GM G-BODY 1979-1987 LSD INSTALLATION
INSTALLATION INTRODUCTION 1. REMOVING THE FENDER AND DOORS FROM THE A-PILLAR AND DISCONNECTING THE WIRE HARNESS @ THE DOOR JAM 2. REMOVING THE EXISTING DOOR HINGES FROM THE DOORS; TOP AND BOTTOM. 3. MODIFYING THE INTERNAL FENDER AREAS FOR THE HINGE CLEARANCE. 4. MODIFYING THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS. 5. HANGING AND ALIGNING THE VEHICLE DOORS. 6. INSTALLING THE FENDER AND CHECKING FOR CLEARANCE. 7. REMOVE FENDER AND ROUTING THE WIRING. 8. RE-INSTALL FENDER AND CHECK FOR CLEARANCE. 9. JOB COMPLETE!
Installation Instructions LamboStyleDoors (The instructions are to be used as a reference only. Please repeat steps for both doors.) Pre-installation check list: Battery disconnected Front bumper removal Front fender removal Vehicle must be accident free Vehicle must have inner fender cover Disassemble the door stopper Preparations: (Disassemble parts according to the vehicle manufacturers specifications) Disconnect the wire harness between the chassis and the door (remove the harness from the door interior when necessary) Disassemble the door. For this procedure, un-bolt the from the A-Pillar. Un-bolt the hinges located on the door. Extend the factory door wire harness with the enclosed wire harness extension kit. Modify the fender Relocate the door lock vacuum case (when necessary). (e.g. from the passenger s side inner fender to the engine compartment) Modify the windshield washer reservoir (when necessary).
Safety Information: LSD door kits must be installed according to the vehicle-specific instructions provided by LSD-Doors. The installation should be performed by an authorized dealer. When extending factory wire harness, follow the vehicle manufacturer's guidelines for cable repairs. When extending CAN-bus, pay attention to the processes of rerouting, screening, and twisting (check vehicle manufacturer's specifications). Be careful not to damage any systems. After installation of the kit, side airbags (if any) should be tested for proper operation by an authorized dealer. Performing final adjustments of the doors, make sure they close and lock according to the OEM specifications (check original closing angles, locking positions, gaps, etc.). Be careful while working in the operating area of the doors and hinge system (be especially careful when working with a partner or when there are other people in the working area). All doors must be securely closed before setting vehicle into motion. Driving with open doors is prohibited. Do not mount heavy loudspeakers without increasing pressure of the gas spring. Adjust horizontal opening angle of the doors to the possible maximum. The gas spring should hold your door at the maximum height under all operating conditions. To guarantee that, choose gas spring with the appropriate pressure level. Empty door storage compartments, otherwise all the objects placed in there will fall as the door opens and the weight of the door will change, which may influence the gas spring operation. WARNING: gas spring is under extreme pressure! Make sure all mounting brackets are securely fastened in the right places. General instructions: A properly instructed partner will make the installation process easier. Regular servicing of the doors and gas springs at a specialized body shop will expand their service life.! Attention! An additional inside handle must be installed to simplify opening and closing of the doors from seated position. White door lights must be disabled via removal of light bulbs or bulb sockets in accordance with Fig. 5.22 of ECE Reg. No. 48. After installation of the LSD hinge system, reinstall original inner fender cover to keep LSD hinges free from debris. Functionality of the vehicle comfort systems, e.g., central locking system (if any), must be checked at an authorized body shop. Check functionality of all other systems and components (loudspeakers, anti-theft systems, CAN-bus, window rollers, crash-sensors, driver seat memory, mirror heating/adjustment, etc.) at an authorized body shop. When adjusting the doors, be careful to place them in the proper door openings not to cause any damage to other components. The processes of adjustment and testing must be performed with great attention. If A-pillar or doors have been modified, use supplied chassis glue (if specified in the list and included in the set) for tight joint. Make sure that sealed surfaces are free from dust and grease before applying chassis glue. Proper door sealing will guarantee safety. Note: gas springs have been tested on standard doors. If your doors come with additional equipment, it may slightly modify their weight and you may need to order stronger or lighter gas spring (additional costs may arise). Please note that the gas spring pressure may vary due to temperature, which will influence opening and closing force. Warranty claims will not be honored unless there is defect in material or workmanship. When body work is performed, apply anti-corrosion covering to all the modified surfaces according to the manufacturer s guidelines. After the LSD kit installation, the doors opening angle is limited. The doors must be first carefully opened outwards and then upwards. When too much force is applied to the limiters/stop points body parts may damage. The warranty does not cover damages caused by improper use, improper installation, or application of excessive force to the limiters/stop points.
