21 replies to this topic

[mainline]

I fitted these last week, great mod, my door doesn't rattle any more, it shuts with a thud, the shutlines look even on both sides. One problem though. I can't open the fcuking doors any more! Well, not quite, but it takes a lot of effort, very stiff, seems to stick a bit, i've adjusted and adjusted and added washers, removed washers, greased everything etc. Its obviously to do with the 'snug' fit of the new pin around the lock, which is the whole point I suppose, but even with the lock button fully depressed its a right pain to open the doors. Any advice!? Will it loosen with a bit of time?

Edited by mainline, 03 October 2006 - 09:52 AM.

[siztenboots]

I fitted these last week, great mod, my door doesn't rattle any more, it shuts with a thud, the shutlines look even on both sides. One problem though. I can't open the fcuking doors any more!

Well, not quite, but it takes a lot of effort, very stiff, seems to stick a bit, i've adjusted and adjusted and added washers, removed washers, greased everything etc. Its obviously to do with the 'snug' fit of the new pin around the lock, which is the whole point I suppose, but even with the lock button fully depressed its a right pain to open the doors.

Any advice!? Will it loosen with a bit of time?

As you have found the degree the pin protrudes is determined by the number of washers. But also where the nut fits, that pocket can also move in an X and Y direction. X is the closeness of fit for shutting and latch action ( nice kerthunk sound ) and tightness of door ( and window) to the door and roof seals. Y is for the height of the pin so that it does not hit the latch plastic surround and also to stop the door drooping.

The X and Y can be adjusted by slightly slackening off , and dragging the pin via very small amount up/down or left/right.

[ratboiler]

I have just received mine so will be watching the outcome of this, so any advice will be welcome.

[mainline]

As you have found the degree the pin protrudes is determined by the number of washers. But also where the nut fits, that pocket can also move in an X and Y direction. X is the closeness of fit for shutting and latch action ( nice kerthunk sound ) and tightness of door ( and window) to the door and roof seals. Y is for the height of the pin so that it does not hit the latch plastic surround and also to stop the door drooping.

The X and Y can be adjusted by slightly slackening off , and dragging the pin via very small amount up/down or left/right.

I had a bit of fiddle with the x and y - it seems to be lined up perfectly for Y, I stuck my head in through the window and the lock is lined up in line with the pin and the door hangs a lot better than before.

I think I may have set the lateral adjustment slightly too much toward the interior - thinking this would be good to stop the seals leaking. I'll have a fiddle with that tonight and let you know how I get on.

Thanks for the advice - and good luck ratboiler, let me know how you get on mate!

[MrSimba]

Did mine last week and took the seats and rear trim out to make it an easyer job, as it turned out I would not have been able to do it with the rear trim in, Took about 1 1/2 hours all in, and with the seats out its really easy to adjust the pins, Also on the passenger side I had to remove one of the large aluminium washers from the inside of the door to make it adjust correctly and there was no way I could have done that with the trim on, the drivers side just went straight in though. Definatly a more solid 'clunk' when shutting the door though the passenger rattle has not gone but at least I know its not the door! I also found, a pound coin, a mini maglite, a couple of batterys, and a pen under the seats so it was worth doing just to get rid of those rattles!!!

Edited by MrSimba, 03 October 2006 - 07:49 PM.

[tifosi V8]

Jeez.. that Maglite must have made some noise when you were driving My pins seem to be totally locked in one position, in that I cannot move them X or Y. It looks like they sit in a recess which means no adjustment, but that goes against what everyone else has said. Hmmm

[MrSimba]

they sit in a recess

Have you got the 'black' washer that sits between the recess and the car body?

Thats what allows the adjustment as the pin sits against it and it moves around in the recess, without it the pin will just sit against the captive bolt,

* and yeah the maglite did make a din, I recon the last owner had a hole in his pockets!

Edited by MrSimba, 03 October 2006 - 08:57 PM.

[Anarchy]

If I uncrew the pin to remove a washer will anything fall of the back ie a nut/washers etc. Can I just unscrew pin take off one washer and put pin back on?

[Arnie]

I was lucky - this took me 10 minutes and fitted perfectly though I didnt try to change the position or number of washers. I marked the position of the old ones first. The captive nut behind can move so a magnet is usefull if you need to bring it fwd

[Mutt & Jeff]

Will it loosen with a bit of time?

Yes!

[robkindred]

I got these and took 2 mins to fit both and doors are perfect now... must just be lucky!

Edited by robkindred, 26 November 2006 - 09:22 AM.

[mainline]

Mines still a bitch to open. Sounds great when you shut it and no rattles. Tried every x-y and number of washer combinations! Maybe mine have just been machined a bit too fat!

[Sutol]

where do you get these pins from?

[snoopstah]

where do you get these pins from?

There was a guy selling them on eBay, but I think he ran out of his initial batch and didn't make any more - certainly not seen them for sale for a few months, and I remember getting the last set of a batch he said would be his last.

Best bet is probably to try the classifieds here and on the Lotus forums (Seloc) etc. - someone might have bought two sets, bought a set and never fitted them, or have access to the crashed car which had them fitted.

A cheaper alternative is to wrap the existing pins with electrical tape (the bit of the pin that's thinner than the rest of it). Works superbly (I did this before I got the uprated pins) but after a few months the door catch wears through the tape and you have to remove it and re-apply. If you could find something you can wrap around that's a bit tougher, that could be a potential long-term fix.

Edited by snoopstah, 27 May 2007 - 07:22 PM.

[mandarinvx]

He still sells them, tho none listed at the moment There were some up for sale last week tho

Edited by mandarinvx, 27 May 2007 - 07:26 PM.

[Karlosfandango]

Bought some off ebay just last week. Think it was from the same guy as everyone else got them from. Seems to have sorted the rattles and took all of about 20 seconds to fit

[Sutol]

thank you gentleman i'll just keep checking ebay, in the mean time where's me insulating tape????? are the lotus ones the same for the VX though???

Edited by Sutol, 27 May 2007 - 08:13 PM.

[snoopstah]

are the lotus ones the same for the VX though???

Yup - in fact it might be worth doing a search for Elise door pins on eBay as well as VX220 door pins.

I believe the guy who makes/made them was an Elise owner.

[Sutol]

cheers snoopstah, watching some now

[theotherjonnymac]

What rattles