Squeaky DS door...Argh!!!!

VincenzaV

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2015
Location
New Hampshire
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
Hi, What grease/process do you recommend for a squeaky driver side door? Its a 2004, 226K miles, two owner well kept car! I've used lithium grease (kind of goes everywhere else BUT the pivot point, and spray lube (not thick enough). The TDIClub is the source of knowledge for all thing VW.

Thank you!
 

truman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 18, 2000
Location
columbia,MO,usa
TDI
'05 Passat Variant, Still miss the 03JW
I have had best luck by first cleaning hinges with brake cleaner and then relubing.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
use a lot of rags to keep brake cleaner from damaging paint or the rubber boot
prefer to use a water based degreaser, grease lightning or royal purple are my favorite and work well
rinse clean with 91% rubbing alcohol
heat up the area with a hair dryer or heat gun till its very warm if not almost too hot to touch but not too hot
motorcycle chain oil
all other lubes and methods are hardly worth it.

you want it nice and warm to get the stuff to flow into the areas that are unable to wick the chain lube

OR you can just put some 1.2.3. oil all over it and hope for the best
spray lubes are worthless for most of this stuff.
you need something that will wick
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
On all the doors I have had that squeaked, it was the bottom hinge, and the rollers with the spring that gives the door holding points that were the source of the squeak. Not the hinge itself. So if you just grease those rollers, then work the door, you'll be fine.

If the wear is such that the rollers are now flat spotted such that they will never roll again, perhaps you can look into some junk yard parts. There should be some available reasonably close to you. That and the required XZN bit. But cross that road if you have to. Do the lube first and see if your squeak disappears.

Cheers,

PH
 

truman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 18, 2000
Location
columbia,MO,usa
TDI
'05 Passat Variant, Still miss the 03JW
I agree bottom hinge rollers are likely culprit. I always kept hinges oiled and greased and squeak would quickly return. Driver's door was main problem. Thorough cleaning with brake cleaner, relube, and squeak has not returned. It can be annoying. MTC
 

VincenzaV

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2015
Location
New Hampshire
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
Yeah, I feel it has to be the bottom rollers too. I feel them vibrate when slowly rocking the door open and closed. I guess it will clean it with break cleaner, and apply some motorcycle/bike chain grease. Thats a great idea about heating it up too. The bottom roller has some rust on it, also contributing to the squeak. Any type of trick to get it off like a liquid I can pour on? I won't be able to get to it with sand paper or anything like that. Will have to be a chemical fix.
 
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