SD Door panel removal 126 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 03-26-2004, 10:34 AM

Going to add more descriptions later, just posting the pics for now

Sorry if this is a little wordy, but hope it helps somebody avoid some extra work

Here we go, These are a little out of order, and I didn't shoot every step, like unscrewing the chrome trim piece around the locking mechanisim or undoing the lock knob. To do this took one multi-head screwdriver, or a large and a small Phllips, and a smallish standard. Take off the trim, and unscrew the middle support of the armrest all the way, and the back one part way, if you unscrew it all the way it flops around too much.

#2 03-26-2004, 10:35 AM

This comes out after removing a screw through the door frame, and has a tab where the arrows are , so don't just rip it out. I'm finding it a common theme in how M.B. puts things together.

#3 03-26-2004, 10:36 AM

To get this apart takes a little juggling, The buttons for the seat adjuster pop off, then pry out the plastic insert under the latch. Take out the screw there, (here's the tricky part) then unscrew the front of the armrest, while pulling out on the latch and holding the plate under the latch out of the way, trying not to gouge up the armrest. then unscrew the last armrest screw. After that the whole door panel will slide up and disengage a bunch of tabs that hook into the door. It will still be connected by the wire to the light, theres just enough slack to get it out of your way without disconnecting it. When you put it back in watch for breaking off the tabs along the top edge (mine were already broken) or the panel won't seat enough to push the memory seat buttons. You could tell it had been worked on by the broken tabs and missing plastic door liner.

#4 03-26-2004, 10:37 AM

To get the motor out means reaching in there with a 10mm socket (I think it was a 10) and undo the three bolts holding the motor by feel (remember which way loose is, it can seem backwards). But you can't get the motor out until unbolting the lifting mechanism from the door, and gently letting it down, it rotates a little and the window tilts, until the motor is it the opening enough to disengage its' pinion gear.

#5 03-26-2004, 10:38 AM

Here's the disassembled motor, there is a cover plate over the gear the DOES NOT come off, and breaks off if you pry at it (guess how I know). But it is neat seeing what goes on in there, the black part in there is a rubber bushing to absorb the motor engagment shock. The motor unbolts from the gear case with a pair of Torx head bolts, then slides out of the case. So from here I rebuilt the motor and lubed it, bench tested it, reinstalled it, rebolted up the window lift, and it worked adout two full up-down cycles, then quit again. ARRGH

So now that I was rolling decided to see if it would swap out with one of the other doors, so opened up the passenger side, and that one is a mirror image gear box, and won't swap (found a bunch of broken glass in the door bottom, showing a busted window in the cars past that didn't even get cleaned out by the window replacer). So now I try the back drivers side, and that's a mirror image unit too, but rotated 180 with the motor up instead of down. That leaves the passenger side in back, and sure enough it looks good. The back is much more off a PITA to get the motor unbolted. (the panel is about the same) So now I've got the units together it becomes obvious it's a different size pinion gear! So the motors themselves need to be changed out to the other gearbox and the power leads swapped because of the different terminals. Then comes the getting them back in, pretty easy in front, tough in back, where with the non-working motor you have to engage the right tooth on the lifter to have it force the window all the way up as you rotate the lifter back to where it mounts.

rickg · #6 03-26-2004, 11:25 AM

Is hanging your hat on the door an important part of the process? I really screwed up when I did mine if so

:p

(Sorry. Couldn't pass that up. I'll delete this comment if you want to keep it serious))

#7 03-26-2004, 03:18 PM

My life is way too serious already, so the levity lamp is lit! What the hat is for is keeping the door buzzer from going off in my ear while working down there:p Bonus points for anybody that can tell me why the vent from under the dash just deadends into the door panel...

rickg · #8 03-26-2004, 03:33 PM

Ah, that explains it

Better include that in your detailed "how to" write up.

I heard one time the vent into the door is to help keep the door windows defogged. You can feel a slight draft coming up from the door panel with the heater running. Seems to work anyway. Never had any problem with the front door windows fogging up on me.

190D22 · #9 03-26-2004, 04:22 PM

I figured you just wanted to make the bill of the hat curve nicely...

#10 03-26-2004, 04:24 PM

That's what I thought too, but it just butts right up against a piece of cardboard in the panel, it doesn't vent to the door space itself.

rickg · #11 03-26-2004, 04:38 PM

Oh. Sounds like you have something amiss with yours. Wrong door panel or something. Mine goes right into the door.

#12 03-27-2004, 10:40 AM

So when you poke your finger into the opening in the door panel it goes into the door? Mine looks like it should but is mostly blocked by the cardboard of the door panel.

SoyDriver Matt · #13 05-17-2004, 10:29 AM

bump

kamil · #14 05-17-2004, 12:29 PM

good info......thanks

#15 05-17-2004, 12:29 PM

I checked mine some time ago and found that warm air does make it at a low level to the door when the heat is running. It will warm up the interior nice and evenly.
I see that familiar red arm syndrome one gets when working inside a door. Always look forward to that.