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Fred V
Regular
Date registered: Apr 2014
Location: Green Mnts
Vehicle(s): 02 G500
Posts: 88
| Stiff doors?
Drivers door works fine, the passenger side doors have gotten stiff in that they take quite a bit of effort to open or close. Not frozen despite low temps locally as the garage stays at 40F overnight. Covered in salt most of the time as the road crews here spread pure rock salt. Is there a way that I should (or should not) lube the hinges? Other possibilities?
Thank you. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: Stiff doors?
My favorite way to lube the hinges is to place a drop or two of Break Free CLP (firearm lubricant) at the point on the hinge where it will wick up into the pin. Continue to put more drops until it stops wicking. Be sure to open and close the door while doing this to encourage it spreading all around the pin in the hinge. |
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thebigblue
Date registered: Jan 2012
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Stiff doors?
Plain WD40 worked wonders on mine |
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bram_r
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2007
Location: the Netherlands
Vehicle(s): 1984 MB 280GE, 1982 MB 300GD, 1986 Subaru XT 4WD
Posts: 1659
| Re: Stiff doors?
I believe the old 460 hinges standard came with a lubrication hole.
See here where this 5mm lube-hole is made if you don't have the lube-hole:
http://www.hehlhans.de/tipp109.htm
Stiff hinges can make cracks in your door on in your body around the hinge fitment.
Edited by bram_r 2/22/2015 5:56 AM
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Stiff doors?
bram_r - 2/22/2015 5:56 AM
I believe the old 460 hinges standard came with a lubrication hole.
Yes, they did. There was a flat grease zirk similar to those in the driveshafts, except they were smaller. The same cone shaped grease gun tip worked to add grease. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: Stiff doors?
thebigblue - 2/22/2015 4:21 AM
Plain WD40 worked wonders on mine
It will work, but it stinks; and it evaporates quite quickly. The BreakFree CLP does not smell and will last much longer. CLP stands for Clean-Lubricate-Protect, and is the standard issue for US military small arms in the field. It is great stuff, and is my around the house and around the shop all purpose lubricant. |
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MudMonkey
Veteran
Date registered: Jun 2013
Location: CO
Vehicle(s): '03 G500
Posts: 274
| Re: Stiff doors?
I like a spray can of white lithium grease with an aiming straw. Light application, work the door on the hinge, then another light application and work the door again. Watch for any drips if you use too much. It is a much better lubricant than WD40 and more suited to the vehicle door hinge application than CLP (which I happen to use regularly and love, for firearms, being ex-mil as well). |
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thebigblue
Date registered: Jan 2012
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Stiff doors?
DUTCH - 2/22/2015 12:43 PM
thebigblue - 2/22/2015 4:21 AM
Plain WD40 worked wonders on mine
It will work, but it stinks; and it evaporates quite quickly. The BreakFree CLP does not smell and will last much longer. CLP stands for Clean-Lubricate-Protect, and is the standard issue for US military small arms in the field. It is great stuff, and is my around the house and around the shop all purpose lubricant.
MudMonkey - 2/22/2015 6:14 PM
I like a spray can of white lithium grease with an aiming straw. Light application, work the door on the hinge, then another light application and work the door again. Watch for any drips if you use too much. It is a much better lubricant than WD40 and more suited to the vehicle door hinge application than CLP (which I happen to use regularly and love, for firearms, being ex-mil as well).
Granted, WD40 might not be the best - but it was in the bush 
So i recon I will take notes on your advise, and correct my doings when in a civilized place again.. Thanks |
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atg
Veteran
Date registered: Nov 2014
Location: Los Angeles
Vehicle(s): 2005 G55, 1985 300tdt
Posts: 129
| Re: Stiff doors?
Thre of four door checks on mine are very stiff. I think it is disuse and the rubber part gets hard with age. I have lubed all hinges but that was not the problem in my case. Lubing the check strap seems to help slightly. |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3004
| Re: Stiff doors?
My 2002 G was 6 years old when I bought it, doors operated easily, if not a bit heavy.
On my 1999 the door mechanism has always been stiff. I recently replaced one of the door checks with a 461 90 degree check, brand new. This did not affect the ease of moving the door, only how far it opens. My problem is in the hinges, sooner or later I will buy some of that gun oil. |
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TexWagen
Veteran
Date registered: May 2006
Location: Houston, Texas
Vehicle(s): 2003 G500
Posts: 115
| Re: Stiff doors?
I completely agree with the CLP use. It is great stuff for many purposes beyond firearms. |
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rhd280
Regular
Date registered: Dec 2014
Location: New Zealand
Vehicle(s): 1982 280GE LWB RHD
Posts: 63
| Re: Stiff doors?
bram_r - 2/22/2015 10:56 PM
I believe the old 460 hinges standard came with a lubrication hole.
See here where this 5mm lube-hole is made if you don't have the lube-hole:
http://www.hehlhans.de/tipp109.htm
Stiff hinges can make cracks in your door on in your body around the hinge fitment.
In looking at this link, I see what looks like aftermarket drill holes.
Is it recommended that one drill a 5mm hole when the door is opened and either pump gun oil into it or install a grease nipple? All my doors except the drivers one are stiff, and have been so since I bought the vehicle in 1996.
 (hinge.JPG)
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 hinge.JPG (92KB - 0 downloads)
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Johnny Christensen
Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2010
Location: Denmark
Vehicle(s): GD290 W461
Posts: 202
| RE: Stiff doors?
When I got my truck, it had really stiff doors all around, to the point that I expected to replace every hinge on the vehicle. Taking the hinges off, cleaned them and drilled that hole. I worked the oil in and a lot of rust came seeping out. It has been fine with regular lubrication since, 7 years with perfectly working doors.
It may not be a pretty solution, but it really works. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Stiff doors?
rhd280 - 3/22/2015 8:09 PM
In looking at this link, I see what looks like aftermarket drill holes.
Is it recommended that one drill a 5mm hole when the door is opened and either pump gun oil into it or install a grease nipple? All my doors except the drivers one are stiff, and have been so since I bought the vehicle in 1996.
My 1984 280GE had them from the factory. They had a small flat nipple zirk like those on the drive shafts, but smaller.
The EPC shows a grease nipple in the upper hinge up to VIN ending in 043481, which would have included my 84 280GE - but mine had one in both the upper and lower hinges. The P/N is A.460.720.03.37. The EPC shows a different P/N for the grease nipple in the rear door, also only in the upper hinge: A.460.991.51.52. The EPC does not show any grease nipples in the rear panel door hinges. |
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w.james
Veteran
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: New Jersey
Vehicle(s): 84 280 GE 617A 5sp getrag
Posts: 239
| Re: Stiff doors?
Dutch
Got a picture, I would like to see how these were installed from the factory. I though that the holes in the previous pic were locks for the hinge pins
Thanks
W |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Stiff doors?
w.james - 3/23/2015 8:38 AM
Dutch
Got a picture, I would like to see how these were installed from the factory. I though that the holes in the previous pic were locks for the hinge pins
Thanks
W
On my 84 280GE, the flat grease zirks/nipples were just pressed in the holes. There were a couple missing from their holes on mine from the factory. The spare part replacement just tapped into place with a ball peen hammer.
For some reason, the diagram in the EPC shows them as a standard grease gun zirk (not the flat cone type), but that would never fit with the hinge closed. |
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