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[Andy B]

My door strap also ripped totally out of the door, but the plactic bush was still like a brand new.

And when I checked my (old) door strap, I noticed it has two metallic "rollers", which were not aligned with the rod anymore, because their holes were very worn.

So I THINK this is the reason why my door strap ripped off.

Hopefully some of you understands my bad english.

We understand perfectly. I think I can speak for most of us in saying that your English is better than our Finnish.  

[Taxi_Driver]

I had the 'crack of doom' well more like a clunk when opening the drivers door.....changed the washer......think it was 10 or 14p vx charged me.....and a silent opening door.....for a few days....then it started to squeak instead.....squirt of white grease.....fixed that  

Examing the old washer, it had worn quite a bit compared with the new one.....after all its only plastic.
Also before changing the washer you could see the bolt moving around quite a bit as you opened and closed the door.

Last time i drove my vectraB i noticed thats got the crack of doom on the drivers door to......and thats a lot lighter door.....when it comes back for a service next....i'll be changing that washer too  

Wether changing the washer stops the check strap breaking......dont know....but it certainly stops it making a cracking noise.

[TheBoy]

I had the 'crack of doom' well more like a clunk when opening the drivers door.....changed the washer......think it was 10 or 14p vx charged me.....and a silent opening door.....for a few days....then it started to squeak instead.....squirt of white grease.....fixed that  

Examing the old washer, it had worn quite a bit compared with the new one.....after all its only plastic.
Also before changing the washer you could see the bolt moving around quite a bit as you opened and closed the door.

Last time i drove my vectraB i noticed thats got the crack of doom on the drivers door to......and thats a lot lighter door.....when it comes back for a service next....i'll be changing that washer too  

Wether changing the washer stops the check strap breaking......dont know....but it certainly stops it making a cracking noise.

If the washer is worn, it can cause it to stick, putting extra stress on it, which is possibly most common reason for strap failure. Obviously, there are other possibly causes as well...

[mar892ree]

Well i dont care  

Mine was broken before i brought the car, just too bloody lazy to change/repair it before now !

The section on the front shut of the door that takes the check strap has ripped out !

Will access situation, and affect a repair ! If i find an alternative to welding a section back in i will do a " how to"

I have access to laser cutting facilities so repair plates can be made in any thickness etc , as i'm not immpressed with the strengthening plates purchased from VX !

[Andy B]

......
I have access to laser cutting facilities so repair plates can be made in any thickness etc , as i'm not immpressed with the strengthening plates purchased from VX !

I copied the plate I bought from Vauxhall but cut an 1/8" off each end to allow it to fit on the forward side of the door skin - the bit where you can't see where the check strap emerges from the door - and put the full sized reinforcing plate on the inside of the door. Not that they'll be any stronger but the plates I made were in 1.5 mm stainless - I didn't have the motivation to file 3 mm plate.  :-?
It did take me nearly 3 years to get around to fixing my door, it was when the passenger door went that I decided to sort it!    

[mar892ree]

Fancy some 10mm ones  

[mar892ree]

also have access to projection welding equipment, so can spot weld nuts on to !

Might be useful to have some captive nuts on the inside plate, so making fixing easier !

[Andy B]

also have access to projection welding equipment, so can spot weld nuts on to !

Might be useful to have some captive nuts on the inside plate, so making fixing easier !

You bolt through to the captive nuts on the actual check strap anchor plate.

[STMO123]

Shall i give it a serious whack or thump on the bottom of the door card , in an upwards direction as suggected in the how to !

Mark

What does it say underneath your avatar batman?

[mar892ree]

LLOLLLOLLL BUT this time i used my fist  

Came off a treat! Ohhhhhhhhhh and a New Years resolution too, non use of hammers  

[Paul M]

So what's the solution for someone like me who's driver's door is already busted (check strap mount ripped from inside the door itself, was like that when I bought the car) and doesn't have access to welding gear?

I have to add, regardless of the outcome of the debate as to whether the plastic bushes being worn causes the failure, I still say it's a poor design. Either the check strap seizes too easily, the door skin where it's mounted is too weak, or a combination of both. I've seen some really poorly maintained cars in my time, some of which the oil was like treacle when I checked and it was amazing they still ran reasonably well considering, yet not one of them had a broken or missing check strap. I'd be quite willing to bet the only time the check strap on those cars would ever get any "maintenance" would be when the door completely refused to close even after a good shove, yet they still seemed to be in one piece. The only problem I ever recall is a really annoying squeak on every open or close, which of course also went ignored until I greased it due to the insanity-causing potential .

It's one of those things, all cars have their faults and I think it's hard to argue that this is a definite fault on the Omega.

Oh and as it was mentioned by someone above, the doors on my 840 are as solid as they probably were when they left the factory. The check straps have never (to my knowledge) needed any maintenance, they don't make any noise and still look like new. Partly this will be down to them being covered by a small rubber gaiter that stops all the crud getting in and causing problems in the first place, but I'm sure it's also a much more robust design.

[Andy B]

So what's the solution for someone like me who's driver's door is already busted (check strap mount ripped from inside the door itself, was like that when I bought the car) and doesn't have access to welding gear?

My driver's door was goosed like yours when I bought my car. What has worked so far on my door is sandwiching what is left of the front the door with 2 reinforcing plates :- 09 195 961 I put one inside the door between the chech strap base plate and the remnants of the door, and the other, cut down a little to allow access, in the 'hole' at the front of the door where the arm of the check strap emerges. So far so good!  
The 'correct' repair seem to me to be too costly in time alone. ie Remove door, then remove its contents. Drill out the spot welds that fasten the  "front door stop mounting bracket," Purchase another mounting bracket :- left side 90 458 147 (PS you won't find this or 90 458 148, the opposite hand for the passenger door in EPC cos if you remember Vauxhall never had any problems with their door check straps!!!  :-?)      

Oh and as it was mentioned by someone above, the doors on my 840 are as solid as they probably were when they left the factory.  ........ I'm sure it's also a much more robust design.

That'd be me  
BUt I don't think the fault is down to the actual check strap & spring, it looks very similar to the Senator's - & they didn't have any problems with the doors. I think it's due to the cut price design of the front edge of the doors & posts. If you gently   bounce the front & rear doors open against their stops, you can see both the A posts  & B posts flexing.

[sounds2k]

it's bad and cheap design. You'll notice that it's only really the front doors that "suffer" from this problem, the check strap on the rear doors is fixed onto the main door frame (double skinned IIRC) rather than a single thickness skin on the front doors. However, when the front door is re-inforced, then the bracket on the 'A' pillar becomes the weak point - on mine, this bracket is held on with 4 spot welds and one has come off already ...  

We know miggy doors are heavy, but I reckon Vx probably used the check straps off a vectra whose doors are much lighter ...

[Andy B]

.....
We know miggy doors are heavy, but I reckon Vx probably used the check straps off a vectra whose doors are much lighter ...

The check straps aren't really the problem. It's the mounting point of the Omega doors that's the weak bit. (is any one able to check if the check straps from Omegas, Carltons & Senators are the same? they certainly look it!)

[mar892ree]

No, the check links are NOT the same number on the Vectra as the Omega !