General Lubrication Information In order for the LSD Door System to function properly, adequate lubrication is essential at all pivot points on the system. Periodic lubricating of all pivot points is highly recommended on a consistent basis. This helps in the life of all bearings involved and provides for a smooth operating LSD Door System. Listed below are helpful hints of when to lubricate: - After washing the vehicle, open the doors and check to see that all pivot points are properly greased - Every three months, open doors and check to see that all pivot points are properly greased - If the vehicle is subject to a harsh environment, such as salt or sand, it is critical that all pivot points stay lubricated, especially if the doors are being used frequently. Open the doors and check to see that all pivot points are greased properly
HARDWARE LIST ( per vehicle side) 1x A 9x B 3x C 3x D Snap ring Serrated bolt 30mm Hexagon bolt 50mm C-Profile Shim 3x E 1x F 5x G 1x H 2600 N Cover A-Pillar Glue Tie wraps Damper 3x I 1x J 1x K 1x L Screw LSD Door System LSD Swing Arm LSD Ground Plate 4x M Grommet
2 4 B 5 C A 1 B C
STEP 1 REMOVING THE O.E.M. DOOR AND O.E.M. HINGES 1a. Open the door and locate the door hinges (Photo 1). 1b. Un-bolt the four bolts that mount the O.E.M. hinges (with the doors attached) and remove them completely off the A-Pillar. 1c. Remove the four bolts mounting the hinges to the door frame, removing the hinges completely. HINGE TOP MOUNTING BOLTS DOOR A-PILLAR HINGE BOT MOUNTING BOLTS PHOTO 1
STEP 2 DIS-ASSEMBLING THE SWING ARM FROM THE GROUND PLATE 2a. Your new LSD Door Hinges have come assembled. 2b. As identified in (Photo 2), disassemble the swing arm from the ground plate. Un-bolt all four mounting bolts or allen-heads and remove completely, detaching the swing arm from the ground plate. 2c. Place the four mounting bolts in an area where they will not be lost. GROUND PLATE SWING ARM PHOTO 2 PHOTO FOR REFERENCE ONLY
VERY IMPORTANT: DIRECTIONS BELOW ARE APPLICABLE IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS STEP 3 MODIFYING THE CHASSIS WIRING HARNESS (IF APPLICABLE) IMPORTANT NOTE: Prior to beginning extending the wiring harness from the A-pillar, each individual wire needs to be cut one at a time. Each wire that is cut, has to be staggered (See 4g) from the previous cut wire. By doing this, you will eliminate, when wrapping all the wires, one large taped ball. 3a. If the wiring harness comes equipped with an insulation cover, this will need to be removed. STEPS 3b thru 3f are for REFERENCE ONLY (using the white wire as reference) 3b. Isolate a single wire (Photo 3). Start the first cut on the white wire approximately 3 from the door frame. 3c. Cut the wire sheath (coming from door frame) back approximately 1/4 (Photo 4). Twist the end tight. 3d. Cut the wire sheath (from kit supplied white wire) back approximately 1/4. Twist the end tight. 3e. Using the kit supplied heat shrink connector ends, insert the wire ends into the connector, one from each end (Photo 5). 3f. Using the heat gun, shrink wrap the connector ends to securely mate with the wire ends (Photo 6). PHOTO 3 PHOTO 4 PHOTO 5 PHOTO 6
STEP 4 MODIFYING THE CHASSIS WIRING HARNESS (IF APPLICABLE) cont d- 4g. VERY IMPORTANT: FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS BELOW IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS 4h. Remember to stagger the cuts for each individual wire. This will eliminate having a large wrap and will allow for minimal size and maximum flexibility. 4i. In the photo below an (INCORRECT) version is shown. By cutting it this way, wrapping the wire at the end, will create a large ball in the middle of the newly extended wire harness. 4j. By staggering the cuts, (CORRECT), you eliminate creating a large taped ball, thus making it easier to install back in the chassis. 4k. Prior to soldering on the A-Pillar wire connector end, its important to remember to in stall the original equipment rubber grommet (Photo 7) (IF APPLICABLE) 4m. Once the rubber grommet has been fed onto the new extension wire harness, you are able to attach the wire connector end of the A-Pillar (Photo 8). INCORRECT CUTS CORRECT CUTS RUBBER GROMMET LOCATION PHOTO 7 PHOTO 8 IF APPLICABLE
STEP 5 MODIFYING THE FENDER 5a. Mark the areas on the fender that are going to be modified (Photo 11). For detailed dimensions, see Page 15. 5b. Using a pneumatic air saw, cut the areas that you have designated to remove. 5c. (Photo 12) shows what the final cut should look like. BEFORE PHOTO 11 AFTER PHOTO 12
STEP 5 MODIFYING THE FENDER cont d- 5d. In (Photo 13), the area has been marked for removal. A minimum lip is required along the face edge indicated, no less than 2mm(.06in.), up to a maximum width of 30mm (1.18in.), as shown below. 5e. In (Photo 14), dimensions are given from the face edge of the fender. FACE EDGE 110mm(4.33 ) 460mm(18.11 ) 280mm(11.00 ) 120mm (4.72 ) PHOTO 13 FACE EDGE 30mm(1.18 ) 10mm(.393 ) 2mm(.06 ) PHOTO 14 5f. In (Photo 14), the shaded area is the area needing to be removed.
