door frame repair

[wetzj4634]

I am looking for advice on how to repair the lower door frame. I know Rovers North and a few other places offer the frame repair pieces. The lower frames of the doors I am looking to repair can not be patched the lower piece has to be replaced. If anyone has tips or suggestions on how to "peel back" the aluminum lip without destroying it, if that is possible? If anyone has pictures that would be great.

Thanks for your time.

[LaneRover]

I have never peeled the skin off the door myself but everything I have ever heard is to do it a bit at a time over the whole door. As in - don't fully peel back a section and then work on another section. Bring it up a bit around the entire door. Then bring it up another bit around the whole door. Until you have it all done. Also, keep an eye out for cracking in the aluminum, that means that it has 'work hardened' and needs to be 'annealed' luckily that is pretty easy.

[CMorris]

Send me a PM with a good email and I'll be happy to forward a ton of photos........can't seem to get them to load here (too big). I just rebuilt two doors that really should have been thrown away, so I have a soup to nuts photo series that may help you, including a photo of the tools you'll need. It's really a simple process, more time consuming than anything, the aluminum skins come off in good shape if you just take your time and work around the door frame bit by bit.

[martindktm]

Im also interested in some of those pictures. I will have to rebuilt mine too...Pm sent!.

[albersj51]

I just did this a few weeks ago. Its not hard, but is time consuming. I used a mini-crowbar that could get in there and gently lift up the aluminum. As previously stated, don't bend an area all the way back, just work your way down the edge and only peel it back a little at a time. I used some PB Blaster and a heat gun (too much heat will warp the skins). I dont know if it helped, but it made me feel good. Start at a corner and pry it back a little all the way down the edge. No need to pull it all the way back, just it to where you can get the frames out.
Good luck!

Jason

[Tsmith]

When re-assembling the skins to the repaired frame, is there coating that can help to isolate the alloy from the steel?

[albersj51]

Someone else will chime in, but when I reassemble mine, I'm planning to use some 3m caulk, discussed in a previous thread, anywhere aluminum and steel touch.

[wetzj4634]

Thanks for all of the responses!

Just out of curiosity, has anyone removed the frame to repair it and then powder coated it to help separate the two metals? Would this help or cause more trouble since the powder coating can be pretty thick at times and make it harder to bend the aluminum skin back over the frame.

[stomper]

That sounds like a great question for our resident powder coater Masonater! If he didn't do it, there must be a reason why!:thumb-up:

[KevinNY]

Yes, some have even galvanized the frame and then reskinned them.

[chrismccarthy]

all four of my doors are in bad shape, so i would also look the 'soup-to-nuts' version. i was wondering what could be done.