Door Check Strap Replacement Tutorial

[John Moxon]

[John Moxon]

I got a reply from Bill. He had sold his Ghia some years ago but fortunately kept his pictures on file so now his pictures are located in The Samba Gallery and will display for as long as The Samba is here.

Thanks again Bill.
_________________
John.
Judson Supercharger Information on The Samba
My 1958 Shorrock Supercharged Karmann Ghia
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Desert Ghia]

For someone with arthritic hands that can't squeeze up into the door with the panel removed, would it be bad/hard to just take the top hinge off and install the strap that way?

[sputnick60]

[c21darrel]

^^^The correct advice.
_________________
GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Desert Ghia]

[KGCoupe]

[Redlabel6]

Not to mention that the upper hinge will not come out of the door if the check strap pins are still in place.
They need to be removed before the hinge will come out of the door.
d
_________________
1957 Oval Window Beetle
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=666792&highlight=73+coupe

[Desert Ghia]

Waited until I finished for the beer.

All done. Holds on level ground and if I don't move the car too much.

Thanks for the help

[John Boy]

Any tips/tricks on how to get the C clips back on the roller pins would be greatly appreciated. I've been trying all day with no luck. Thanks.

[art_lessing]

I just did mine too! I noticed that the pins don't always seat all the way down to expose the groove for the c-clip. Give it a tap with a tack hammer. I had to use the edge of the hammer head. Its a tight fit, but once the open side of the clip is in the groove, I used a 1/8" punch to finish pushing it on. The punch acts like a thimble really.

[rbsurfguy]

Total hassle, aren't they John Boy? Especially if you have big hands. No wonder these things take so long to put back together when these tiny items take hours to install. I too had to work mine in with an additional push because of the new paint. I also gripped the c clip with some small pliers not only to hold it, but to give it a good push and seat it into the groove.

Be sure to put a towel or rag down inside the door so when you drop the c clips for the hundredth time so you can find it again, and have extras. No idea where mine went to, even fishing around with a magnet I only found a couple.

Take your time, walk away, take a breath, maybe a shot, approach again...you will get them in place.
Jeff
_________________
1971 Ghia convertible (Body off rebuild)
2019 VW Atlas 4Motion
2012 Passat-Sold


See my build on The Samba at:
Jeff's 71 Vert Restoration/Reassembly http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6...highlight=

[John Boy]

Decided to go to Plan B. The pin and clip on the right is OE, the pin and clip in the center is part of the replacement kit (pin is a bit smaller in diameter than OE) the OE pin on the left with a different clip which was 10 times easier to install with a needle nose pliers is what I ended up using.

[688GUY]

I did mine today, after about 40 years and 7 or so Ghias, I finally have one that I don't have to dive in before the door swings shut a bashes my shins! Pretty f'ing awesome!...Yeah, just take a Dremel or something and cut the old pins in half, it aint worth dicking with the old C clips...

[Steelz21]

No more bruised shins and bungee cords for me.
Finally installed the new check straps.
It felt like I was doing keyhole surgery but it’s so worth it.

Installed new armrests and replaced all the broken door panels clips while I had it apart.

Thanks for the tutorial. Very well done.

[NovatoJoe]

This was super helpful - thank you to the original poster and everyone who has commented over the years.

This YouTube video (although for RC hobbyists) was good reference for clip removal and replacement: https://youtu.be/QLcKsSZrusM

I've installed the new strap, pins, and rollers on my passenger side door (1970 Ghia). While everything went in without much drama, it just doesn't work. The door still swings shut, even on a level surface. Dang.

I'm using the straps from the JBugs kit: https://www.jbugs.com/product/143-019B.html

I'll contact them to see what, if anything, can be done.

[Redlabel6]

Did you remember to put the nylon sleeves that the pins go through back in?
That would cause it to still close.
d
_________________
1957 Oval Window Beetle
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=666792&highlight=73+coupe

[NovatoJoe]

Yep!

New pins, sleeves/rollers, clamps, and straps. I'm thinking the sleeves/rollers and/or the bulge-y parts of the strap are not thick enough.

[John Boy]

The clips I used on the strap pins at the far left (see photo above) are called hair pin clips.

[Hardrocker]