I have a new pair of door panels from a well know supplier (name omitted until I talk to them and see what is up). I started test fitting them and discovered that there are several problems. I am wondering what the typical experience is from those of you who have replaced door panels regarding problems you have and how well they fit compared to the originals??
I have only tried the drivers side so far, but my new panels have two basic problems:
When installed and with the metal upper hooked over the fiberglass inner door panel and pushed down as far as it will go, it is still too high for the inside door release and door pull to fit properly. See attached photo. The upper photo is the new panel and the lower is the original. The attach fittings need to be where the they are on the original for the hardware to fit properly. The attach clips at the bottom don't quite fit right either.
Second problem: The curve of the upper part of the door panel is not as contoured as much as the original, and to get the metal upper to hook properly it pulls the fiberglass inward slightly creating an uneven gap for the window. When viewed from above, the opening for the window is not equal across the top. It is noticeably larger in the middle. In other words, the door panel where the whiskers are no longer follows the contour of the window itself or the outer door fiberglass.
I put the original panel back on the it fits like a glove and follows the contour perfectly.
Comments from your experiences? How well should I expect new panels to fit? If it weren't for the fit problems, these door panels look great!
I have only tried the drivers side so far, but my new panels have two basic problems:
When installed and with the metal upper hooked over the fiberglass inner door panel and pushed down as far as it will go, it is still too high for the inside door release and door pull to fit properly. See attached photo. The upper photo is the new panel and the lower is the original. The attach fittings need to be where the they are on the original for the hardware to fit properly. The attach clips at the bottom don't quite fit right either.
Second problem: The curve of the upper part of the door panel is not as contoured as much as the original, and to get the metal upper to hook properly it pulls the fiberglass inward slightly creating an uneven gap for the window. When viewed from above, the opening for the window is not equal across the top. It is noticeably larger in the middle. In other words, the door panel where the whiskers are no longer follows the contour of the window itself or the outer door fiberglass.
I put the original panel back on the it fits like a glove and follows the contour perfectly.
Comments from your experiences? How well should I expect new panels to fit? If it weren't for the fit problems, these door panels look great!
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