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Door trim

Started by marku, 28 January 2018, 11:33 AM

marku

Any one tried removing the chrome trim around the top edge of the door. That's the narrow one against the glass. The manual says push it off with a plastic wedge but all I can see that doing is bending it. Must come off for a respray can't have to replace it surely.
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

ptashek

Quote from: marku on 28 January 2018, 11:33 AM
Any one tried removing the chrome trim around the top edge of the door. That's the narrow one against the glass. The manual says push it off with a plastic wedge but all I can see that doing is bending it. Must come off for a respray can't have to replace it surely.

Patience, and even more patience. There's four or five metal clamps holding it in place, and if they're rusted it will not be easy.
Try spraying some WD40 or Tec7 under to loosen things up. The procedure listed by the service manual is the best way to go.

This is a horror show version of what you may expect to find underneath.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

UTn_boy

I always remove the door mirror (if installed) and the interior door panel.  After the interior door panel is removed, I also remove the inner window brush, and then roll the window all the way down.  This gives access to the clips that hold the trim on.  Bear in mind that the outer window brush, which should definitely be renewed while off of the car, (as they age they become hard and will literally scratch your glass).  Use some prying tool to push up from the underside of the clips.  Both the trim and the outer window brush will come off together.  This is a bit involved, but it does save the trim from being bent. Unfortunately, most paint ships will only tape over these.  Removing them is out of the question for fear of not making that almighty dollar/pound/euro.  So good on you for doing it the right way.
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

rumb

#3
I thing mark is refering to the thin ones at the top and back of the window glass.  no clips used.  they seem to be glued on, sometimes very hard to work off. 

72.3.300 trimstrip on window frame

1.  remove window 72-190
2. remove flexible window running rail 72-198
3. remove front window guide rail on drivers door
4. force trim strip from window frame by means of of plastic wedge
5. then push off trim strip
6. remove sealing compound from door and trim
7. insert trim with terostat 415 000-989-98-85

I used a very thin 2" wide putty knife with well rounded corners.  remove the vertical rear one first, then the top one starting at the upper corner.  Slide behind trim and tap with small plastic hammer hard enough to get the damn thing to come off.  may have to work back and forth a bit.  just dont hit too hard that putty knife dents trim.  it will probably widen some when it comes off but that is easily fixed.  some come off fairly easy others are a bear,  it depends how hard the glue is.  I didnt do it, but I bet a heat gun to soften the old glue could help.

Good luck this is certainly one of the harder jobs to do.

now if your talking about the 1.25" wide one at the bottom of glass, then just use a appropriate plastic wedge and pop them straight up. (make sure  the wedge is all the way to the back of the trim piece.

I have that same job to do this coming week. + remove all hardware from doors!

Here are pictures of outside of door with just wide trim removed



'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

rumb

Just removed small trim from one door.  instructions dont say it, but there are two tiny screws in the corner holding the trim on.  I was lucky one first door, no adhesive was used.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

rumb

some photos of door disassembly

removing inner window channel, outer channel and window guide
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

rumb

remove window - roll window almost all the way down, remove 3 bolts on lower cross bar.
remove triangle window -  screw at top and bolt at bottom of chrome divider bar - remove and then pull window and rubber out.
then it is easy to just pull window up and out of door.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

rumb

remove small trim around window
remove 2 tiny screws in upper corner - there may be others you have to look
then with thin putty knife get edge under trim and gently tap with plastic hammer to loosen. 

I was lucky no glue came out easy!
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

rumb

just in case you were wondering here is the trim available. @$800

116-728-01-30   garnish moulding left front window bottom wide
116-728-02-30   garnish moulding right  front window bottom wide
116-728-02-31   garnish moulding top right front door
116-728-04-31   garnish moulding rear right front door
116-738-03-30   garnish moulding left  rear window bottom wide
116-738-04-30   garnish moulding right  rear window bottom wide
116-738-05-31   garnish moulding top left rear door
116-738-06-31   garnish moulding top right rear door


the ones not available are
front left top and back thin moldings
back left front thin vert molding
back right front thin vert molding
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

marku

Thanks all for advice. Yes rumb its the thin one around the top on the outside against the glass. Had another go and did deform the inside a bit initially but confidence came as it did start to come off.  Very tight but once its started not too bad to chase it round the back under the flange. Aren't these doors complicated? The rear is bad enough but the electric front window regulator is something else. How did they assemble it? Working up to have a look at the passenger side as it has stopped working.
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

rumb

took 2nd one off today, it had some sort of non hardening putty holding it in spots made it a bit harder.  besides the metal putty knife I switched to using plastic pry tools.

as far the the front door motors, Im afraid that you really need to remove the front and back guide to get the motor out easily. but of course you have to remove the glass to get to that point. the motor is pretty much first thing in and last out.  also wind the arm back up most of the way to have it in a good position to get motor out of door. I have a spare battery I am using to power the motors.

I am inquiring at a local plater about hard clear anodizing.  well see if that is an option for rejuvenating scratched pieces.  I would really like to try if on the windscreen trim as that is all dinged up from road debris.

Someone mentioned a company selling a wipe on coating -  their link to ebay is bad, their contact form on web doesnt work, and so far have not answered my email.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

UTn_boy

Rumb, don't forget that the a standard aluminium anodization will yield mediocre results at best.  These trim pieces used a process called bright dip anodization.  There are a few places in Texas that have produced spectacular results for me several years ago.  Here are link to their web sites.

http://www.delsplating.com/bright-dipping.html

https://www.arlingtonplating.com/arlington-plating-company-opens-anodizing-operation/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_o6i9YKD2QIVBJ7ACh0v1Q8IEAAYASAAEgIXhfD_BwE
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

rumb

Thanks for the info!

I'll contact Del's and see what they can do. 

I may have to have the parts stripped here, then polish them and then send to Del's.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

marku

The manual says that to remove the front door regulator you have to drill three holes to expose the mounting bolts for the motor. That right? Seems a bit extreme and is what made me ask how do they assemble them?

What prompted all this was after my success in polishing the boot lid decided on a general tidy up starting with the doors. And guess what have discovered holes. Right at the back of the rear doors just under the fixed window and chrome trim. A slight problem with the paint turned into a series of holes through to the interior. Odd place for rot and generally the metal is OK inside. Is this a usual place can't think what might have caused it? Doesn't look as though it started inside but down from the flange holding the bottom edge of the fixed window seal. Can't be just a one off as both doors are affected.
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

rumb

That is why I am currently looking for a replacement door.  one side was good, the other not. rusted in the same spot as yours. The triangle window seal looked good, but apparently water seems to find a path into that area.  perhaps when reassembly a little sealant may stop the rust for the next guy.

Maybe clogged drain holes in the bottom of the door trap moisture inside it? but it does look like it rusts from the outside.

you only have to cut the motor hole for certain years/models?  All of mine just had 2 bolts and one nut holding the motor/crank in and both came out fine after removing the glass and support rails.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio