Author - Pim25

Source

The basis of the door panels in our cars is a material called hardboard or particle board. This material, as known, fears moisture and over time it deforms. The situation worsens when during car repairs, mechanics do not always return to their places or replace plastic film with sealant between the hardboard lining and metal - this is a direct path for condensation build-up leading to further deformation. Furthermore, these panels are sometimes lifted due to frequent contact while entering/exiting (especially on driver's side doors), as well as simply torn off when removing them (during disassembly of the door, for example).

In the end, the door panels in our cars may look quite pitiful.

And if finishing the inner door trim is difficult but still possible (more on this below), then we can replace its base with a flatter and moisture-resistant one.

Here's how I did it.

I recommend conducting this operation after performing the following works (if they were planned):

- restoration of door hinges - description at

this link; - adjustment of the door position in the frame;

- window position regulation (especially relevant for coupes);

- lubrication of the inner lock mechanism;

- actuator check;

- vibration, noise and sound insulation of the door's interior;

- replacement/repair of exterior door handles;

- replacement/repair of key locks;

- installation of wiring for window regulators.

Firstly, we remove from the door the following parts: soft lining under the chrome inner handle (one small screw), armrest (two strong screws under covers), window lowering lever - if present (spring-fixer on the axis), lock latch button (sliding lock/unlock frame for coupes Lock/Unlock).

Then, using a flat plastic tool, sequentially free clips around the circumference by inserting the tool between the lining and the door (the upper part of the lining remains in place during this process).

Additionally, at this stage it may also be necessary to unscrew one or two bolts hidden under covers, as well as remove through-clips.

When the lining is free, move it upwards and remove it from the door. It will not fully come off though, because the wiring of control buttons and red light for dashboard illumination still need to be disconnected.

After this, finally disconnect the panel from the door and place it on a suitable horizontal surface.

Next, disassemble the lower plastic pocket, armrest panel, and lamp from the lining.

Note that some parts of the lining are fixed towards the passenger compartment side, making them necessary to be removed for further disassembly. And another part (lower pocket, button panel for window lowering, bottom part of armrest) is fixed by screws on the inner side of the lining - these can only be unscrewed when the panel is off.

I recommend being very careful with collecting all the screws and metal clips/screws that are removed (they are also metallic).

The lining itself consists of a piece of hardboard to which an S-shaped metal profile is attached at the top. From the passenger compartment side, this structure is covered with a three-layer coating - a pocket and 'carpet' in the lower part, something like plush in the middle, while the upper part is thin vinyl (at least so it's set up inside Grande).

Following further, we need to flip off the removed lining – on the back side, we will see that the metal profile is attached to hardboard with steel staples from the reverse side (that is, we see pressed against the hardboard ends of staples).

These are not ordinary staples - they are made of very good steel, and I advise you to handle them carefully but confidently - so they can be reused (replacement by rivets in this joint would be unacceptable due to their unsuitable shape). Better use pliers for bending staple ends – these will grip better than side cutters:

After separating hardboard, remove all fasteners from the inner surface of the lining (pins, clips, hooks and so on).

 

Then carefully unroll and peel off edges of vinyl that are folded and glued to it, as well as those around edges of recesses for door handle, lamp etc. - they are also wrapped around these edges and glued. In this way we free the main fabric.

Afterwards separate the vinyl from all flat surfaces of lining carefully. The main difficulty here is gently detaching several parallel strips that are stuck to hardboard.

Attention! During this process, the lining's vinyl remains glued to the upper metal profile!

We do not detach the metal profile from vinyl at all.

Next, clean off inner surface of lining from remaining foam remnants.

The next step is thorough hand washing of lining with household soap or another cleaning agent:

The difference between a washed and dirty part will be visually noticeable :)

After washing leave the lining to dry while we start making plastic copies of original hardboard bases.

После стирки оставляем обшивку сушиться, а сами тем временем приступаем к изготовлению пластиковых копий родных двп-основ.

As a new base, we use 4 mm porous sheet plastic of the Foamex type — for example (example link):

I chose this thickness to match the original DVP — 4 mm.

To copy the template, we attach the original base on top of the plastic sheet at one end and start tracing all punch-outs and holes with a suitable pen/marker, as well as the general outline:

After transferring the punch-outs and holes, carefully cut them out.

This porous plastic of this thickness can be easily sawed with metal blade (by hand — that is, no coping saw is needed), as well as it can be cut with a hard construction knife.

