[Vintre]

Hello All,

I tried a search on this one but came up empty.

I am replacing the door limit straps on my '87 Quad.

Got the assembly out of the door easier than I expected after reading some of the posts. I will post another thread on how I did that. Managed to get the drivers out in 15 mins.

I ordered new straps from Centerline as the brackets are present in the door and look good.

Now for the $64,000 question.

How do you get the new strap through those rollers? I tried to knock those pins out, but they didn't budge and I didnt want to damage them.

Any advice on the straps?

Thanks,

Vince

 

[okiealfaaddict]

You knock the pins out. Use the penetrating oil and be very careful. If you are lucky, the pins will drive put before the metal breaks. Just a chance you have to take!

I have done this using a small 1/4 drive socket centered underneath the pin and a very small ball peen hammer. Reassemble same way. Where did you get the straps?

 

[usatrade]

Me too I'd like to know where you got the straps from, I need 6 of them !
Claude

 

[Wille R.]

Straps are in stock with Alfa Romeo Parts and Spares www.highwoodalfa.com The straps are the same for all 105 series. You may buy the strap or just the pins. They wear out after 10-15 years. Once you have learned how to replace them, you're lucky, beacuse you won't have to do it again for many, many years.

From Highwoodalfa, prices in £

Door stay complete 45.00
Door stay strap 19.00
Door stay roller 1.65
Door stay pin 1.50

 

[Dolce86]

Vince - I was just about to change mine. Your follow up on the assembly would be appreciated!!

Thanks



Got the assembly out of the door easier than I expected after reading some of the posts. I will post another thread on how I did that.

 

[Dan Walker]

I'll be watching with interest too- I'll be tackling the door straps on my '67 soon.....

 

[ossodiseppia]

Those pins go out in one direction only. One end is tapered and the other is not. The tapered end protrudes from the bracket. That's the side you need to tap on to drive out the pin. A blunt ended punch works best.

 

[spidryell]

Be sure to take a photo of the assembly as it came out of the car so you can have the same strap orientation and have it in the door open position. The pins will drive out as Ossodiseppia posts above. The replacement straps on mine did not fit between the rollers and I had to grind/sand the rubber down. There must be differences in straps, rollers or assemblies that make some not fit correctly. I also had to grind the humps down quite a bit to make them work. (have to install them in the door to see if you have it right and take it back apart if they are not correct) Actually had to do several tries to get it right and the one I did is still a bit too tight. If you have limited patience it might be best to buy the assembly.

 

[GTD]

My advice to all of you who are contemplating buying these is:Do Not Bother!

All of these being offered by the various suppliers come from the same manufacturer and are a poor substitute for the original item. They are overpriced and do not fit without radical modification as attested by multiple posts on this BB. They must be filed or ground down by about 30% before they will function. Once altered - no matter how disgusted you are with the item, you can't return it.

My only suggestion is to boycott this product and let them rot on the retailers’ shelves until a better replacement is found. Let the buying power (or lack thereof) of the Alfisti be heard!

 

[backfeeder]

GTD,
are you also including the assembly or is your beef just with the straps? I ask because I placed an order with IAP not 5 hours or so ago for new assemblies.
Mean while I'll search your old posts to see if my answer is there.

 

[GTD]

backfeeder
You have my condolences.

My beef, also experienced by others, is that the black strap is too thick to operate properly.
Whether you buy the assembly or just the strap the problem is the same.

Understand that these parts are a poor substitute for the Spiders original Pininfarina part - Bertone used a slightly different version; I can't say if these fit any better.
Original door check straps where constructed of a steel strap, coated with a molded-on vinyl covering. These lasted for years but eventually the vinyl deteriorates and a gummy steel strap is all that remains. Today’s substitute is a hard black plastic that is molded with an excessive thickness that simply will not travel between the rollers until it is nearly folded in two. It then "snaps" into a closed position with a sound that puts fear into the owners mind as he pictures those dollars wasted and a broken check strap to be removed.
The part is simply incorrectly made and at $69.50/each (IAP), I think they are excessively priced.

