.

My local garage recommends ordinary multigrade engine oil for door hinges as it's thick enough to stick to the parts but thin enough to seep into the hinge. Grease is fine if you keep the hinge lubed, which should be done once or twice a year or more, but it may not immediately help a dry hinge as it can take a long time to work into it.

Dave

The message from "Dave D" contains these words:

Oh for the passing of grease nipples.

Is this inside the black plastic casing, or is that just electrics?

Today I did notice a loose screw on the body where what I'd call a strap (horizontal, about 1 inch across) attaches from the door. It had some daft fitting - not allen key, so I had to bodge it tighter with a normal screwdriver. Didn't help much but may point to the problem.

Didn't really notice any nuts....

cheers Rob

That can be extremely painful y'know. I mean there you go making light of a problem, when there are people out there in the real world struggling to squeeze the things out.

look like a star ? if so its a tork screw, follow the strap to the inside of the door should see 2 nuts with thread sticking out, usually comes loose.

Lin Chung ( snipped-for-privacy@the.Water.Margin.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

It's very simple.

Think about what the check strap does and how it does it.

Even better, go and open your car door and watch the check strap as you open/close it.

That's a Torx. I've just been playing with a 205 door and you'll probably want a size 20 torx driver.

Warwick

On peugeots, like on a lot of cars, the check strap is used to slow the door opening. After a while they come loose and misaligned and tend to grind on/in parts that they shouldnt. They also get a damaged surface which makes the problem worse. Had them on the 205 too, pain in the bum.

Thanks for all the advice - what it needed was some spray grease right inside the door where the strap goes. Job done, and no need to resort to nipples, thank goodness.

-Rob