General Punto door check strap replacement

[HughJarsse]

Hi guys,
looking for a bit of advice here please,
Punto Mk2B 5 door 1.28v active. Drivers door check strap has gone solid on me, (I can open/close, but it needs mucho muscle and sounds like a gattling gun going off!!
So, looking at it, it appears it might be easy to do without having to open up the door panel to access it, (2 bolts to the bodywork, & 2 to the door) but not sure if having removed these, it will come out from the door from the outside, if you see what I mean. (Red ringed item in pic)
I had a similar problem with the multipla's rear door, and it was simple, just undid the bolts, and the whole unit, (inc rubber door grommet) all just pulled out form the outside, and new one was a reversal of that, but not sure if Punto is the same? Anybody done one before? Haynes manual doesn't mention the check strap at all, apart from removing the bodywork bolts to remove the whole door?
Any help appreciated, before I dash off and make a fool of myself by taking hours to do a 5 minute jobby!!
I have a nasty feeling its the door card off, but, might be wrong!!

 

[bugsymike]

Hi guys,
looking for a bit of advice here please,
Punto Mk2B 5 door 1.28v active. Drivers door check strap has gone solid on me, (I can open/close, but it needs mucho muscle and sounds like a gattling gun going off!!
So, looking at it, it appears it might be easy to do without having to open up the door panel to access it, (2 bolts to the bodywork, & 2 to the door) but not sure if having removed these, it will come out from the door from the outside, if you see what I mean. (Red ringed item in pic)
I had a similar problem with the multipla's rear door, and it was simple, just undid the bolts, and the whole unit, (inc rubber door grommet) all just pulled out form the outside, and new one was a reversal of that, but not sure if Punto is the same? Anybody done one before? Haynes manual doesn't mention the check strap at all, apart from removing the bodywork bolts to remove the whole door?
Any help appreciated, before I dash off and make a fool of myself by taking hours to do a 5 minute jobby!!
I have a nasty feeling its the door card off, but, might be wrong!!

View attachment 460250

From memory I think you will have to take the door card off as the mechanism drops inside the door on most vehciles.
Have you tried a good greasing/heavy oiling of the mechanism and work it fully both ways several times?

 

[chevychase]

These are dead easy to change, and once you've done it you'll wonder why you put it off so long.

Take off the door speaker cover.
Unscrew and disconnect the speaker.
Undo the bolts holding the check strap and reach up through the speaker cavity to withdraw it.
Reverse to fit of course.

 

[HughJarsse]

From memory I think you will have to take the door card off as the mechanism drops inside the door on most vehciles.
Have you tried a good greasing/heavy oiling of the mechanism and work it fully both ways several times?

Hi Mike, yes, door began creaking a while ago, and have tried several times giving it the 'greaser' treatment, hoping to cure it, to no avail. (I have a large tub of aircraft grease, so gloopy if you stand a screwdriver in it, it stands up on it's own. Was used on undercarriage wheel bearings, so good stuff!!)
RE taking off the door cards, probably right. Managed to get a better look at it this afternoon, but undoing the strap to the door frame, thus allowing the door to open 90 degrees to the car, giving a better view if things. It definately looks like it needs to go back into the door to remove, as hole is far too small to get the strap out.
On the multipla, they had a brainwave, and made the whole thing come out through the hole, making it large, with a rubber grommet to cover the excess opening. Basically a 10 minute job, 4 bolts, prise grommet out, pull strap through hole, reverse with new one, jobs a good'un.
Might have to bite the bullet and look into sorting it. Sounds like a rifle going off now!!

 

[HughJarsse]

These are dead easy to change, and once you've done it you'll wonder why you put it off so long.

Take off the door speaker cover.
Unscrew and disconnect the speaker.
Undo the bolts holding the check strap and reach up through the speaker cavity to withdraw it.
Reverse to fit of course.

Defo sounds like a plan there. Suitably slathered in grease before fitting too!!

 

[varesecrazy]

We had the loud "pistol shot" on one of our 2000's FIATS

I Realised it was wear in the roll pin, so used a drift to knock it down around 10mm onto an unworn diameter, lovely and quiet

 

[judderbar]

We had the loud "pistol shot" on one of our 2000's FIATS

I Realised it was wear in the roll pin, so used a drift to knock it down around 10mm onto an unworn diameter, lovely and quiet

I had the same loud noise and I worked out too it was that pin but it never occured to me to hit the pin or if it did it made no difference? But presumably you mean knock it down 1mm?

 

[bugsymike]

I had the same loud noise and I worked out too it was that pin but it never occured to me to hit the pin or if it did it made no difference? But presumably you mean knock it down 1mm?

I have a tool somewhere for removing those roll pins when taking off doors where the pins are hollow split tube design.
The solid pins can burr over if rusted in.
However if only moving a short distance to an unworn part it may be a quick fix.

 

[varesecrazy]

I had the same loud noise and I worked out too it was that pin but it never occured to me to hit the pin or if it did it made no difference? But presumably you mean knock it down 1mm?

A few mm, as the metal strap is only a few mm thick.

Just remembered..
Our modern 500 got noisy.. The whole bracket on the A pillar got loose..

Tightening the screws made it silent again