Stuck door tops

[east high]

I went to replace the seals between the door tops and bottoms today and found out that the tops are rusted in place. Any suggestions on how to get them loose without damaging anything?

[Momo]

PB Blaster, a rubber mallet, a paint scraper and a six pack of PBR

[I Leak Oil]

PB Blaster, a rubber mallet, a paint scraper and a six pack of PBR

I hope the PBR is to rinse the excess PB blaster off the paint! You can't be serious about putting that in your body....Mud Light is much better.
Jason T.

[east high]

I think the PBR is meant to eat through the rust.

[dunerunner]

If you consumed the PBR 6er before the attempt you have something to blame, if reserved 'till after, it will help you cope. If the job is a success, call a friend who home brews and have them bring over a keg.

[PH4]

I had same problem last month. I used PB Blaster, chisel, long flat head screwdriver, and hammer. Not a problem is you sacrifice the old seal strip.

[east high]

Cool. The old strips are mostly gone anyway, so no big. It seems like most of the rust is in the bolt tunnels, which gives me some concern. I figure I'll soak the s**t out of those areas, bang away and hope for the best.

[I Leak Oil]

If they're so rusted that PH4's described method doesn't work then you can try using some heat. Or double nut the ends of the stud and give it a go with an air chisel. You need a flat attachment and the end nut will be sacrificed but I've had good luck with this method. I once had a set that didn't budge. So out came the sawsall!
Jason T.

[dunerunner]

OK, on the serious side use the slow and deliberate approach!! Soak the S**T out of it and tap lightly working the scraper or flat tipped appliance you decide to use between the upper and lower door. Try to get the wedge above or below the sacrificial seal which, as has been posted earlier, is probably hardened and deteriorated. Work slowly, soaking and wedging until you have seperated the parts. This has worked for me in the past without having to resort to power tools but it took me three days of slowly working to get both door tops off my 109.

[east high]

Three days? Good grief.

The irony in all of this is that by the time I finally finish the rainy season will be over.

[dunerunner]

No Prob....You'll have the door tops off for summer!!

[ACP30470]

I have a pair off one piece doors off a 1959 series 2. $500.00 for the set and no more rust between the top and bottom doors ever (should stop the door whistle while you drive too!).

[ccray]

moving the thread a little...

ok, about 4 weeks ago, i soaked mine for a week with penetrating oil. hammering did nothing. i finally got them out with an air hammer using a nut to keep the tip from bouncing off. i soaked the hole and shaft with phosporous acid after getting them out...

so my question is -- is there some method of putting new posts onto the window. mine are rusted down a full size smaller than OE. one plan is to rethread them for a smaller nut, but if i could weld in some new rods, i could thread them to the origional size -- whatever that was...

any ideas -- it is so cool to drive around with the door tops off. now if it will just stop raining...

[dunerunner]

Our Host has new door top frames (NRP) for less than $100. Seems with this issue it's worth the money. I have found that when trying to weld or braze to rust affected metals it always (ALWAYS) leads to more trouble than reasonably necessary.

[BellaCoola]

Was taking my door tops off last weekend for hard top off fun in the sun...When I was putting them back on, I over torqued one of the nuts and spun the damn bolt right out of the door. Upon further inspection realized that the underside and the bolt holes were pretty rusted.
Phoned up Jeremey and Ray at Rocky Mountain (15 mins from my place) and picked up two new RM door tops. Very nice...both windows slide, door tops are a lot stiffer, resulting in a much better fit.
If you are having this much problems getting them off, I would suspect that you should be looking at new or used tops. My recomendation is pick up a set of Rocky Mountain Door Tops...very sweet, well made and virtually the same look as the standard door tops.

My two cents.