does anybody know how to take a door off?

[nwe30]

i'm going to go buy a door this week to replace my bent one. i drive a 1990 325i sedan. front drivers side is being replaced. how do i remove and reinstall a door? any DIY out there? i searched it, couldn't find anything


UPDATE: got it off!

[4bangerfury]

Disconnect the wire harness. Remove the pin that connects the door brake to the car. There's a small bolt on each hinge, pretty sure it was 10mm, remove it. Lift off door, walk away with it. Install is the reverse of removal. Someone else will have to chime in for adjusting the door alignment, I haven't gotten to that part yet.

[GDA]

Yes. Best advice is to just download a Bentley manual for the E30 for if and when you have to do more than just unplug wiring, unbolt and swap the door.

[nwe30]

okay i tried doing what 4bangerfury told me to do, but the wire harness (it's the wires that have the black rubber cover on it, correct?) will not budge. do i disconnect this harness from the car, or from the door?

[StereoInstaller1]

Carefully remove the boot from the plug. Near the center of the plug is a plastic locking clip. It is about 1/2" wide, and it locks the locking tabs in place.

Grab it and pull it out.

Next,using 2 pair of needlenose pliers, gently bend the locking tabs together until the socket releases the plug then pull.

It should come out pretty gracefully.

Don't forget to disconnect and remove the door brake pivot pin.

[nwe30]

Carefully remove the boot from the plug. Near the center of the plug is a plastic locking clip. It is about 1/2" wide, and it locks the locking tabs in place.

Grab it and pull it out.

Next,using 2 pair of needlenose pliers, gently bend the locking tabs together until the socket releases the plug then pull.

It should come out pretty gracefully.

Don't forget to disconnect and remove the door brake pivot pin.

alright i tried to remove the plug/wire harness. i can't get it off the car. what am i doing wrong

[Kershaw]

you're not strong enough.

hit it with penetrating oil, like pblaster or wd-40. keep at it. be rough. yank on it.

[TimKninja]

Shouldnt be that hard. wasnt to unplug on my ETA. The guy I bought my door off of had a problem tho and cut it.

You can remove the bolts BUT . You will lose your alignment!!!! I would take out the pins that hold the hinge together. Aligning it is a massive pain.

[StereoInstaller1]

alright i tried to remove the plug/wire harness. i can't get it off the car. what am i doing wrong

Did you get that retainer out?

[Pantless Spency]

1. Parallel park next to pole or other hard grounded object
2. Pull up a little further
3. Open door
4. Put in reverse and romp on it.
5. Profit

[E30Rookie37]

1. Parallel park next to pole or other hard grounded object
2. Pull up a little further
3. Open door
4. Put in reverse and romp on it.
5. Profit

HUGE profit.

[IxTech]

jaws of life

[mrsleeve]

I would use torches or a plasma cutter

[nwe30]

wow. that was easy. for anybody who is planning on taking off their door, take this advice....

the wire harness is super easy to take off. dont baby it like i did. i literally just grabbed the plastic clip with pliars and pulled...it came RIGHT out. dont try to use your fingers or shimmy it out with a screwdriver. just grab the two plastic tabs with pliars and pull straight out.

now im running doorless...

[ck_taft325is]

wow. that was easy. for anybody who is planning on taking off their door, take this advice....

the wire harness is super easy to take off. dont baby it like i did. i literally just grabbed the plastic clip with pliars and pulled...it came RIGHT out. dont try to use your fingers or shimmy it out with a screwdriver. just grab the two plastic tabs with pliars and pull straight out.

now im running doorless...

Jeep styles.