MGF World: Modifications - Instructions on how to replace your MGF's broken window stops.

How To Replace Broken Window Stops

Words and Pictures: Richard Eaton

If your door suddenly starts being awkward to shut and needing extra force to pull it closed then when you are outside the car take a look at the window's position. If it's on the outside of the rubber seal then the chances are that your window stop's broken.

The problem of broken window stops seems to be a fairly common occurrence on the MGF.. Since the F has now been in production long enough for lots of cars to be no longer covered under warranty I thought I'd write up how to replace them yourself rather than paying your dealer £40 to do this simple job.

MG are now on their third design of window stop since the car was launched which says something about the longevity of the first two versions. So you can tell which you've got, the MK1 is white plastic, the MK2 is orange (apparently stronger - what, just by changing colour? ;-) ), and the MK3 is a completely different design. I'm not sure what the cut off points of the previous versions are but I got my MGF in January 1998 and it's got the MK2 version (well, it had until it broke and I replaced with the Mk3!).

The only tools you need!	What you need! The only tools and parts you need for the job are a medium sized posidrive screwdriver, a 4mm allen key, and the Mk3 window stop parts from your MG parts department. Here are the parts numbers for the Mk3 so you don't end up with the Mk1 and Mk2 (as my dealer tried to give me!). SS105161 - Screw CVT100090 - Washer CUQ100140 - Window stop Total cost (even including VAT) was £2.41
The general positions of the five screws	Step 1 - Locating the screws There are five screws that need to be undone before the door panel can be removed from your car. The position of each of these is shown on the picture to the left. The position of them all also shown in more detail on the next five photographs. Note: A good place to keep these screws safe is the ashtray, far better than losing them on the floor, seats etc.
Starting with the easiest...	This screw is located towards the front of the car and is the most obvious. If you can't find this one, then you may as well book your MGF into the dealers now ;-)
Top of the door width	This one is slightly better hidden as it's in the width of the door which you don't normally see.
Bottom of the door width	This one's at the bottom of the door width so if you found the previous one, it's a doddle too!
Two in the door closing "handle"	Quite well hidden unless you know they are there! I suppose you don't normally look in the "handle" you use to shut the door.
And the awkward one behind the door opening handle	This one is the best hidden yet and most awkward to remove, it's still fairly easy though. Just pull the handle to get access to the (smaller) screw that's hidden behind it.
Pull until the clips are free	Step 2 - Unclipping the clips! There are a few (5?) clips that hold the bottom of the door panel to the door itself. These require a bit of force to remove but not too much or you may break them. The easiest way I've found to pull them free is to grab the back, bottom corner of the door panel and give it a quick tug. This should free the first clip. Then repeat the exercise all the way along the bottom of the panel until all the clips are free.
Lift the panel backwards and upwards slightly	Step 3 - Removing the panel Once all the screws are removed and the clips that hold the bottom of the panel in place are free, you're ready to remove the door panel. At this stage the panel is "resting" over the top edge of the door. To remove the panel, simply lift it backwards and upwards slightly to free the front, top corner from underneath the cheater (black plastic triangle thing!). It should slide out fairly easily. If not, then check you haven't missed any of the previous steps!!!
Now where did that door panel go?	And as if by magic... The door without the door panel in place is a sight for sore eyes, well unless you're going for the stripped out racer look - and all the associated rattles, noise, etc etc.
The screws holding on the speaker	Step 4 - Speaker removal The only thing that's between you and you're broken window stop is the door speaker. This is easy to remove and leaves a gaping hole to work through. Start by locating the three screws that hold it in place. There are two at the top and one securing the bottom (or "bass" of the speaker - sorry, I couldn't resist such a bad pun!)
Speaker removed for access	With the speaker removed, you'll now have access to the window and the inside of the door. Now is a good time to rummage about in the bottom looking for the broken window stop. Make sure that you get rid of all the bits of it (mine was in two main bits) or they'll rattle about later on and really annoy you - after all, you wouldn't want to take it all to bits again would you? P.S. Now's a good time to check the door drainage holes aren't blocked too!
A broken Mk2 window stop	By now you should have found the offending item that looks something like this. This is the Mk2 version (from my January 1998 MGF). The Mk1 is virtually identical but made from white plastic. I'm not sure whether MG thought that changing the colour would improve things, surely they wouldn't have made is stronger as well as changing the colour would they?
The unassembled components of the Mk3!	And here are the three parts that make up the Mk3 version of the window stop. You should have bought before taking your door to bits so I hope for your sake you did, otherwise it's back on with the door panel and down to your local dealers parts department!
How the Mk3 components go together	And three become one... The parts fit together in the same order as they are laid out in the picture above. The hexagonal screw fits into the washer (the head really does fit "into" it too) which then screws into the biggest plastic bit. When this is on the car, the window glass fits between the washer and the big plastic bit!
The hole in the glass for the window stop	Step 5 - Fitting the new window stop First of all wind your window down (well, press the button to do so) until there's about 5cm of window still above the top of the door. This puts the glass in the correct position so you can see AND get your hand behind the glass. If you look "through the speaker hole" (cue Lloyd Grossman) you will see a hole as marked on the photograph to the left. This is where your window stop will be going.
The window stop fitted	Put the allen key into the hexagonal screw and fit the washer over the screw. Now comes the fiddly bit, you've got to get the screw behind the glass and poking through the hole towards you. Once in place, just tighten the plastic nut by hand then further tighten it using the allen key which should still be in the screw! I thought this went fairly smoothly, but some people have reported much swearing and frustration at this point, how about you? With this done, test out that everything works a few times just to make sure that nothing snags, and that the window does actually stop!
Re-fitting the door panel	Step 6 - Refitting the door panel Now the jobs done, it's just a case of putting things back together, simple eh? First of all wind the window all the way down as it makes this next bit easier. Place the top corner of the door panel above the top of the door and make sure that the re-enforced (with metal) lip fits over the inner lip of the door. Now carefully bring the back of the panel down making sure that this lip stays on the on the same side all the way along. When the panel is "hooked" onto the door, it should slide forwards into the correct position with all the screw and clip holes lining up. Now push all the clips along the bottom of the panel back in and put all the screws back into their correct positions (remember, the small one is for the opening handle!).
Make sure this rubber bit is fitted back on	Step 7 - The final touches Right, that's just about it. Just one thing to make sure and more than likely put right. There's a strange shaped rubber thing that fits at the top rear of the door. This should be positioned as the photograph and the small flaps of rubber force behind the panel. You'll know what I mean when you come to do it!
Fitted and working!	Step 8 - A job well done Well done, you've finished! You can now take pride in the fact that you've saved yourself £40 by repairing the window stop yourself and you've also learned just how easy it is to take the door panel and speakers out. So, why not use the money to buy some high quality replacement speakers - then go back to step 1 again, doh!