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Replacing the exterior grey door/window trim panel
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Posted by John Davies (more from John Davies) on Fri, 21 Jun 2002 09:51:59 Share Post by Email
In Reply to: Exterior grey door/window trim panel., AndyB, Fri, 21 Jun 2002 07:04:31
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I can't advise on the rear door panel, but I just changed a _front_ driver's side one a few weeks ago. The rear should be very similar, though the window does not retract as far, which may be a factor to consider. It requires 3 special steel flush rivets (buy a couple of extra for reasons to be clarified later...) that are only available from Saab, as well as a rivet puller. I was able to use a standard pop rivet tool, but I had to fabricate a short (approx 1/4 inch) cylindrical spacer to allow the tool to reach down into the channel where the rivets are. I taped the spacer to the tool head to keep it in place while I worked.

Access was simple. Lower the window. Remove the single Torx screw holding the horizontal bottom trim in place at the rear of the door and work the moulding up and out of the way of the rear part of the door. Don't fully remove it, just get some room to work. Pull the rubber window channel moulding away from the door frame, starting aat the top corner, all the way to the bottom of the channel. Now you will see three flush rivets. The fun begins.

Drill a hole through the exact center of each rivet with a _sharp_ small bit - 1/8 inch or so. Be CAREFUL to center the hole. Now drill the rivet most of the way through with a bit close to the same size as the rivet, but no bigger (I can't recall the size). When you are nearly through the rivet, use a pin punch to break the shank of the rivet loose from the head. It will fall inside the door forever. The head will drop off. If it stays in place because a little rivet shank is left, use a small cold chisel to tap it free. When all the rivets are gone, you can remove the last Torx screw at the bottom of the trim piece on the opposite side from the rivets. The piece should then just lift away.

Position the new piece and place the new rivets in all three holes to position it properly over the holes. Carefully pull each rivet until the steel rod breaks. Hopefully the rivet is nice and tight in the hole.... Pull the other rivets, replace the screws and mouldings, and you are done.

A couple of cautions: Stuff a rag down the window channel to catch any shavings. Vacuum them away befor removing the rag.

If you screw up one rivet and it's a bit loose, don't worry - the other two will hold the piece without moving. If you screw up two, you will have to drill at least one of them out (which is very hard to do as it will spin) and install another one.

Work with the door open, and stand inside it with the drill on the outside - you end up hugging the door and keeping metal shavings away from your interior. It works very well, though it sounds a bit strange.

This is a straightforward job, but unless you are competent with tools and VERY comfortable with the idea of taking your car apart, and drilling holes in it, take it to a body shop recommended by your Saab dealer. Go ahead and get the trim piece and the rivets ahead of time, as it is very possible the shop will not have the correct rivets in stock.

My trim piece was US$40 - the rivets were free for the asking. Good luck.

posted by 12.82.17...
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