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Haunted Ashtray Door Fix - DIY w/pics
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Haunted Ashtray Door Fix - DIY w/pics
OK - I was bored today and decided to look into this...
Start by popping off the door by sticking a small screwdriver between the door and the side of the compartment and carefully pry it out of the hinge...
After removing the door and studying all of the associated parts, it appears that the culprit is the relationship between the door striker and the latch. The latch is not gripping the striker tight enough to hold it in place.
Door and striker assembly...
Location of the latch assembly...
This is the latch assembly - there is no reason to remove this, I just thought a close-up would give you a better idea of how it works...
The striker on my door had considerable "flash" around the plastic fingers, but even after I removed that it didn't grip tight enough to hold the door in position.
I glued a couple very small pieces of plastic to the striker to build up the points and then filed them down until I got the grip I desired. You can see the built up areas if you look closely at the second picture. The added material is light gray.
I doesn't fit much better, but it does close nice and tight...
And before the critics start with the "why didn't you just take it to the dealer" - my dealer is about 50 miles away - I had some time to kill today and I like to tinker...
Geo
Start by popping off the door by sticking a small screwdriver between the door and the side of the compartment and carefully pry it out of the hinge...
After removing the door and studying all of the associated parts, it appears that the culprit is the relationship between the door striker and the latch. The latch is not gripping the striker tight enough to hold it in place.
Door and striker assembly...
Location of the latch assembly...
This is the latch assembly - there is no reason to remove this, I just thought a close-up would give you a better idea of how it works...
The striker on my door had considerable "flash" around the plastic fingers, but even after I removed that it didn't grip tight enough to hold the door in position.
I glued a couple very small pieces of plastic to the striker to build up the points and then filed them down until I got the grip I desired. You can see the built up areas if you look closely at the second picture. The added material is light gray.
I doesn't fit much better, but it does close nice and tight...
And before the critics start with the "why didn't you just take it to the dealer" - my dealer is about 50 miles away - I had some time to kill today and I like to tinker...
Geo
Last edited by nhisfan; 08-10-2006 at 08:38 PM.
#2
Safety Car
Member Since: Jan 2006
Location: Miami FL
Posts: 4,598
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2020 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16,'17,'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
Good analysis, and congratulations on the fix.
Any tricks needed to get the door spring back in the correct position when reinstalling the door?
Any tricks needed to get the door spring back in the correct position when reinstalling the door?
#4
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by clevitekid
Any tricks needed to get the door spring back in the correct position when reinstalling the door?
With the spring installed on the door, I started the spring in the little hole between the latch and compartment, then slipped the left side of the door in until it popped into the hinge hole, and then pushed the right side into it's hole. It did take several attempts before I figured out the combo...
Geo
Last edited by nhisfan; 08-10-2006 at 05:19 PM.
#6
Moderator
Good job. Thanks for the detailed explanations.
#7
Race Director
Originally Posted by nhisfan
And before the critics start with the "why didn't you just take it to the dealer" - my dealer is about 50 miles away - I had some time to kill today and I like to tinker...Geo
Since you had the door off & apart let me ask: Do you think taking out some of the tension out of the spring -- via bending it -- accomplish the same end as your build-up of the latch?
#8
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Landru
Since you had the door off & apart let me ask: Do you think taking out some of the tension out of the spring -- via bending it -- accomplish the same end as your build-up of the latch?
Thanks for the thought - Geo
#9
Race Director
Originally Posted by nhisfan
That was my original plan, but once I got it all apart I realized that the spring was not the problem (I even removed it altogether, at one point). But, it all boiled down to the fact that the striker was so sloppy in the latch it just wouldn't hold it. Once I beefed that up, I could put a screen door spring on it!
NOW I know why Chevrolet's replacing the entire assembly.
They know what you learned.
Originally Posted by nhisfan
Thanks for the thought - Geo
-TTT-
#13
Safety Car
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: Pleasanton California
Posts: 3,786
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Good post. Mine has the same issue, and this is what I summized the problem to be when I looked in there (without taking the door off). Since my local service center hasn't gotten back to me in like forever after initially ordering the wrong replacement door, I am about ready to take matters into my own hands & fix this little sucker myself.
#16
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Dec 2005
Location: North Western Connecticut
Posts: 7,594
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Mine has been fine and not opened once under hard acceleration or bumps... If it does start popping open I know how to fix it thanks to you! Good write up and a clever inexpensive fix.....