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How to remove a door panel.

23K views 21 replies 10 participants last post by  sixsix 
#1 ·
Recently, the speaker in the driver's door on my van began cutting out. The first step in getting to the bottom of this is removing the door panel. Here's how I did it. There can be variations on this procedure, but this will get you there.
Here we see your basic Astro door panel complete with the requisite duct tape on the torn arm rest.
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My first step is to remove the plugs that cover the star fasteners in the door pull. For this task I use a very small flat tip screwdriver with a dull tip so I don't tear the vinyl.
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You'll need a #27 star driver to get at the screws. One of the holes in the pull is small enough to grab the socket and pull it from the ratchet extension so have a needle nose ready to grab it, or, just leave it in there until reinstallation.
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The pull should just lift away at this point. You can leave the screws in the handle. The photo clearly shows that I been missing my manicure appointments lately, but just try to get past this.
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Now use your #2 Phillips screwdriver to remove the easy to overlook screw in the switch pod. Actually, this photo is fake because I forgot to reinstall this screw last time I removed the door panel. At this point it would be possible to gently pry out the pod if you're after the switches. Each wiring harness plug has its own method of removal and each one is a PITA. The small flat tip screwdriver you used earlier will come in handy here.
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At this point you can use a flat tool to pop the panel fasteners out of the door. They love to break. My van came to me with all of them broken so I used 3 1/2" deck screws to fasten the panel to the door. It's hillbilly but it works.
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Gently remove the cheap plastic trim pieces.
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Ever so gently I pop the switch pod out of the door panel. You may not need to use any tools to do this. Don't stress the wiring harnesses and plugs.
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The door panel should be only hooked to the lip on the window opening at this point and otherwise swinging freely.
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Grasp both outside edges of the panel and give a slight tug upward. The panel should lift away from the door easily. The switch pod threads back through the opening in the door panel. Use your third arm for this procedure. This is what you see as a result.

You're looking at the foam inner door liner. It wants to tear as much as possible. Resist the urge to trash this piece because it really helps dampen road noise and cold air infiltration. Use a dull-bladed knife or similar implement to work around the edges of the foam and remove it.
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For my purposes, I don't need to remove the window and mirror switches so I gently move the pod out of the way.
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With the foam liner removed you're looking at the naked innards of the door.
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Now I have access to the door speaker but I also want to check on the window regulator and motor that I recently reinstalled. First, remove this piece using your 11mm socket because it covers one of the regulator fasteners. I'm guessing this is some sort of side impact guard. Pretty substantial, eh?
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This is an after market motor. The original looks a lot different. I can tell that the original is still in the passenger door because it takes 10 minutes to lower the window.
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There are 4 bolts fastening the window regulator and motor. One of them is a little loose and it becomes necessary to be inventive to get to it. The nuts are 9mm.
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Because I left the switches connected I can observe the window regulator operate. This is the unit that I recently hammered flat after it pretzled itself. Seems to be working smoothly. If it's time to replace the motor and regulator, you'll remove the four bolts, work the idler pulleys out of the window track, and slide the whole unit out of the inner door. You don't need to remove the window but do need to use tape to hold it in the up position so it doesn't come crashing down when you pull the regulator. Don't forget to unplug the motor.
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Okay, I switched out the defective speaker and I'm done screwing around in the door. Time to put it together. Reinstall the foam panel using double-sided tape.
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Reinstall the rail.
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Hold the panel close to the door and thread the switch pod through its opening. Hook the top edge of the door in the window opening and give it a downward tug to seat it.But, before you do that you need to make certain that you've reengaged the door operating mechanism. See that white tipped piece of metal in the second photo? To the right of this is a plastic pin. Make certain that the pin engages the hole in the white metal piece. Miss this step and you won't be able to open the door from the inside.
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If your plastic fasteners remain intact, snap the door panel in place. In my case, reinstall the screws. Make certain all of your switches work. Reinstall the door pull and cheap plastic trim pieces.
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Don't forget the plugs in the door pull.

Clean up your greasy finger prints, and, you're done. Easy peasy, right?
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#3 ·
Good post , i would just like to add that if you only want to replace the speaker you may do it by only removing the speaker grill .also since i am in the process of replacing the wondow regolator ,by looking at the pic where we see the bottom wondow track and since your saying to slide the regulator off of that track could just the bottom track be replaced ?cause thats the part thats wroten and needs replacing on my awd van ,thank you .
 
