savedbygrace

iTrader: (4)

Hey gang,

When I open my driver door and it swings open, there's a detent in the hinge somewhere that is designed to hold the door open...but my door has very little hold open capability left...my door slowly swings back on me and starts to close, gaining momentum until it crashes into my ankle if I let it.....other Z's I've driven have all been better than my current situation....what parts do I need to fix this bad boy? Just a new set of hinges? DIYable?

Thanks for all help, my ankle thanks you too.

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dcains

iTrader: (15)

If there's one thing I hate more than anything about my Z, that's it. Did it from brand new, Nissan said it's normal and that there is no repair needed.

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

This has been a complaint since 2003

MatthewBouchard

iTrader: (2)

When I got my z and did a full check on it at nissan I was quoted 600 for 'door straps' lol. I actually like that the doors close by themselves and I now leave doors open on other cars bc i'm so use to it.

92K1500

iTrader: (1)

I love my auto closing doors up until I'm working on the car. Then having the door closing on you gets to be annoying.

savedbygrace

iTrader: (4)

It's funny...I've heard that most Z's have auto closing ankle breakers (actually came close once...high wind hit the door as my ankle was dangling sideways while I fiddled with finding something in interior and sure enough....thought I was in for a moment of macho practice...but thankfully it wasn't as bad a hit as it could have been)....anyway...other Z's I've been in had better door "hold"...what is the weak link?...the hinge has a detent and the detent is too shallow? A bad spring somewhere? Super stupid design? I'd be up for modding a hinge if it would fix the issue as it gets really annoying when I'm trying to work on the car and it's windy out or I'm parked on even the slightest incline...it seems worse now than before. No other Z I've been is as bad as mine though....and I've been in a good number of them.

I've even thought about making a manual "hold open" rod that works horizontally in the same concept as our hoods are held open by a vertical rod...but that's more modding than I want to do anytime soon...too many other priorities right now...but seriously...new hinges won't fix this? (not that I'd spend $600 for hinges! That's eating into my turbo-some-day fantasy budget heh)

I have to take the door off anyway to realign it, so I thought I'd fix the hinges while I'm at it. There's got to a be a solution or an improvement that SOMEBODY has thought of after all these years?

Love the Z...but this one issue needs a fix as it really could hurt someone, my dad is getting older and I loan him the car from time to time....don't want to see him hurt either.

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SR71

iTrader: (1)

I love the auto close feature lol

mr. sparco

iTrader: (13)

The benefits of owning a 350z.

Jennifer 2

Saved, the indents that hold the door in a partially open position are not part of the door hinges. If you open the door and look midway between the upper and lower hinge, you will see a pivoting bar linking the door jam with the door, this is typically called a ‘door brake’ or ‘door stopper’ in the trade. In the first month of owing my new 04 Roadster I became painfully aware of this feature. The nice retired man down the block who does most of the maintenance on my car did a slight mod on the unit. I wasn’t around when he did them, but I think he changed the shape of the indents and increased the spring pressure. My doors then behaved perfectly for the next 10 years that I owned the car.

savedbygrace

iTrader: (4)

Jennifer....everyone...meet Jennifer...today's winner of Most Valuable Post.

Thanks for the MPV help...I was believing there had to be a fix, there almost always is, it's just a question of finding it or inventing it. I was actually looking at the door last night and saw that exact linkage you're referring to, realizing that's the culprit somehow since the hinges themselves have no stopping or braking mechanism in their design that I saw...not sure what spring your mechanic used, that would be a huge help to know if it's possible?, but even still thanks a ton for steering me in the right direction.

Will definitely be addressing this, as I was putting in a new amp in my car a few days ago and sure enough...what made the project the hardest....getting mugged in the legs by a door that was a like a cat demanding attention...just would not stop being a pest.

Thanks again...that's a big help.

Saved

92K1500

iTrader: (1)

I thought everyone knew what that bar was for or else I would have mentioned it.

It's just poor design.

Here is a Dodge ram hinge. Huge detents and probably a softer spring.



