How to take the inner plastic door pannel off

[JCJ]

Need instructions how to take the inner plastic door panel off, so I can furnish the door pockets.
The way it is now leads to too much rambling of stuff put there.
Tried pulling, but stopped at that, because afraid it would brake.
The little screw behind the door handle only leads you to the locking mechanism, I guess.
Kuhl to the rescue please.
JCJ

PS First I wanted to wait the Service Manual to come out at Helminc.com, but lost patience.

[MAC]

I did not know those are leather, I have to go to the garage to smell it. What else is leather beside seats, top of center console, handles?

"pull handle (the leather wrapped one) to the door."

I saved your instruction for possible future use.

[NSXTC]

SMA is faxing me instructions do to this. I'm looking at replacing my door handle covers because of the easy of thief with the cheap plastic one. I can see about scanning it in and posting it here.


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H2SUT.com
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[Kühl Carbon]

Sorry I can't be more helpful but I don't exactly have anything to take pictures OF .

What happened exactly, and where on the panel did you think you were going to "break" something??? If you can describe what you are doing, maybe I can help.

Did you remove all 3 screws???

Founding member of the "No Hummer Krew"

[Kühl Carbon]

Haha, I have the whole forum sniffing their vehicles . JCJ is correct on all counts of leather. He is also correct that removing the door panel will not make access to the map pocket any easier.

Pull handle - screwed on
Silver bezel around pull handle - heat staked on
Inside door release handle - attached to the door sheet metal
Courtesy lamp - snapped in
Switch escucheon - snapped in
Map pocket - heat staked on
Upholstered door bolster - heat staked on
Armrests - heat staked on

This is all I can think of right off the top of my pointed head. If anybody has a question about how a certain component is attached, please post it up and I'll try to get an answer.

Roadsigns are just a suggestion ... like pants

[JCJ]

Problem with the map pockets is that the plastic is so thin and flimsy.
If thicker plastic was used, maybe things heavier than maps put inside 'm wouldn't make so much noise.
Stuck the aluminum door sill plates I had as spares on the outside (towards cabin) of the map pockets.
And guess what? This does reduces the noise somewhat.
Now I don't need to take the panle apart after all...

[hinten]

Me starting to understand now (I think).
When I take the door panel off the map pockets are attached to the panel. At this point I have one part, the door panel with map pocket. If I want to take the pocket off I have to dremel the back of the plastic nobs that have been melted behind the panel to hold the pocket to the panel.

Is the 't' working on my keyboard again?

[JCJ]

Actually that was the Voodoo ER in downtown Kingston Jamaica.
Luckily we get so much US tourists here that we can afford the regular stitching material.

[JCJ]

More leather parts:
Steering wheel, passenger roller coaster bar, shifter handle, your pants.

[Kühl Carbon]

Uh, my info wasn't helpful before ???

The door speaker is actually mounted in a molded plastic "basket" bolted to the door sheet metal. The speaker is not mounted to the trim. The speaker grill on the trim panel really just "covers" the speaker.

BTW, the grill portion itself simply has some tabs that are inserted into slots on the trim. It is metal and the tabs are simply bent over to retain them to the door panel. Would be very easy to remove with the door panel off if you ever wanted to.

Founding member of the "No Hummer Krew"

[TJ]

So...you use glue guns and double-sided adhesive tape in the ER there in Aruba?

I'd love to see some of those reports that you dictate!!!

[AL MOORE]

JCJ, I had the same problem, but lined the door pockets with some of that anti-slip stuff sold for motorhome drawers. It comes in many colors and is not noticeable. AL

"Follow the white rabit" .. Matrix 1999

[redrum]

Now thats what I'm talkin about!!!! I will be right over.

[Kühl Carbon]

Hehe, I am okay. Just after going thru all that, I am interested if somebody can remove their door trim panel based on my instructions, or if I need to elaborate more.

Hey, Kühl is goin to Abuba ... SCHWEET!!

Adhesive backed suede would bo so durable to the point of being wasteful. If you wanna spend the money and have a source, go for it!

Another useless H2 factoid: On the original H2 concept vehicle, the entire interior was made completely of real brownish suede and aluminum trim milled from solid billets. No expense was spared. The garnish trim, doors, seats, even the IP were genuine suede. All the knobs, handles , and other controls including the shifter were solid aircraft aluminum. No "chrome" was used. You ppl would've been sniffing your vehicles for weeks .

Founding member of the "No Hummer Krew"

[NSXTC]

Well, got the fax on replacing the billet door handle. Didn't say anything on exactly how to remove the trim panel. It just say 'Remove door trim panel'.

For those who are thinking about swaping out to the billet door, it's compliated...here are the first few steps:

1 - Remove door trim panel
2 - Remove water deflector
3 - Remove window <------------!!!!
4 - Loosen clamps securing window to the window module
5 - Remove outer window belt sealing strip
6 - Remove window through the bottom of the window frame
7 - disconnect outside door handle rod
8 - disconnect lock cylinder rod
etc...

There's also drilling and grinding that has to be done.

The illustrations are minimal at best. You'll have to be an expert mechanic to tackle this one. It's not one you can DIY that's for sure.


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H2SUT.com
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[JCJ]

So do I understand correctly, that for the sole purpose of sticking noise reducing lining in the map pockets, it is no use taking the door panel apart?
Because the map pocket is "permanently attached" to the door trim, so to speak.
I'd thought the inside wall (towards cabin) of the map pockets were attached by similar clips, which would appear after taking the door trim off.
So now I'll have to be really carefull with that glue gun and/or double-sided advesive tape, when sticking those pieces of anti-slip sheets and even more careful when cutting them off at the edges.
ER experience comes in handy now.

[JCJ]

Need instructions how to take the inner plastic door panel off, so I can furnish the door pockets.
The way it is now leads to too much rambling of stuff put there.
Tried pulling, but stopped at that, because afraid it would brake.
The little screw behind the door handle only leads you to the locking mechanism, I guess.
Kuhl to the rescue please.
JCJ

PS First I wanted to wait the Service Manual to come out at Helminc.com, but lost patience.

[hinten]

OK, Kuhl, your info is getting really helpful now.

I have been thinking about replacing the map pockets on the fron doors with a custom assembly that contains a row of smaller (6.5") speakers.
Do I undertstand you correctly that there is no way to ake them off?

[H2Jim]

I found some dark brown adhesive-backed felt drawer lining stuff at Home Depot. It's a really dark brown, so it looks pretty good.

[JCJ]

For the heck of it:
Beneath is one of the best rums of the world.
It's distilled in Venezuela and I have a small stock of it.
Guess what: it comes in a neat beige suede pouch!
Next project will be cutting, fitting and glueing the suede to the map pocket.
And, yes afterwards we will have to solve the problem of unpouched bottles!