#5 ·
The Drummer said:
Good post , i would just like to add that if you only want to replace the speaker you may do it by only removing the speaker grill .also since i am in the process of replacing the wondow regolator ,by looking at the pic where we see the bottom wondow track and since your saying to slide the regulator off of that track could just the bottom track be replaced ?cause thats the part thats wroten and needs replacing on my awd van ,thank you .
I'm not certain I know what you mean. The lower track is attached to the glass. Removing the glass would require getting the regulator out of the way to create clearance. I'm guessing here, but it looks to me like it would also be necessary to remove some of the weather stripping around the window to gain more clearance; that's how I've done on other vehicles, anyway.
It sounds like your next stop will be a junk yard.
Removing the speaker grille will provide access to the speaker but very little of the wiring when looking for a short. There's also a good chance that the cheap plastic panel that holds the speaker in place is cracked and needing repair.
Good luck.
 
#6 ·
Ya thats what i tought woulda been too easy lol , i already have an entire donnor van to chew on , what happend on mine is that the top part of the bottom rail that is attached to the window as separated from the track (cause of rust) and from the window ,so i tought of unglueing the window on a donnor track ,install the track on the bottom of the regulator and then reglue the window back in place ,i guess it all then depends on how hard or if its possible to unglue the window , anhow thanks for the help as always its greatly appreciated , and if i end up replacing only the bottom track ill post an how to .
 
#11 ·
pauldeere said:
Great pics. I have a radio speaker making a "Buzz" sound on base tones, will need replacing. I'm sure your pics. will come in handy....Thanks
So glad they might be helpful to you. I installed a pair of Alpine speakers I had laying around and the improvement over the stock units is incredible.
My next Astro adventure will be installing spark plugs.
 
#15 ·
Yep,sure looks like the GM AC/DELCO replacement motor regulator assemblies that came out years ago. You can still get the old all metal motor aftermarket.Motors will interchange on the regulator,except the new style have left and right.
 
#16 ·
MechBob said:
Yep,sure looks like the GM AC/DELCO replacement motor regulator assemblies that came out years ago. You can still get the old all metal motor aftermarket.Motors will interchange on the regulator,except the new style have left and right.
Okay, but what I'm wondering is, do these motors have the same resistor issue as the typical motors being they're a different style?
 
#17 ·
Well,first it is a circuit breaker problem,there are no resistors in the motors.And, yes the newer motors have them.But I have never heard of anyone fixing the newer style.The breaker getting weak and tripping too easily is a well known problem,many GM vehicles used the same motor,and many have been "fixed" or bypassed.In my opinion,I would use the older motors and do the bypass,clean and lube, as that is what most of the old car and truck guys do.But perhaps someone with more experience on the newer ones will join in here and comment.
 
#18 ·
Sorry, whatever the component is called, in this thread it's called a resistor: https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=13637
To revert back to the standard motor, I'll have to remove the regulator as the retaining screws go in from the back/outer side through the regulator into the motor.
I'm going to try replacing and/or repairing the switch first as that's easier.
If I have to end up removing the regulator, I may just convert to manual windows.
On the other hand, it does look like I can remove the motor from the gear drive while unit is installed, so maybe I can do something with that if the switch doesn't fix anything.
Here's a pic in the 1st post https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=143578
 
#19 ·
I'm fairly certain the culprit is my window switch. Today it wouldn't go down initially, but a pinky punch on the down and it went down, then for the past several hours it hasn't gone back up, but another pinky punch on the up side, and it went up no problem.
 
#20 ·
A '97 with that new style Motor. Wow.

I have pretty good experience bypassing the built in CB that stops or slows down the Motor.
Have seen 4 types.

The other style Motor / Reg. has quite a few holes. Maybe that is why - there a few Motors that work w/ it.
Just guessing.

Did none of the pics help you get that Conn. off the switch? Gen I & II are so diff. relative to elec. parts.
Not sure what they were expecting with some of the Chinese Puzzle Box MFers.

Good Luck w/ all your future M/L Van interventions.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Gen II may have different newer style Motors, but I think the design remained the same - under the Motor "Endcap", that has the receiver for the elec. conn.

Try our build thread - here's a post about the Window Motor C/B:

Motor vehicle Gas Machine Space Auto part


Here's a teaser/hint/preview - it's under the white endcap...

And not only are there different CBs - there are different style Motors / Endcaps.
MrBob did a Gen II - new style Motor thread... I was just looking at it.


Will post if I find it again... or even remember where I was 2 hours ago...
 
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