Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

You have more than enough photo evidence, no need to document every last "modification". We'd have to write a book at that point.

No need to write ANOTHER book. Just pick a few chapters of this one. And at this point I think it qualifies for "tome".

[Gary Lewis]

No need to write ANOTHER book. Just pick a few chapters of this one. And at this point I think it qualifies for "tome".

Got the driver's door done and am starting on the passenger's door. But thought you might like to see & hear the results.

 

First, checking over my stash of sound deadening material I found that I will have some left over. So I put a second 12 x 20" layer right in the middle of the door's outer skin.

 

Then I created a "brace" to go between the bottom two screws of the mirror and the front window track. It is threaded 6 x 1.0 mm and the mirror screws go into it after leaving the nutserts in the door. It is just long enough when coupled with the piece of hose to put some tension on the outer door shell and should stop the shell and the mirror from vibrating as the window track is pretty solid. (Yes, I used a teeny bit of Loctite to ensure it doesn't go anywhere. )

 

 

 

Note that there's a 1/4" step in the brace to clear the window's channel as it comes down. Here are a couple more shots of it, and I can supply dimensions if anyone is interested.

 

 

 

 

And then I thought I'd see if there is a difference between the driver's side since it is done and the passenger's side, which only has the factory sound deadening. Here's the driver's side, the "after":

 

 

And here's the passenger's side, the "before". Note that the sound difference isn't too dramatic if you don't have much bass, like if you are listening on a phone. Trust me, in real life there's a huge difference, and my sound system here in the shop comes pretty close to replicating it.

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

Got the driver's door done and am starting on the passenger's door. But thought you might like to see & hear the results.

 

First, checking over my stash of sound deadening material I found that I will have some left over. So I put a second 12 x 20" layer right in the middle of the door's outer skin.

 

Then I created a "brace" to go between the bottom two screws of the mirror and the front window track. It is threaded 6 x 1.0 mm and the mirror screws go into it after leaving the nutserts in the door. It is just long enough when coupled with the piece of hose to put some tension on the outer door shell and should stop the shell and the mirror from vibrating as the window track is pretty solid. (Yes, I used a teeny bit of Loctite to ensure it doesn't go anywhere. )

 

 

 

Note that there's a 1/4" step in the brace to clear the window's channel as it comes down. Here are a couple more shots of it, and I can supply dimensions if anyone is interested.

 

 

 

 

And then I thought I'd see if there is a difference between the driver's side since it is done and the passenger's side, which only has the factory sound deadening. Here's the driver's side, the "after":

 

 

And here's the passenger's side, the "before". Note that the sound difference isn't too dramatic if you don't have much bass, like if you are listening on a phone. Trust me, in real life there's a huge difference, and my sound system here in the shop comes pretty close to replicating it.

 

Gary,If you have the doors opened up, have a look at the little metal 'bridge' that joins the inner and outer door skins right beneath the vent window pivot.When this tears through it soon rips the outer skin and allows the mirrors to vibrate.

[1986F150Six]

Got the driver's door done and am starting on the passenger's door. But thought you might like to see & hear the results.

 

First, checking over my stash of sound deadening material I found that I will have some left over. So I put a second 12 x 20" layer right in the middle of the door's outer skin.

 

Then I created a "brace" to go between the bottom two screws of the mirror and the front window track. It is threaded 6 x 1.0 mm and the mirror screws go into it after leaving the nutserts in the door. It is just long enough when coupled with the piece of hose to put some tension on the outer door shell and should stop the shell and the mirror from vibrating as the window track is pretty solid. (Yes, I used a teeny bit of Loctite to ensure it doesn't go anywhere. )

 

 

 

Note that there's a 1/4" step in the brace to clear the window's channel as it comes down. Here are a couple more shots of it, and I can supply dimensions if anyone is interested.

 

 

 

 

And then I thought I'd see if there is a difference between the driver's side since it is done and the passenger's side, which only has the factory sound deadening. Here's the driver's side, the "after":

 

 

And here's the passenger's side, the "before". Note that the sound difference isn't too dramatic if you don't have much bass, like if you are listening on a phone. Trust me, in real life there's a huge difference, and my sound system here in the shop comes pretty close to replicating it.

 

Neat brace, Gary! And as Jim would say, "progress is good!"

[grumpin]

Neat brace, Gary! And as Jim would say, "progress is good!"

Wow! Yes, nice brace!

[salans7]

Neat brace, Gary! And as Jim would say, "progress is good!"

I can hear the difference between both videos, but then again I've also experienced the difference in my own truck and know what to listen for.

[Gary Lewis]

Wow! Yes, nice brace!