Here is a GM door hinge.



Smaller dentents but most likely a much heavier spring to hold it.

Both are a better design than what our car has but lots of those trucks have hard to close/noisy/popping doors. Nobody cares because it's a truck.

In trying to make a smooth, quiet door they killed the ability to hold the door open.

i8acobra

iTrader: (6)

That thing on the Z is called a "door check". You'll have to remove the door panel and window regulator plate to get it out. Once it's out, it's easily modified.

savedbygrace

iTrader: (4)

Ug...didn't realize I'd have to gut the window regulator...have done that job three times...not my favorite thing to do.

Thanks for all the help, I'm sure I'll just tackle this and do it, driver side at a minimum.

Anyone have thoughts on a better spring or what to order/ask for? I know more about the texture of protons than I do springs for car doors...

The detents....just Dremel them to a deeper notch or do I need more than the basic Dremel? Mine is the lowest end model...has been all I've needed so far but never worked on metal with it other than to polish things here and there.

Thanks again, really great help and that dodge ram detent example is a huge help to understand what I'm needing to accomplish.

Saved

Jennifer 2

Over the last week or two (since you posted) I’ve been in and out of a lot of different cars, and I’ve taken note of the type of door link used in them. In every case the unit has been very similar to the Z’s. Using I8acobre’s term “door check” I didn’t find any, but in a Nissan online catalog I found the 350Z unit listed as a “Link-door stopper” (Courtesy Nissan, priced at only 31 dollars). So, cheap enough to replace if your experiment goes awry. Autozone also has a selection of these units that seem to fit a wide range of cars. The catalog picture shows a crimped together metal box on the door side that holds the springs and rollers. Maybe get a used or Autozone unit to experiment on.

I8acobra, looking at the diagram in the parts catalog it seems like only the front window guide would have to be loosened up in order to wiggle the door stopper unit out. Do you think this a workable method?

By the way, one benefit to readjusting the window guide is the possibility of increasing the life of the power window motors. I bought my 04 roadster new and soon noticed that when I opened or closed both windows together, one of them was two seconds or so slower than the other. Also the motor sounded a tiny bit more labored. Knowing how weak and vulnerable the Z’s window motors are my maintenance friend adjusted and lubricated all the slower window’s regulator cables and guides. Now the slower window became considerably faster than the other one. He did the same meticulous adjustment procedures on the other window’s regulator parts. Then both windows flew up and down and the motors sounded much happier. The reasoning is, if the motors are bogging down the extra current draw in each segment of the armature will burn the brushes down sooner.

i8acobra

iTrader: (6)

To get to anything inside the door, you have to remove the door panel, then the regulator plate. These three videos I found are for a G35, but the Z is almost identical. Once the plate is off, you can reach inside and pull out the door check (once you unbolt it from the door).

savedbygrace

iTrader: (4)

Man this thread has become the A-Team of awesomeness and help.

Thanks tons for the added info again and the videos...I've done the window motor replacement a few times, have it down to a smoother process than my first time which took forever due to various issues.

Very curious if that thing can be wiggled out though without all the wrench gymnastics of removing the door panel and regulator? That's a great question.

Thanks for the input on lubricating the cables and tracks...I've done lithium grease in the tracks but not the cables...hadn't thought of that but will do it next time I'm in the door....which will be in the foreseeable future God Willing.

NOT YELLING: ANYONE KNOW WHAT SPRING TO BUY OR WHAT TO ASK FOR? NO CLUE ON WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO GET SINCE I CAN'T EVEN GET INTO THE DOOR YET. I do want to have the stronger spring already purchased though so I can mod the detents of the door brake and install the spring at same time on same day and be done. Yes....I know this isn't going to happen and I'll be working on the door for three days before it's right.... ; /

I'll try to post back with some tutorial pics and results feedback when I undertake this....car will be much more practical once this is done...I'm always conscious of the doornado of doom..never relax around or turn my back on it as it does go pit bull on me aiming for my shins or ankle, especially with any kind of wind or parking on an incline.

