Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-23 Thread John Berryman
On Feb 23, 2006, at 3:21 PM, andrew strasfogel wrote: You're Superman in my book if you have 30 yrs. as a professional mechanic. Aw gee! (blushing) Johnny B. I Mac Therefore I am

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-23 Thread andrew strasfogel
You're Superman in my book if you have 30 yrs. as a professional mechanic. On 2/22/06, John Berryman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > On Wednesday, February 22, 2006, at 06:27 PM, andrew strasfogel wrote: > > > No way this is a 30 minute job, even with 2 people. > > > >I'm not Superman or

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-22 Thread John Berryman
On Wednesday, February 22, 2006, at 06:27 PM, andrew strasfogel wrote: No way this is a 30 minute job, even with 2 people. I'm not Superman or anything but I have more than 30 years behind me as a professional mechanic. Take as long as you want, its your time. Johnny B. I Mac Therefore I

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-22 Thread John Berryman
On Wednesday, February 22, 2006, at 02:59 PM, Marshall Booth wrote: Several people have reported dropping the hatch and breaking the window ($$$)! Several more have rounded off the screw heads! Those have been the BIG problems. Marshall There is something to be said for knowing what you're

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-22 Thread andrew strasfogel
No way this is a 30 minute job, even with 2 people. On 2/22/06, Marshall Booth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > John Berryman wrote: > > > Its a piece of cake, a couple of bolts and a couple retainers a > piece > > of wood to hold tailgate up and the right tools. 1/2 hour job. You may > > want

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-22 Thread Marshall Booth
John Berryman wrote: Its a piece of cake, a couple of bolts and a couple retainers a piece of wood to hold tailgate up and the right tools. 1/2 hour job. You may want to have a small picker-upper extendable magnet on hand if your prone to succumb to the forces of gravity and drop things.

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-17 Thread John Berryman
On Friday, February 17, 2006, at 01:29 PM, Christopher McCann wrote: "requires a pretty advanced DIYer" My indy is pretty good about telling me what I can and can't do myself - he knows the limitations of my skills - and he recommended against my trying this. It must sound easier than it is.

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-17 Thread Christopher McCann
"requires a pretty advanced DIYer" My indy is pretty good about telling me what I can and can't do myself - he knows the limitations of my skills - and he recommended against my trying this. It must sound easier than it is. Chris Marshall Booth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Jim Cathey wrote:

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-17 Thread Mitch Haley
John Berryman wrote: > > What about sticking a soldering iron (a powerful one) inside the bolt > > head? > > > > That's a thought. Have you ever tried it? Not on TD struts, never owned a wagon. Have done it to loctited allen screws.

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-17 Thread John Berryman
On Thursday, February 16, 2006, at 09:08 PM, Mitch Haley wrote: John Berryman wrote: Its somewhat dangerous to use heat in there for the obvious reasons. What about sticking a soldering iron (a powerful one) inside the bolt head? That's a thought. Have you ever tried it? Johnny B

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-17 Thread George Gregory
On 2/16/06 3:48 PM, "Christopher McCann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thanks, Andrew. I think I can tackle this one myself without t much > trouble. > > Chris FWIW When mine were done the indie said that replacing the struts on the 124 was slightly easier than on the 123. -- +-- G

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-17 Thread Marshall Booth
Jim Cathey wrote: There is a motor that, once the door is more or less closed, pulls the door in and engages the lock - nice, but up there with 87 zone climate control, IMO. It does the same when you unlock. A door motor? In an 87 124? News to me. The hatch lid of a 124.193 had a latch

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-17 Thread Mitch Haley
John Berryman wrote: > Its somewhat dangerous to use heat in there for the obvious reasons. What about sticking a soldering iron (a powerful one) inside the bolt head?

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-17 Thread John Berryman
On Thursday, February 16, 2006, at 08:12 PM, David Bruckmann wrote: The trick with W123T hatch struts is HEAT on the torx bolts; W124 will probably be similar. The bolt threadlock is heat-sensitive; VERY hard to remove if cold, but heating it makes the whole thing a lot easier and avoids stripp

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-17 Thread David Bruckmann
The trick with W123T hatch struts is HEAT on the torx bolts; W124 will probably be similar. The bolt threadlock is heat-sensitive; VERY hard to remove if cold, but heating it makes the whole thing a lot easier and avoids stripping the bolt heads. IIRC, Marshall has weighed in on this topic in

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-16 Thread Christopher McCann
Thanks, Andrew. I think I can tackle this one myself without t much trouble. Chris andrew strasfogel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Chris, Once you remove the plastic roof moulding and rear speakers, IIRC, you'll see that the headliner neatly hangs by a dowel or maybe one on each side. Just

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-16 Thread andrew strasfogel
Chris, Once you remove the plastic roof moulding and rear speakers, IIRC, you'll see that the headliner neatly hangs by a dowel or maybe one on each side. Just slip it or them off their brackets and the rear 2' approx. of the headliner drops down. You can then gain access to tackle the front end

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-16 Thread Christopher McCann
so you remove the headliner and there they are? Chris andrew strasfogel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: 17 years? Since 1989, our 1983 300TD has needed to have the struts replaced TWICE and I need to do it again. They seem to last around 5-6 years at best. It's not that difficult a job but yo

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-16 Thread Loren Faeth
Yours last less time because of your proximity to the atmospheric pollution coming out of DC At 01:32 PM 2/16/2006, you wrote: 17 years? Since 1989, our 1983 300TD has needed to have the struts replaced TWICE and I need to do it again. They seem to last around 5-6 years at best. It's not tha

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-16 Thread andrew strasfogel
17 years? Since 1989, our 1983 300TD has needed to have the struts replaced TWICE and I need to do it again. They seem to last around 5-6 years at best. It's not that difficult a job but you will need a torx socket wrench to R/R the bolts that secure the struts to the roof and a long 2X4 to supp

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-16 Thread George Gregory
Bad struts. BTDT. PITA to do, but well worth having an operational door. And, it will last another 18 years. ___ GG STILL WISH I HAD MY 87 300TD St. Louis - Cincinnati 1997 SL500 http://homepage.mac.com/deneals/SL500.htm -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECT

Re: [MBZ] 87 300TD hatch door

2006-02-16 Thread Jim Cathey
There is a motor that, once the door is more or less closed, pulls the door in and engages the lock - nice, but up there with 87 zone climate control, IMO. It does the same when you unlock. A door motor? In an 87 124? News to me. NOW, here's my question, the door doesn't stay open...it