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Ok; right to the point:
I'm on my third set of door clips from three different sources in a month and the damn things keep breaking. Check out the puck...if you were counting 1-11 starting at your driver door lock; I can't keep 1-3 from breaking. Anyone have a solution for this? Anyone have a reputable source for TOUGH door clips that don't break easily? I'm going to take it apart tomorrow morning, pull the insulation and scrape ANY old rubber sealant off to make sure I don't just have a kluge of "thickness" in there...but it's SUPER annoying.
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1995 BMW M3/2/5 - Alpine White - Vaders - Stage II Maxsil Pistons, Chipped, 24# Injectors, MagnaFlow Exhaust, and heated door locks!
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After you install the door panel with the clips only, close the door. Make sure it is center to the A & B pillar, open and close the door a few times. Then install the bezel around the door open release, then the 2 torx screws.
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try to line each one up before popping them back in, i just made that same mistake again myself, i keep going to pop it in and it wasnt lined up properly so the clips break. My question is why are you taking the door cards off so much? i had to fix my window track, and then the door lock broke so i had to fix that too- hopefully i dont have to take the damn thing apart again...
'97 BMW M3/4/5, Cosmos Black.
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Because the clips keep breaking!!!Originally Posted by Brown9348
Haha; I originally took it off to replace the motor, but even before that it was flappingluke a bird. I'll try the "line up" procedure and see if that helps.
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1995 BMW M3/2/5 - Alpine White - Vaders - Stage II Maxsil Pistons, Chipped, 24# Injectors, MagnaFlow Exhaust, and heated door locks!
Member
BMW E36 M3 Expert
You're not lining them up properly when you attach the panel. You have to pay attention to them before you smack the panel to seat them down. I've NEVER had a clip break on me and my panels have been off many many many many times.
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I've been lining them up properly on first install...which lasts about 10 door shuts. The problem was: due to the insulation being taken out and re-attached multiple times by PO's, the thickness of the edge had become too "fat." The door panel has essentially lost that extra 1/16" clearance that it needed to not stress the clips. All that pushback was causing the clips to pop loose after I shut the door a handful of times, then in a presumed fit of rage popping them back in is when the "line up" doesn't happen. I've got it all disassembled again and will remove absolutely all excess nonsense and stick it back in...see if that does the trick.
1995 BMW M3/2/5 - Alpine White - Vaders - Stage II Maxsil Pistons, Chipped, 24# Injectors, MagnaFlow Exhaust, and heated door locks!
Member
BMW E36 M3 Expert
The vapor barrier is peg fit into place. It would take a bone headed mistake to cause that issue, unrelated to the number of times it has come off.
What I said still applies, they are breaking because of your rage fix after 10 door shuts. You asked why they are breaking, that's why. Obviously the vapor barrier needs to be corrected.
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Negative - it was definitely the vapor barrier. Whomever put it on multiple times used thick foam-based 3m double-sided and it was swelling the panel enough that the door clips were near-popping off after first-installation. I cleared it all and reapplied 3m non-hardening weather-seal and after about 60 open and shuts I can't pull that thing loose unless I use a putty knife...which is the intention.
Not that you aren't correct about the rage-reinsertion's. They were definitely why the clips kept breaking...just not why they kept popping out in the first place.
1995 BMW M3/2/5 - Alpine White - Vaders - Stage II Maxsil Pistons, Chipped, 24# Injectors, MagnaFlow Exhaust, and heated door locks!
Member
BMW E36 M3 Expert
Not exactly incorrect. I did specify a bone headed mistake and you followed up with there being 3M double sided tape. Obviously an uneducated adhesive job isn't the vapor barrier causing the issue.
You can get the original butyl tape (the sticky black stuff) at Oreilly. It does a fantastic job keeping that vapor barrier sealed and water out of the car. It does have to be reapplied every other time you pull the barrier though. Keep an eye on your 3M weather-seal. If it leaks, you want to fix it.
Glad you got it resolved.
Member
When I first got my m3 my girlfriend closed the passenger door and I didn't know that the torx screw were missing, she pulled the panel right off and it fell to the ground. There was a bunch of people who saw and it was a little embarrassing. I replaced all the clips and screws now it's fine. Not a solution to your problem but I thought I'd share the lol.
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()(
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Hahah! My passenger was also missing the torx, but I noticed when test driving and it was flopping around...not in front of a bunch of girls or anything...
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1995 BMW M3/2/5 - Alpine White - Vaders - Stage II Maxsil Pistons, Chipped, 24# Injectors, MagnaFlow Exhaust, and heated door locks!
Member
I used a sealant where the clips met the door. I understand that this is vandalism, but it turned out very reliably ... When I had an old front door, I had serious problems with the lock and I used a similar system of fastening it. It really helps, as well as eliminates drafts. I used this until I installed doors by Belldinni Inc. In any case, I hope you understand that this is not very reliable and not durable. A certain stage will come when you will need to either update the sealant, or come up with something else. I really hope that you come up with something else, since the use of sealant does not look very aesthetically pleasing ...
Last edited by peacekeeperman; 10-29-2020 at 04:17 AM.
Member
I keep a bag of 50 interior clips... Between the M3 and the X3 I probably use 20 per year on various mods and repairs LOL.
I learned several BMWs ago to consider them "consumables" like oil, fuel and brake pads.
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