So many projects sigh...but so much love

Saved

92K1500

iTrader: (1)

I'm being an idiot and posting before I research.

I don't know how it is held in/how big the parts are, but you might give going through the speaker hole a try. If you can do it that way it will save you the grief of pulling the window.

92K1500

iTrader: (1)

You may be in luck.

Isn't that silver rectangle above the speaker magnet the door stopper?

Jennifer 2

Savedby, My 04 Roadster doors were modified way back in 2003 and unfortunately I no longer own the car. I’m not sure if he only modified the shape or depth of one or more of the indents or swapped in some parts from a similar unit. Many cars today use a very similar size and shape of unit so you should be able to find a used one to experiment on. It seems like half of them bolt on the inside of the door and half have the attachment bolts on the outside of the door, so keep that in mind when looking for alternate units. The lovely Porsche 911 that is stored in our garage has an excellent stout unit that looks like maybe the guts could be transplanted to a Z. However the cost of that part from Porsche would rival the price you paid for your Z.

Regarding the window regulators: More important than spritzing some lube around is the alignment of all the guides and regulator parts. It’s a big heavy glass and base, it doesn’t have a full frame to guide it and it has to move in two dimensions to close. It takes a lot of fiddling and manipulation to get everything running friction free without any binding. Before you start, measure the time it takes each window to open and also close (do it with the engine running or have the battery fully charged). If you are successful with adjusting and lubing everything the window will operate much faster. The alignment of the passenger side of my car was terrible from the factory and my friend spent a ton of time repositioning and aligning all the parts. The result was the windows ran faster and smoother and the motors suffered less strain. I drove that car every day for the 10 years and the original power window motors were still going strong when I sold the car.

savedbygrace

iTrader: (4)

First...hugs all around....you guys (gender free usage..so no Jennifer...not forgetting you ) are a great help and I really do appreciate the time you're giving me.

Now that hugs are done, I'll be right back after an aspirin run....taking out the glass too? Man I just want to improve the door not become a certified Nissan Ninja of NanoModding... Going in through the speaker hole is an ironic timing of a suggestion, as I was speaking to someone about this issue earlier...and lo and behold the speaker route might gain me access to the door brake...I so don't want to disassemble the door...the door needs some garage therapy, but there has to be an easier way...and actually...brain just happened....there IS someone I can ask about this, someone who's pretty good with cars that I just remembered...I'll see if he can help in removing and even modding it, as I'm sure I can do it but I'm not sure I can do it before inventing swear words that I typically don't use.

Thanks for those fiber optic pics or whatever was used to nab the surveillance looking sneaky shot inside the door panel....that helps....and if I had to guess I'm going tackle this with help either in a week or two, or it's going to go on the back burner for a few months while I research the spring replacement and tend to other priorities that are creeping up on me. I'll keep ya posted as I kinda can't believe this door fix hasn't been addressed and resolved a long time ago...but that's ok....I'm good at being a pioneer of yesteryear's technologies. (as in it takes me a while to catch up )

And saving the best for last...Porsche 911? One of the few cars I think I'd get rid of the Z for.....and a reminder of one of my thoughtless seasons of my think life....I had a chance to tour the Porsche factory in Germany a long time ago...and didn't do it...wasn't a huge car guy then, I was a kid actually, but looking back that would've been a fun memory. Nowhere's near as nice as having a 911 to drive daily though heh. Enjoy and thanks for hanging around to still help the Z crowd. On a separate note I also can't believe no one has ever made a front bumper cover that more closely derives from a Porsche's lines? The two cars are similar, and if the Z had the round glass headlights of a Porsche with the built up fender lines..in my mind it would look like Ferdinand vacationed in Japan or something. If I knew CAD I'd be dumb enough to tackle this I think..but thankfully I'm smart enough to stay dumb and not get pulled in to the spiral of experimental vortex that would cause a loss of weeks with no fruit from the effort. When 3D printers can print seven feet wide and cost $99 though.....watch out gang....Ferdinandsan will ride again!

Saved