Creaking Doors

[koan]

Both my front doors creak as I drive along, today it was particularly bad, maybe because it was a bit warmer. I suspect it's the door seals against the body.

Any suggestions as to what to "lubricate" them with?

koan

[oscar]

You could try graphite powder and try and confirm whether it is the seals or not. 

You sure it's not suspension related?  Otherwise, I hope it's not the result of 6.9 chassis bending torque

[koan]

It's the doors, if I open the driver's door the noise goes away. It could be the locks have worn or the locating pegs, maybe the doors aren't closing tightly enough and need adjusting.

Does the door trim touch anything when the door is closed? I don't think so, so that leaves the seal around the door.

I don't fancy graphite powder, could be a bit messy, I was thinking a silicon spray might do it.

It's only the fronts, there is no noise from the rear.

All I know it was very irritating today.

koan

[Bandolero]

Hey Koan,
My left front does the same.
Not a rattle, not the lock either as it is at the front of the door at about half way up.
Definitely a creak, not a rattle.
I'm going to lube the hinges and if that doesn't work, silicone spray the seal.

[John Hubertz]

Ahemm!   (taps on podium to get class attention)

I don't recall where, but even early writers and I think, one Mercedes source in the 1970s confirmed that the heavy door panels and various and disparate interior plastic trim parts that are oversized for our protection during accidents will quite literally (and thus sir, you are correct in saying) CREAK while the car is underway.

Wind noise is the other issue.

Both were HUGE issues and it is notable that the 126 has neither problem, at all.

Mercedes put a lot of work into it, because it really cheapens the 116 driving experience, and owners didn't like it from the jump.

Graphite is a good idea, or even a bit of lubrication of some kind...  I wonder if some kind of light oil misted onto contact surfaces would help...

[koan]

I reckon its his arse making noise and he's just trying to blame the doors

Bloody hell Patrick B. you are an absolute genius!

Today I stuck a cork up my arse and went for a drive - absolute silence, not a creak to be heard, it was in fact the most pleasurable drive I have ever experienced.

koan

[John Hubertz]

Generally, MB owners arses have the following acoustic range according to the international association of coprology, they provided also the (female) chart at the bottom, (as the standard chart includes far too many people who drive wheelie bins and is not applicable to us since "shitting yourself" was a category that simply does not apply to the MB owner community):

- flute/picollo (standard with most MBs, and will usually be found with one-owner cars)



- pipe+organ (frequently found with 2nd owner cars, especially extremely stylish models, and can often be seen being lovingly bathed by cabana boys outside South-Beach resort areas and men's bath houses)
(generally either a soft whooshing or after a week home with parents, a basso-profundo flutter)

Walter here offers a demonstration:



- whoopee cushion (often found in 116 owners) A competitive, schoolboy attention grabber that is the bedroom and/or elevator or boardroom or church equivalent of wearing a gigantic cowboy hat and yellow ostrich-skin boots to a divorce hearing...  the thumb-your-nose at shame fart...  because by God life is for living, women for loving, cars for driving, food for eating, tears for crying, children for nurturing, and indeed...  if you are going to fart, make it LOUD and hope it SMELLS



Here is how it breaks down:

[Martin 280s]

Ahemm!   (taps on podium to get class attention)

I don't recall where, but even early writers and I think, one Mercedes source in the 1970s confirmed that the heavy door panels and various and disparate interior plastic trim parts that are oversized for our protection during accidents will quite literally (and thus sir, you are correct in saying) CREAK while the car is underway.

Wind noise is the other issue.

Both were HUGE issues and it is notable that the 126 has neither problem, at all.

Mercedes put a lot of work into it, because it really cheapens the 116 driving experience, and owners didn't like it from the jump.

Graphite is a good idea, or even a bit of lubrication of some kind...  I wonder if some kind of light oil misted onto contact surfaces would help...

I do hear the creaks and have thought about a liberal use of vaseline on the various seals but, how do explain to the assistant at the pharmacy that its for your car??

[koan]

Daring to go back to the topic...

The graphite powder idea doesn't appeal because of the risk of getting covered in black stuff when getting in and out. I've gone off my silicon spray idea as mentioning silicon near spray painters usually causes them to turn white. Leaving Vaseline as a possibility, I'll try a very light smear and see what happens.

The creaking is worse when the body is warm after sitting in the sun.

The seals look a bit aged and don't seem as soft and rubbery as I would expect.

I've emailed the Miller MB people and enquired about price of their kit.

koan

[Martin 280s]

Koan,
I find the creaks are audible only with the windows closed, with the air-con on they seem a bit worse.

[koan]

The Miller rubber kit consists of seals for front and rear screen, 4 doors, boot lid and 4 door handle as oscar described.

I received a reply back from them, $US495 + 65 post, which is about $700 at a guess.

Seems a good price to me, thoughts on price, quality anyone?

koan

[gregdeklerk]

Koan, my 126 had the same problem and the service manager of the local MB dealership said that it was the door panel rubbing up against the plastic cover on the sill. His solution was to glue a piece of felt along the bottom of the door panel where it was making contact with the sill cover and it worked like a charm.

It is not the door rubbers that are creaking!!

[Bandolero]

Yes, I don't believe it is my door rubbers either.
But I wouldn't have thought it was the plastic though, as it does not have that "plasticy" squeak to it.
However, I might try and jam some rags around the edge of the door and then try it and see what happens.

[koan]

However, I might try and jam some rags around the edge of the door and then try it and see what happens.

Now that's an idea, I might give that a try.

koan