Hard to replace the doors?

[Espen]

All my 4 doors are very hard attacked by rust, så i got my hands on some mint doors in the same colour. Unfortunately the new doors dint have the same electrical equipment as my old doors had (central locking and power windows)

So I`ll have to move everything inside the old doors over to the new ones. Is this doable at my own garage, or should i get a mech shop do it? The doorlock sylinders would be the part where my knowledge stops.

Also are there some way to get the door off the car without cutting the wire harness?

thanks in advance

[Ross]

The harnesses plug in. There is a large clip that slides up and will seperate the connector. Remove the two screws that hold the rubber boot and it all comes out.
To remove the door itself unscrew the two hinge bolts at the hex head, loosen the top hinge screws to allow a little give and lift it off the hinges.
Nothing to it.

[repenttokyo]

Not all harnesses plug in. I just replaced a door on my 91 with a door from my 92, and the entire harness inside the 92 door was completely incompatible with my 91's door wiring.

I had to switch over the locks, harness, and even the hinge and actuator for the door handle were different.

So, it all boils down to what year are your doors. If they match, should be easy. If they are different years, might not work out.

[Espen]

My old doors are 1989, the new ones im not sure.
I would need to move alle the harness and electric stuff over to the new doors anyway, since the new doors came from a car less equipped.

Thanks for your replies. I guess theres no shortcuts in this operation.

[Espen]

I started to replace one of the rear doors today, most went fine, but i had problems getting the electrical window elevator out, it was nailed to the door with those big metal nails that I had to drill out. So far I`m ok.

But heres the question, how do I fasten the window elevator system on the new door? I dont have access to thoose big nails (6mm). Neither is it possible to get a regular nut & bolt to fasten it..

[525i winter driver]

I started to replace one of the rear doors today, most went fine, but i had problems getting the electrical window elevator out, it was nailed to the door with those big metal nails that I had to drill out. So far I`m ok.

But heres the question, how do I fasten the window elevator system on the new door? I dont have access to thoose big nails (6mm). Neither is it possible to get a regular nut & bolt to fasten it..

i had to drill those nails (rivets you mean right?) - what a pita. to mount it back on i used 1/4 inch (head) X 1/2 inch (length) bolts and it just fit perfectly.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37786

[Espen]

Yes, rivets was the word i was looking for.. (my english isnt that good when it comes to technical stuff)

I tried to get a nut in behind there, so I could use a bolt, but my hands where to big to fit inside there.. How did you do it?

[Espen]

Bought this rivnut kit today, so i can just shoot some nuts inside those holes, and fasten the regulator with M4 bolts.

[525i winter driver]

Bought this rivnut kit today, so i can just shoot some nuts inside those holes, and fasten the regulator with M4 bolts.

well that ought to make it easy... but i'll answer your other question anyway

I tried to get a nut in behind there, so I could use a bolt, but my hands where to big to fit inside there.. How did you do it?

i had forgotten that - my hands are small and they don't fit either.
iirc - i left the window off the guide and jammed it up into the closed position. i think the filth inside the rubber guides held it up. of the three holes, there is only one difficult one (the highest one). i put the bolt in the hole (head on the inside of the door) before mounting the regulator assembly... i think i used a spanner to hold it in there, it was very awkward but once the assembly was on with that bolt poking through the rest was easy.