New door pads...bumps?

[Jonas_N]

Bought a set of new door pads from PG classic.
When installing them I get these really visible bumps, I tried the clips that was included and my own clips but still the same.

Anyone else experienced this or did I get a bad one?
(I also had to re-drill the holes for the emblems as they were not centered.)

[70 sublime]

Are all the spots with a clip doing that ?
Almost looks like the clip has not fully popped through the door to hold it in tight

[Jonas_N]

Yes, hard to see in the pic but there are bumps over all clips.
I tried to stick a clip in, holding the pad in my hand and the bump instantly appeared, even when the clip was tight against the inside side of the metal.

These were not cheap and start cutting into the foam on the back feels... 

[Finoke]

Yes, hard to see in the pic but there are bumps over all clips.
I tried to stick a clip in, holding the pad in my hand and the bump instantly appeared, even when the clip was tight against the inside side of the metal.

These were not cheap and start cutting into the foam on the back feels... 

If they are weak, and the original clips can't be used. Possibly forget the clips and use caulk as an adhesive? You wont be able to remove without damaging them but they will stay on without any bumps from the clips.

[5wndwcpe]

Yes, hard to see in the pic but there are bumps over all clips.
I tried to stick a clip in, holding the pad in my hand and the bump instantly appeared, even when the clip was tight against the inside side of the metal.

These were not cheap and start cutting into the foam on the back feels... 

If they are weak, and the original clips can't be used. Possibly forget the clips and use caulk as an adhesive? You wont be able to remove without damaging them but they will stay on without any bumps from the clips.

Along those lines I would consider gluing magnets or a magnetic strip to the lower edge of that piece rendering it removable sans damage.  Just a thought.

[Nacho-RT74]

once more, to be gratefull with QUALITY reproductions. I bet they were cheap... right ?

and this is just about use the correct cardboard/masonite thickness panel on back!!!!! is THAT HARD? Does THIS really increase NOTICEABLY the production COST ?

[Jonas_N]

once more, to be gratefull with QUALITY reproductions. I bet they were cheap... right ?

and this is just about use the correct cardboard/masonite thickness panel on back!!!!! is THAT HARD? Does THIS really increase NOTICEABLY the production COST ?

Yeah, almost every time I get a repop part its lots of work before it actually fits or look like original. Nowadays I always try my hardest to salvage my original parts.

I got all eight door sides, back and front, upper and lower.
Shipped to Sweden plus import tax these are some of the most expensive parts ive got for the car.

The lower ones with masonite are very nice but the upper is way overpriced for the quality, Come on PG classic.....

Back to the bumps, I will remove the door pads this weekend and then really really carefully with a dremel dig out a pocket in the foam where the clip can hide.

Also Nacho, thanks for your Electrical charging thread, I have new wiring going in and will do the bypass to brand new gauges.
The last part is to find a Alternator that fits with new stereo, active sub, electric fans and H4 Led headlights.

[nchrome]

You could take the clips and use a pair of vicegrips and close them up a little sort of weaken them up a little but yet strong enough to hold the panel in tight   If it doesn't work then maybe use the earth magnets to hold the panel inplace

[Nacho-RT74]

the cheap part was ironical

I'm in Spain at this moment, so we are somehow close now LOL

Alternator... Tuff stuff offers 100 and now 130 amps and per whay I have seen, they are correct look, not the later case used by Powermaster which is also couple or milimeters wider and could require some trimming on rear spacer specially on A/C cars ( BTDT ) and couple of inches larger belt. If as far I know their iddle rates are what I recall have read or told, on 65 amps rate for 100 amps, that should be good enough. In my case, when I HAVE THE MONEY ( if ever ), will go with a casted dual pulley 100 amps unit from them ( $180-210 rate depending on seller ). You can go 130 if you want since I have told, the amp rate is given by the car needs and the alt should be able to feed it at the slower RPMs at posible. For  while the excess of amperes the alt is able to feed won't be played ever, but I think still 100 amps could be enough.

The bigger suckers amps on our cars are the A/C-heater blower, wiper motor and cigar lighter. Power windows too, but they just work ocassionally like the cigar lighter. Rest are just average. Modern stereos  are latelly low consumption ( you can tell it by the wire size they come now ). Active sub can suck some. Try to use a condenser ( can't recall the exact name for it on this function ) to hold charge on every bass boom. Electric fans are also suckers. if you can wire them individually, better, at diff temp rates. You can use a dual temp sensor to make work just one at low engine temp or both at the higher engine temp ( or turning on A/C if equipped ). Led headlights... no need to worry.

( wooops, this is not an electrical thread )

[Jonas_N]

Nice, come by Sweden and beers on me.

Thanks for the rec, will get one of those.
Getting a new alternator is a drop in the ocean compared to the door sides.
(I got the irony.)

Sounds good, no AC or power windows on my car.

[Nacho-RT74]

The only deal is I think they are all squarebacks and your car originally got roundback. But that's not a big deal. They are easier to service anyway.

Several ppl has commented some issues with them... being a bit noisy or maybe non working correctly and had to return them getting new units sent, but that was long time ago not latelly.

CAPACITOR for the bass. That was the correct name used... which is a condenser anyway, just other name used for the same.

No A/C but still heater I guess. Blower sucks the same on both, just that A/C gets the rpm lowered when compressor is activated reducing the alternator efficiency.

[ACUDANUT]

Magnets to hold a door panel in place ?    
Why not try 3M double sided tape.

