Interior and Upholstery How to replace Door panel backing board

billison

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Feb 27, 2006
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Edit. A set by step starting at reply #13.


Anyone replaced their door panel backing board? Mine has the waves from not having the vapor barrier installed. Couldn’t find any decent videos or anything.
 
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Sorry if this reply is a little late, been really sick all week and not on the web much. I bought replacement boards for my door panels a bunch of months back. Due to other projects I was in no big hurry to start tearing into them to figure out how to do the replacement. Recently I ran across a Youtube video posted by "House of Dula" (a guy who is going through his 4-eye). He goes through the replacement process the entire way. It's an EXCELLENT video and the only game in town. Be warned, it is long! Hope this helps.


View: https://youtu.be/TZNGjQZcQlk
 
Glad it helped. I was sure thankful when I found it. I really didn't look forward to tearing into mine (no pun intended), and screwing up over something simple. Was not gonna be happy to fork out $500+ for a new set of panels! :cry:

There's a few small things I plan to do differently (like the way he tamps the new boards down into the channel) for one. I know he doesn't show putting the new window seal on also but LMR has a video on it if there's any question. It's pretty straight forward, though they use self tapping screws. I have some pop rivets I specifically bought for doing mine, They're black anodized so they'll be pretty hard to see. Good luck with yours!
 
My plan is to do the basic repairs, replace the board and I’ll glue the carpet. No more waves.

I’m gonna see if I can work mine first. We’ll see. I got like 5 things to do before them
 
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If you are like me and the board is warped and carpet has detached , this is a easy but time consuming fix.

Tools needed.

A pry tool to remove screws
Drill and 1/8 drill bit
1/8x1/4 rivets with washers
Spray adhesive
Hemostats
Staple gun with 1/4 or smaller staples
 

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Start by removing all of the lower staples. I removed them up to one past the board, including the ones holding the insert. In the center is some tape covering several long staples. Also remove the nuts holding the speaker cover on, be careful not to snap the tabs.

Then you can carefully peel up the edges. Go slow, you likely missed at least one staple.
 

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Then flip it over and slowly start separating the panel from the board. You can separate the lower section I’d you wish by removing the staple, or you can fold them over to keep it connected .

You should remove the insert st this time as well. Your goal is to get to where the board and upper panel connect.

A factory panel with have metal tabs that pressed through, mine had rivets.
 

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Remove the tabs or rivets as good as you can.

The panel will line up pretty easy, just make sure you center it as good as you can.

I used rivets with washers on both sides. Drill and pop away. I did one on each side then make my way across . I wish I had added more.

Oh! And pop out the cut outs now, doing it after is a pain.

I pulled the edges up and over and used a little glue and then a few staple.

Using the hemostats , pull the ribbons through the holes. I pulled them around each other and then stapeled them down.
 

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Next was putting the bottom on. I didn’t have access to a staple gun that could do the 1” staples so I left them out. I may come back later and add them.

But I flipped it over, got it lined up. Using the longest stapel I had on hand, I put one staple that would be covered by the speaker cover.

I then glued it back in sections making sure to pull it high enough and left it for about 20 min with some weight on them.
 

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Last but not least, I put the speaker cover back on. Getting the holes perfect was fun. Maybe do this before you glue the rest of the bottom..

Anyway, flip it over and enjoy your good work.

Things I would of done differently.

Add more rivets and washers along the top

Use a long board and add weight to the glue along the bottom possibly over night.

Fine the proper sized staples to run along the center. This may require an air powered staple gun.

Thanks!! Enjoy.
 

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