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Door skin installation

doghauler

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Messages
187
Loc.
Western WA State
Hello all, going to attempt my first door skin installation. I have fairly decent body work skills so I'm not too worried, but just looking for tips/experience. Here's where I am now:
I currently have the old skins off the frames and all the spot welds and old skin fragments clean up, the frames are cleaned and painted inside and out. I have the new skins and did a test fit, they look to fit nice and tight on the frame. My plan (based on my research) is to use a good door skin panel adhesive and coat the frame-flange, place the panel on, align it, clamp it, let it set up, then crimp the skin to the frame using the body hammer and dolly technique, then undercoat the inside of the skin.
Any tips or hints on alignment, where to start, what to look out for?

Thanks, I was going to take it in to a body shop until I had quotes from $300 to $600 per door (yes, per door) and I was clear with them that it was not a remove-replace, just install new. Seems awfully pricey.
 

firehawk

Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2006
Messages
614
Loc.
Clawson, Michigan
Yes that would be alittle pricey for just the installation.

I do this pretty often at work and would recommend that you spread the adhesive over bare metal (about 3/4") and be sure to cover all the bare metal with it.

Make sure to do this to the frame and new skin, then place the skin on the frame and flip the door assembly over, you can use clamps if you want to hold them together but it is not necessary, but if you do then use a paint stick on the skin side to not damage it.

I just start banging corners over to hold them together and then work my way down one lip then the others bending over just about 1/3 the way and then start over until the lip is folded over flat.

Then while the glue is still wet I like to test fit the door so you know it is sitting properly on the shell. You can adjust it if necessary and if the shell will allow. Just use a body spoon or I like to use something plastic to not damage the new metal or old. Then wedge it into the gap around the skin and adjust as necesssary til you get an even gap all around.

Good Luck


If you were to clamp it and then let it set up then when you go to fold over the lip the adhesive could make it fold over funny.
 
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doghauler

doghauler

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Messages
187
Loc.
Western WA State
Awesome tips! I was concerned about the fit, but your idea of test fitting it makes a lot of sense, thanks.
I'll report back with my experience....."with the money I save I'll buy my lift-off hinges!"
Thanks again, this site is awesome.
 

allenfahey

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 18, 2004
Messages
2,672
few more tips to add to what Firehawk said.... Since you are inexperienced you should get the slow panel adhesive. As you hammer the fold over use a rubber block on the outside of the door. If you get adhesive on the outside of the door skin clean it up with laquer thinner before it dries.
 
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doghauler

doghauler

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Messages
187
Loc.
Western WA State
Good tip on the slow adhesive, I'll ask for that at the body shop. Best not to have to rush because of glue, plus I can have a beer while it's setting up.
 

Bronco Brett

Full Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
228
Loc.
little rock ar
the 3m panel bond is 8115 (from your local paint store) it sets in about 90 min. u should lightly grind and coat both surfaces with the 8115 for proper adhesion. also while 8115 is still wet hammer your flange but not real tight until it is test fit . if done properly if should lightly squeze out when edge is crimped. swipe w/ your finger. seam sealer is almost not needed if it looks sealed
 
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doghauler

doghauler

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Messages
187
Loc.
Western WA State
Reporting back, it went really well. Definitely a job that can be done if you have patience and a few body tools.
What I did was test fit the skin to the frame first, then clean up all the flanges on the frame, (paint from my original cleaning) coat both the frame flange and the skin edge with the 8115, position the skin, then I installed the hinges in the door, through the skin, and bolted them in place so as to hold the skin in alignment. I also ran a #10 machine screw loosely through the hole in the skin that attaches to the frame where the door handle attaches. Now both the front and the rear of the skin were "close". Then I clamped around the entire perimeter of the skin do make sure it would set over the frame-flange. I then aligned the top with a soft face hammer/hands to align the window channels, and welded the skin-tabs (inside the window channel) to the frame-tabs. From there it was simply bending the skin-flange over about 30 degrees (body hammer and hard rubber block), remove the clamps, test in the door opening, adjust as needed, reclamp, repeat until I had the entire perimeter crimped.
As a final step, I used my welding vise-grips (the kind with the 2" wide flanges welded to the jaws) and did a final crimp on the enter perimeter. I used a piece of hard plastic UHMW for a pad between the outside of the skin and the vise grips. This last step really squeezed the crimp nice and the adhesive oozed out.
Hope this helps someone, go slow, get the 90 minute cure adhesive, and celebrate your success with a few cold ones.
Thanks again for all the tips.
 
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