Door check bar

Not sure if this should have been in Tech section, so if it's in the wrong bit then I spologise

I changed my drivers side door check bar today and what a pain in the ass it was too. I was going to do a guide for it, but I really don't want to go writing one for anything involving the BC or window/locking mechanism. The procedure I followed was found on my eLearn disc.

I'd advise anyone who's plannin on doing this themselves to make sure you leave yourself a fair bit of time to do it, as you don't want to be rushing this. It involves revmoving cables from the body computer and removing the glass from the door totally. It's quite an involved task, so I won't put any instructions up here as I don't want to miss anything and cause damage to anyone's car!

I managed it all though, even with my wife shouting at me that I was going to break something and end up with the car being VOR!

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What is a door check bar?

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Open your door and look between the two hinges. There's a bracket with a bar held on with 2 T30 (i think) bolts. The bar goes into the door and it's what stops the door opening too far and damaging the hinges. Mine was sadly no match for the gale forces winds we encounter down here!

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It's a total arse :bang:

Worst thing is, the new check bars are made of plastic now, whereas the original one that I broke was metal. So I think I'll be doing the same thing again before too long.

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Funny you should mention that, I just tightened both of mine today. The bracket was flapping around in the breeze and to get out of mowing the lawn, I tightened them up. T30 is correct.

I cant believe that they are plastic now!!!???

Maybe you should have got a metal one from the breakers.

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Maybe, but that would have meant fannying about twice with the doors. I can't believe that you have to strip the door down to the extent I had to to get at it. It's ridulous!

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aye i done that myself at the weekend there, though i know it as the jack-strap (funny name i know), was a tricky wee git to get bak, one thing that annoyd me was the four rivets holding the support bars for the electric windows, getn them re-riveted was a nitemare, but got it all done, and while i was at it i took the wing mirrors off, and colour coded them,
tho i didn have to take the window out to do it, just reached my hands over the sound proofing panel, got a metal one from a breakers, wudn fancy it being plastic

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Not sure why you removed any rivets it's far easier to remove the window glass. The only time you'd need to remove the rivets is if you're changing the electric window motor.

I really can't recomend getting a decent workshop CD enough, it made my life so much easier today.

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lol, well my original intention was to just get at the wing-mirror so i could take it off, then i heard a loud bang every time i closed the door and figured it was the jack strap broken, went to a salvage yard and got a metal one and fitted it in
tho weirdly enuf i bought the cd u advised earlier on on ebay 2nite and a diagnostics reader. getin stung bout 700 to get the car ready for the MOT and stil have this really annoyin airbag light to sort out after :bang:
hope this CD can help, if not Fiat's wonderful customer service will be called upon, lol

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If it is the eLearn one then it's superb, as long as it covers your car's year of manufacture. It takes some getting used to finding all what you want, but once you've found it it's awesome. And it's all printable, and it looks like you can download the specific details you want onto your PC off the disc.

Re: Door check bar

ChrisMClark said:

Not sure why you removed any rivets it's far easier to remove the window glass. The only time you'd need to remove the rivets is if you're changing the electric window motor.

I really can't recomend getting a decent workshop CD enough, it made my life so much easier today.

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Jesus guys, how the hell do you make a simple task so difficult?

There's no need to remove the metal panel with the window regulator attached- just remove the 4 screws for the lower door speaker- there's a huge hole behind for you to reach up through- 30mins max, old checkstrap out and new one in!

That's not the Body Computer either, it's the door ECU.

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I followed the eLearn software, I'd have thought thatt's surely the best way of looking at it, especially seeing as I'm no pro. I also wanted to retrieve the bit that snapped off from inside the door. It's also worth pointing out that removing the metal panel and glass only took an extra few minutes, and it made everything much simpler. I prefer to look at what I'm doing as I do it to

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I thought as much T, but I'd still rather go with what's in front of me. As I said, I'm no pro (I'm an army freakin musician by trade ) and at least if I follow the disc it reduces the chances of me knackering something if I try and take shortcuts :bang: My mechanic best mate is constantly taking the p*ss out of me for almost never taking the car to a garage, I think his last comment was

'You wouldn't attempt brain surgery if you weren't trained, would you?'

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I don't mind. After he broke his Saxphone trying to fix it himself I said the same thing lol.

EDIT: also, I really do love taking things to bits and putting them back together

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Done this on the 3dr, as they were modded in 04/05 for a more smooth, solid door close.

eLEARN is bull for this - you don't need to take the glass out, or touch the BC wiring at all.

Easy method:
1. Open the door.
2. Remove the door card.
3. Remove the speaker.
4. With the door half closed, remove the two bolts securing the check-strap to the body.
5. Remove the two bolts keeping it secured to the door.
6. Remove the check strap, removing the seal half way through pulling the strap into the door.

Refit is reverse of remocal.
It really is easy, promise . Took me 30 mins or less per door.

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I'll do that next time. I want to do the other one anyway, just for symmetry. Even though you can't see them it drives me nuts...OCD a little maybe :nutter:

Re: Door check bar

ChrisMClark said:

I'll do that next time. I want to do the other one anyway, just for symmetry. Even though you can't see them it drives me nuts...OCD a little maybe :nutter:

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Makes sense if you're fitting the modified version though . . .

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Er I have a funny feeling that the new check straps are made of plastic, so don't be suprised if it is Neil.

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Done one today funningly enough,was definately metal (was 04 plate stilo)...dont like the sound of plastic door straps

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hahaha... the not plastic, i had to replace them on my stilo! They are metal with a protective plastic covering on em! Pretty easy job took me bout 15minute or so!

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Replaced my 3dr ones as I wanted the updated ones which don't bang as much.

FYI, the Stilo ones are metal covered in a hard plastic to give the door more substances and slow down the closing speed, avoiding "slamming" and unnecessary strain on the hinges. Please note people, this would have cost FIAT more to research, develop and produce. So there!

Take door trim off, and it's far easier just to then remove the speaker and use your hands. Whatever you do though, be careful with the position of the strap, and make sure all is tight before you close the door. I can get the actual Torque settings later when I get back from work.