[VegasCharger]

WD40 is your friend, I can't express that enough. Yeah sounds strange when referring WD40 when installing interior panels but it has worked for me. Both installing and removing. Think about it, you got a dry metal clip (even worse if it's rusty) with pressure from the spring design going into a dry metal hole. The force/pressure it takes for that spring to go in the hole most likely is stronger than the repo material on the door pads.

Spray WD40 onto the clips and around the hole, see what happens when inserting them. Heck do a test fitting by putting a clip into a Vise-Grip with lubricant into one of the holes vs one w/o lubricant and see the difference. Also make sure when installing the door panel that all clips are lined up to go in exactly to the corresponding clip hole.



EDIT: If you are concerned about the mess that spraying WD40 will do, you can use grease by brushing it on the clips to avoid over spray.

[Finoke]

WD40 is your friend, I can't express that enough. Yeah sounds strange when referring WD40 when installing interior panels but it has worked for me. Both installing and removing. Think about it, you got a dry metal clip (even worse if it's rusty) with pressure from the spring design going into a dry metal hole. The force/pressure it takes for that spring to go in the hole most likely is stronger than the repo material on the door pads.

Spray WD40 onto the clips and around the hole, see what happens when inserting them. Heck do a test fitting by putting a clip into a Vise-Grip with lubricant into one of the holes vs one w/o lubricant and see the difference. Also make sure when installing the door panel that all clips are lined up to go in exactly to the corresponding clip hole.



EDIT: If you are concerned about the mess that spraying WD40 will do, you can use grease by brushing it on the clips to avoid over spray.

Great idea!

[ht4spd307]

Looks as if the clips have grabbed on the foam and gathered it up causing the bumps. Do they go away if you pull the clips out ?

[Jonas_N]

Thanks for all the tips 

The bump do go away when pulling out the clip.

I solved it with a dremel and a small tool I made from a broken clip.
First I drilled out as much foam as I could reach, then I used the small sharp tool I made to dig out the extra foam trapped under the metal.
Not perfect but now the bumps are gone on some places and very hard to see on others. 

[timmycharger]

  Nice job!

[Bronzedodge]

Thanks for posting the pics.  Looks much better now!

[Finoke]

Nice!

[cdr]

Thanks for all the tips 

The bump do go away when pulling out the clip.

I solved it with a dremel and a small tool I made from a broken clip.
First I drilled out as much foam as I could reach, then I used the small sharp tool I made to dig out the extra foam trapped under the metal.
Not perfect but now the bumps are gone on some places and very hard to see on others. 

wrong clips. or you are putting the clip on the door & not on the pad.

[Jonas_N]

Thanks for all the tips 

The bump do go away when pulling out the clip.

I solved it with a dremel and a small tool I made from a broken clip.
First I drilled out as much foam as I could reach, then I used the small sharp tool I made to dig out the extra foam trapped under the metal.
Not perfect but now the bumps are gone on some places and very hard to see on others. 

wrong clips. or you are putting the clip on the door & not on the pad.

No, correct clips. I tried the chinese ones that came with the pads, useless.
Then tried some new ones Ive bought, too big at the bend where it circles over the metal edge on the pad.
In the end I used the original clips that came off my old door pad, sturdy, strong and works perfectly.

I do put the clips on the pad like it should be, but the new pads has a harder foam and softer surface than the originals, so it creates a bump when inserting the clips.
By removing foam at where the clip is stuck between the metal and foam on the pad, the bump went away. 

[Nacho-RT74]

I thought that section was cardboard... so was the foam being not trimmed to accept the clip. So even a cheaper solution which should be done when manufacturing!

On 3rd gens I have seen the clips used for upper panels are these on the left, which are thinner so doesn't disturb the outside of the upper panel. Althought the Chargers assembled in Vzla still used the ones on right side



Lower plastic panels use the wire kind on the right

[Jonas_N]

I thought that section was cardboard... so was the foam being not trimmed to accept the clip. So even a cheaper solution which should be done when manufacturing!

On 3rd gens I have seen the clips used for upper panels are these on the left, which are thinner so doesn't disturb the outside of the upper panel. Althought the Chargers assembled in Vzla still used the ones on right side

Lower plastic panels use the wire kind on the right

It def should have been done when manufacturing.

The left clip in that pic sat on my lower panels(cardboard) on the sides, the lower portion of the panel had the clips to the right.
My upper pad had the clips to the right, all of them.

[Finoke]

I thought that section was cardboard... so was the foam being not trimmed to accept the clip. So even a cheaper solution which should be done when manufacturing!

On 3rd gens I have seen the clips used for upper panels are these on the left, which are thinner so doesn't disturb the outside of the upper panel. Althought the Chargers assembled in Vzla still used the ones on right side

Lower plastic panels use the wire kind on the right

It def should have been done when manufacturing.

The left clip in that pic sat on my lower panels(cardboard) on the sides, the lower portion of the panel had the clips to the right.
My upper pad had the clips to the right, all of them.

Neither clip is right for the upper pads. The clip to the right is close but the base isn't wide enough. It should be as wide as the clip opening in the pad. At least on my 1970.

[Jonas_N]

Neither clip is right for the upper pads. The clip to the right is close but the base isn't wide enough. It should be as wide as the clip opening in the pad. At least on my 1970.

Interesting, do you have pics of your clips?

On the pic, the clip to the right was included with the pads, the metal is quite brittle, one snapped off when I tried to install them...
The clip on the left is what was installed in my 68 and what I use now, makes the pad stick to the door like glued. 

Both clips creates the bump.
I have checked with my original pads and none of the clip creates a bump there, so the pad foam is clearly at fault here.