front clam shims on S2

[Pzero]

I'm in the process of refitting the front clam on my 2005 111S, after removing it to replace the heater resistor pack.

After I'd removed the clam I noticed a square-cut, U-shaped (aluminium) shim had dropped out from each side of the car. I'm sure they have each come off one of the two bolts on the door hinge cover but don't know if from the front or rear bolt, and a don't know if they go between the hinge cover and the clam.

Anyone know?

BTW: it seems a previous owner had removed/replaced the clam so these shims may not be standard.

[Skaffen]

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can chip in, but I had a look on deroure's parts diagram and they're shown:
http://www.deroure.com/diagrams.asp?MAK=1&MDL=...

[Pzero]

Indeed they are shown on that page. Thanks for pointing that out. Unfortunately its not clear exactly where they go.

[Ireland]

Isn't it a case of fitting them where required to get the panels to line up and get the gaps as even as possible?

[Skaffen]

Pzero said:

Indeed they are shown on that page. Thanks for pointing that out. Unfortunately its not clear exactly where they go.

Maybe this thread on SELOC might help a little more:
http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=334563&...

On that junks says:
"The only shims fitted as standard on the S2 are on the two M6 setscrews either side at the top of the hinge cover plates where the clam meets in front of the doors Basically there move the clam inward/outward so its inline with the lower panel "

[Pzero]

Mmmmm...

That posting on Seloc confirms what I first suspected that the shims come from the top of the hinge cover plate, but now I'm not so sure.

The drawing on the deroure website seems to indicate they come from the M8 button head screws at the base of each A pillar. If they go there, between bracket and pillar, that's going to make worse the problem I have, which is naff all clearance between the clam/hinge cover and the door as the door opens. The hinge covers are already fixed in as close to the body of the car as possible so there's no room for adjustment there.

As aside, the deroure website has 'S/S' in the description of those M8 screws. Does that mean they should be stainless steel?

[Cerbieherts]

There are several positions. The joint between the clamshell and the bonded panel near the wheel arch (with the two 8mm short bolts) usually has one or two to set the panel up flush. These are smaller. Then you have them used at the top of the a-post and also at the bottom. Each car uses a varying amount of shims, you need to swap them around until you het the best fit. If you need additional ones you can make them yourself from a thin sheet of alluminium. I usually find it is easiest to get the bolts started first, then pull the clam away from the body a bit to slot the shim behind.

[junks]

Pzero said:

Mmmmm...

That posting on Seloc confirms what I first suspected that the shims come from the top of the hinge cover plate, but now I'm not so sure.

The drawing on the deroure website seems to indicate they come from the M8 button head screws at the base of each A pillar. If they go there, between bracket and pillar, that's going to make worse the problem I have, which is naff all clearance between the clam/hinge cover and the door as the door opens. The hinge covers are already fixed in as close to the body of the car as possible so there's no room for adjustment there.

As aside, the deroure website has 'S/S' in the description of those M8 screws. Does that mean they should be stainless steel?

The U section stainless shims definitely come from the two M6 fittings on the upper edge of the door hinge cover

Has the car been damaged? If so it may be that you need to shim the door out slightly. It is very close there & will normally catch until its bolted up

[Pzero]

So the shims are to make the clam flush with the hinge panel in a vertical plane, and thus if needed, go between the clam and the hinge panel?

[Cerbieherts]

Yes. They are used to make the panels fit flush.

[keeling54]

The shims are indeed used to space the top edge of the clam away from the bottom corner of the windscreen. If you don't re fit them the door won't align correctly with the clam and you will run the risk of bottoming out the M8 bolt.

The garage that swapped my rad out forgot to refit the shims and then had one hell of a job getting the bolt back out again because of the limited access to it. They didn't refit the shims, just a shorter bolt so my door is still doesn't align with the clam.

[junks]

Sorry but the shims are only there to align the hinge cover panel with the clam, you would have to use spacers behind the fixing at the lower edge of the windscreen pillar to move that point outwards, oh & they are M6 into the join between the clam & the hinge cover panel & shouldn't bottom out if you have the correct length