Get it off - Interior Door Panel

[cliff123]

Hi, having recently broken the drivers door window (flying stone) and the insurance company having replaced it, it seems there is some glass fragments in the bottom of the door which are rattling. I'd obviously like to get these out. I've had the speaker out and hand in and got most of it, but Id like to clear it all and hence need to get the interior door panel off. I found the front nut and the second one top of the door above the cig' lighter. Where is the third? The Bible says towards the back. The very back? Any chance anyone has a drawing of where it is or be more specific about where it is? Thanks.

[raceboy]

you need a special thin dislocated elbow to be able to reach it if you can get your arm in the speaker hole upto your shoulder you should be able to find it, then you've got to get a spanner on it
Couldn't you just stick a hoover in the hole and suck it all out

[colin]

I had to take my drivers door panel off recently, to renew the lining in the window channel. My experience was similar to yours could get the two nuts off near the front, but no way could I reach any further back. Luckily a 'petite' friend was round for lunch the same day and therefore prior to sitting down to lunch I borrowed her slender arm to remove the 3rd nut! But still the panel would not come off and a check of the bible confirmed that there was sometimes a 4th nut even further back. Sure enough when said slender arm (and a bit of shoulder!) was fully extended into the door a 4th nut was only just reached and removed.

I would therefore also recommend the vacuum option!

[Ribol]

I don't have small arms but got it done ok. I would advise putting some cloth tape around the inside of the speaker hole if you do not wish to become a blood donor.

Ivan

[cliff123]

Well after a month of glass rattling around in the car door every time I open and closed it or accelerated or braked I got around to the deed of getting the glass out of the drivers door. I've just posted these pictures to show anyone exactly where the four bolts are to remove the door trim, and to explain the easiest way to remove tiny fragments of glass from the very depth of the door should you be unlucky enough to break your window.

As the door curves around the bottom of the car, it has a very narrow vee where broken glass and dirt collects which you can barely get your fingers into. So, once youve removed the surround by putting your arm through the speaker hole and removing the four nuts and washers from the thread (as shown in the red circles) place a vacuum cleaner on the drainage hole and let it suck! It wont I'm afraid suck the glass out. However, when you get either your fingers of a piece of cardboard in there and just move the glass/dirt from out of the bottom of the door, it does then suck them through the hole. Unfortunately the vacuum cleaner wont fit into the door like your arm, or if it does, it wont get near enough to the dirt to clean it out simply due to the size of the vacuum hose.
www.studiolimonard.co.uk/door1.jpg
www.studiolimonard.co.uk/vac1.jpg

>> Edited by cliff123 on Sunday 7th November 15:01

>> Edited by cliff123 on Sunday 7th November 15:01