To copy round corners and to allow the saw to reach, we drill corner holes:

As a result, for two cards we get two mirror copies of plastic bases.

I wrote “mirror”, but each one needs to be copied from the corresponding original!

The plastic itself can be clean white or laminated as it was in my case (you may notice blue lamination on some photos). I believe this does not matter — ultimately, I came to the conclusion that well-attached factory laminate film can remain without removal (do not confuse with protective transparent film which we don’t need and should peel off before copying!)

After completing the cutting of the new part, put it under the original (DVP) and make sure all necessary holes and openings are cut out, as well as that the external edges of the old and new base match.

The edges of the panel, as well as the edges of the large punch-outs should be smoothed with sandpaper for safe covering (lining) with vinyl upholstery later.

So we have a ready duplicate of the base.

The next task is to attach the upholstery — clean and already dry — to it.

We start with attaching the metal profile of the top trim piece to the plastic.

To expose its edge, unscrew and move away as much as possible vinyl in one direction — so we can see the mounting points (paired holes) in metal.

Reminder: We will attach the profile using the same powerful staples which we have preserved for re-use.

First carefully straighten them with pliers at sharp angles on bends.

Then, we need to place the staples into factory holes in metal and somehow ‘pass’ through plastic.

The factory likely inserted them with an automatic stapler, but we do not have such a powerful tool (and it is not needed).

Therefore find a drill bit of about 1 mm diameter (in extreme case — thin nail), and carefully make precise corresponding holes in the plastic according to staples’ holes in metal – you can put old DVP on top of plastic and make holes using DVP as template.

Then insert the staples – just like at factory, from metal side. The metal covers plastic exactly as it was initially – from car interior’s side.

Next press these two parts onto table (metal down) and with a small hammer bend staple wings towards plastic side getting a fairly strong connection which does not yield to factory one (in photo brown is metal, blue and white are plastic):

So the upper metal part of trim is attached to new base — but this is only half the job!

Then we need to solve the problem with partially deteriorated original foam.

To replace it, we use 5mm thick ‘BiPlast’ material from STP:

This material is a soft, easily compressible expanded polyurethane foam on self-adhesive backing and suits our purpose ideally.

Our aim here is to place one or several layers of BiPlast between plastic base and vinyl upholstery instead of the original foam that has lost its function.

But as you may have already guessed, it’s not all so simple.

The matter is that original way of attaching trim assumes some kind of partial thermo-welding of trim with base along several lines parallel to ground.

This type of attachment gives certain volume to trim and additionally holds it on the base.

It turns out that foam under trim we don’t need along these lines.

Therefore, we glue one layer of ‘BiPlast’ in some places and two layers where original foam was layered up — but do not glue BiPlast along those lines which were used for thermo-welding on trim piece.

Right along these lines try to attach thin original vinyl directly to plastic. Suitable adhesive is e.g., transparent polyurethane ‘Momentum’.

For selective pressing, use appropriate construction of wooden beams and clamps:

At the same time we stretch and fold edges of vinyl (it may shrink after washing — decrease in size by several millimeters).

This work is not easy but needs to be done as neatly as possible.

Super glue, clamps, industrial hair dryer, skillful female hands are also required here 🙂

Also fold and attach edges of vinyl along large punch-outs – there where it was done at factory:

After these procedures, we obtain a perfectly flat moisture-resistant panel (lining) of the door to which everything else needs to be attached, thus preparing it for installation.

Firstly, naturally, we install those parts that are fixed from inside with screws – the bottom pocket, the lower armrest and so on.

If during preparation it is found out that there are not enough metal clips for attaching the lining - they can be ordered separately by number 67771-20022:

Although more often fail (tear) the plastic parts of this connection – they are inserted into the metal door (body).

They can be ordered by number 67772-22010:

The lining also has decorative 'chrome' stripes - and often they are in poor condition. 'Chrome' turns out to be a mirror film that peels off and flakes.

I did not touch my stripes, but those who have serious problems with them, I would advise to remove the old film completely and stick on new self-adhesive reflective film like this:

Now it seems that the panel is ready for installation.

However, before installing the restored lining in place, it is necessary to restore moisture protection on the door (or on the rear side panel of the coupe body).

How to do this - by this link

Now you can finally reinstall the lining into its place.

Put it on from above, starting from the glass.

Then, using only hand strength (:), sequentially pass through all the clips around the circle, fully engaging them. Screw in the factory bolts with plugs where necessary.

Then mount everything that was removed earlier onto the lining.

And about restoring panels with labels on handles you can read here.