Your post on this vintage thread demonstates you've waited a bit before buying!
Bill77 seems to have found a solution; buy the whole assembly from Centerline:
http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/spider-1966-up/46904-door-check-strap-question.html

 

[backfeeder]

GTD,
Try 85.50 each! Maybe, I can just wrap some rubber around the mental. I get so gung ho about replacing everything to as new condition that I forget that I can use some ingenuity for a change. Old body, rusty brain syndrome. Now for some serious material research.
First thought is the stuff they use to dip the ends of tools, to make a good grip. Multiple dips over the metal stem....for the lack of a better word...with a roundish bulge in the middle, might be an idea.
I'm going to try.

 

[usatrade]

Hi
I would need 6 of them for my cars. You bet they can (all) keep them until a bettre product will be proposed. but maybe if we put all our resources together we could find our solution to this problem.
Claude

 

[GTD]

backfeeder
Plastic tool dip - BTDT - doesn't have enough body to allow it to fit between the rollers without peeling off.

If one wanted to take the time ... they could be machined out of aluminum; if the profile was correct they would roll smoothly and check at the correct spot.
They could also be fabricated from some of today's Kevlar reinforced resins or possibly carbon fiber but I expect the cost would be prohibitive.

 

[backfeeder]

Good ideas, lets see what we can come up with.

 

[usatrade]

Hi again,

As we all are concerned by our Alfa doors may be we have overlooked at the possibilities "offered" by our other cars.
may be we all should look as of tomorrow at all our other car doors, it is possible that the solution is there somewhere.
What do you think ?
Claude

 

[backfeeder]

If you guys can think of anything that will work, then say it. Just don't make it too complicated. I don't do complicated.

 

[ossodiseppia]

If you guys can think of anything that will work, then say it. Just don't make it too complicated. I don't do complicated.

It's not complicated. Remove the old one and install the new one. The new ones are stiff. Take great care when trying to close the door the first time. The strap will flex and look like it's going to fold in half. Pull on the strap as you work the door to get it to pop. Once that happens, work the door back and forth, carefully.

 

[Vintre]

Solution! I think.

If you guys can think of anything that will work, then say it. Just don't make it too complicated. I don't do complicated.

backfeeder,

I am with you. It needs to be simple for me.

As everyone knows, the replacement straps are just too thick and hard to fit between the 2 rollers.

So, after reading the posts, I like many, took to my dremmel and removed the bumps as well as thinned the strap so that it would fit inbetween the rollers.

The problem is that by doing this, the strap loses one of its functions. That is, to hold the door in an open position. Thats what the bumps do. So now I have a strap that's only function will be to keep the door from opening too wide.

I wasn't happy with the result considering the cost of the replacement straps.

So what to do.................

I thought, I thinned out the stap, that's no good. What about thinning out the rollers? Making the gap between the rollers bigger so that the new strap would fit through it?

I headed to my local Home Depot and picked up some plastic hosing. 3/8" OD and 1/4" ID. $0.40 for 12". See picture.

The pins fit through the hole and the new, thick, hard strap, unaltered, fit through the gap!

I installed the strap and now have a truely working strap that not only keeps the door from opening too wide, it holds it in place while opened as well.

I dont know how long the rubber tubing will last, but I think I should get some good use out of them.

If there is any deterioration of the new "rollers", I will let everyone know but I'm pretty happy with the result.

Vin

 

[Vintre]

Installation and Removal

As promissed, here is how I got the door strap out. As I said, I found it to be easier than previous posts. I think I just got lucky though !

With the door open and the window up, remove the door panel. I reached behind the window wires and through those 2 cross members to grab the strap. If you dont have any strap left you can still reach the rollers.

As you pull it back through, you will hit the window regulator, but with some Alfa twisting and jiggling, you can get it by and out.

Then reverse to get it back.

If your hands are too big, try and find a kid and get them hooked early on Alfa's!

All and all, I wouldn't say too bad of a fix to do.

Vin