Jim - I'd forgotten about those braces as they are not easily seen. Fortunately they are completely intact on Big Blue, so there's no problem. But thanks for reminding me.

Shaun - There's a hollow sound to the un-treated door. And a "dead", almost wooden, sound to the treated door.

As for the brace I made, thanks guys. It puts just enough pressure on the outer skin so it can't move, and surely has to stiffen up the mirror. But I'm going to try a different way of installing the next one. On the first one I tapped the holes first and held them up against the back of the rivnuts and ran the screws in. But the threads weren't perfectly lined up and the screws went in kind of tight.

This time I'll drill both holes but only tap the rear hole and will then install the brace by turning it down on the end of the screw. And when it lines up with the front hole I'll run the tap through the front mirror hole and then tap the brace. That way the threads should line up properly.

On another note (), I've been chasing a rattle in the passenger's door but couldn't find it. Today as I was working on the door I heard the rattle and traced it down to a loose rivet holding the window crank mechanism on. It has now been replaced with a 1/4-20 bolt and nut. Problem solved.

David - Do you remember the conversation about the lock linkage? Well, I'd bent it some but that hadn't fixed the problem. But today as I was cleaning and installing sound deadener I found the issue - the linkage is rubbing the outer skin of the door. That's an easy fix, but it'll make a huge difference as it has been a pain to have to get in on the driver's side and cross over to open the passenger's door for Janey - and at times even that wasn't always quickly successful.

Last, I did get the passenger's door cleaned up outside and in, and got the first layer of sound deadener on. But didn't get it heated up, which makes it easier to roll out, so that will have to wait - probably until Friday as we are running errands tomorrow. And then I can add the 2nd layer of deadener, my new brace, and then the brace across where cut the door. (Get that, John? )

[Nothing Special]

.... This time I'll drill both holes but only tap the rear hole and will then install the brace by turning it down on the end of the screw. And when it lines up with the front hole I'll run the tap through the front mirror hole and then tap the brace. That way the threads should line up properly....

So you're running a bolt through one threaded piece into another? That's not generally the way things are done. You can't get the two pieces tight against each other. The bolt / mirror / door skin / rivnut will all be tight together, but the brace will be loose on the bolt threads. It can't go anywhere because it can't slide on the threads and it can't turn because there are two bolts through it. So maybe it's fine. But it's not really kosher.

You could drill out the threads in the rivnut to get everything tight. But I certainly wouldn't blame you if you don't want to do that! Or you could drill out the brace and put nuts on the back side of that. But that would likely require longer bolts, and getting in to get nuts on might be a chore. Or you could leave it as is and be happy that it ain't goin' nowhere even if it might not be tight.

 

[Gary Lewis]

.... This time I'll drill both holes but only tap the rear hole and will then install the brace by turning it down on the end of the screw. And when it lines up with the front hole I'll run the tap through the front mirror hole and then tap the brace. That way the threads should line up properly....

So you're running a bolt through one threaded piece into another? That's not generally the way things are done. You can't get the two pieces tight against each other. The bolt / mirror / door skin / rivnut will all be tight together, but the brace will be loose on the bolt threads. It can't go anywhere because it can't slide on the threads and it can't turn because there are two bolts through it. So maybe it's fine. But it's not really kosher.

You could drill out the threads in the rivnut to get everything tight. But I certainly wouldn't blame you if you don't want to do that! Or you could drill out the brace and put nuts on the back side of that. But that would likely require longer bolts, and getting in to get nuts on might be a chore. Or you could leave it as is and be happy that it ain't goin' nowhere even if it might not be tight.

I agree it isn't kosher. But it appears to have worked as the brace does appear to be tight against the rivnuts - I've pulled the window run away and tried to move the brace. Nada.

And there aren't enough threads on the screw after going through the brace to even get a nut started, much less tighten down. Plus the screws are stainless torx head, so aren't common. Given that, I decided to try. And while the screws went in, I could tell things were in a bind.

Which is why I came up with the new process. It might be a bit better. We shall see.

But I don't want to drill the rivnuts out. With the Loctite I don't think the brace is going anywhere, so will leave the driver's side alone.

[1986F150Six]

David - Do you remember the conversation about the lock linkage? Well, I'd bent it some but that hadn't fixed the problem. But today as I was cleaning and installing sound deadener I found the issue - the linkage is rubbing the outer skin of the door. That's an easy fix, but it'll make a huge difference as it has been a pain to have to get in on the driver's side and cross over to open the passenger's door for Janey - and at times even that wasn't always quickly successful.

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n77859/Passenger_s_Door_Lock_Link_Rubbing.jpg

Yes, a not uncommon problem after someone tries to manhandle the door lock without disconnecting the linkage. What is your plan regarding getting the linkage away from the outer door skin?