STEP 5 MODIFYING THE A-PILLAR FENDER ATTACHMENT LIP cont d- 5g. Mark off the Fender Attachment Lip, located on the A-Pillar (Photo 14A). There are two modifications needing to be done at this location. 5h. Measuring from the top, come down 40mm(1.57 ) and mark a line (Photo 14B). In the bottom photo, the final modification here is shown. 40mm FENDER LIP PHOTO 14B ER LIP PHOTO 14A FINAL MODIFICATION
STEP 5 MODIFYING THE INNER FENDER ATTACHMENT cont d- On this vehicle, the inner fender will need to be notched at the bottom, as the following step shows. 5i. Mark the bottom of the inner fender, as shown (Photo 14C). This notch is clearance for the bottom of the Ground Plate (Photo 14D). 120mm(4.72 ) 100mm (3.93 ) NOTCH PHOTO 14C PHOTO 14D
STEP 6 MOUNTING THE LSD GROUND PLATE 6a. Using the existing O.E.M. tapped mounting holes, mount the LSD ground plate matching up each respective mount hole. Three mount holes at the top and three at the bot tom (Photo 15). Locate the mounting bolts at the center of their respective slotted mount holes. 6b. Using the kit supplied mounting bolts (L, K), insert the bolts and finger tight only. 6c. Using a wrench, torque the bolts to 20ft-lb. L TOP MOUNT L BOT MOUNT PHOTO 15
STEP 7 MOUNTING THE LSD SWING ARM 7a. Using the existing O.E.M. tapped mounting holes, mount the LSD swing arm, matching up each respective mount hole. Two mount holes at the top and three at the bottom (Photo 16). Locate the mounting bolts at the center of their respective slotted mount holes. 7b. Using the kit supplied mounting bolts (L), insert the bolts and finger tight only. IMPORTANT NOTE: The three bottom mount bolts(50mm) (Photo 17) are longer than the two top mount bolts. These are longer, due to the thickness of the two plates. 7c. Using a wrench, torque the bolts to 20ft-lb. TOP MOUNT BOLTS PHOTO 17 BOTTOM MOUNT BOLTS PHOTO 16
STEP 8 MOUNTING THE DOOR TO THE A-FRAME IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS STEP SHOULD BE DONE WITHOUT THE GAS SPRING IN STALLED 8a. Place the door back on the vehicle and close the door completely. 8a. Install the MAGICSTIK into position (Photo 18) Initially, this is done for mounting purposes only, using the MAGICSTIK as a guide. 8b. Lifting the door into position, guide the MAGICSTIK into its mating block (Photo 19), manually holding the door there, as close to the closed position as possible. 8c. Attach the swing arm to the ground plate with the four (4) kit supplied bolts and adjust the door via moving the swing arm adjustable plate connection mount with the horizontal door gap adjuster in the right or left direction until the gap measurement is like the original (Photo 20). PHOTO 18 PHOTO 20 IMPORTANT NOTE: Torque mounting bolt to 10ft-lb. PHOTO 19 ADJUSTING THE DOOR HEIGHT 8d. Adjustment height of the door is by moving the chassis plate (Q) vertically. Make sure the mounting hardware (L,K) is loosened to perform this function. 8e. Adjustment depth of the door is by moving the door horizontal. Make sure the mounting hardware (L) is loosened to perform this function.
STEP 8 ADJUSTING THE DOOR HEIGHT cont d 8f. Use the adjustment screw (Photo 21) as a point to guide the front door into the correct position. 8g. Attach the Swing Arm to the chassis plate with the (Photo 22) four(4) kit supplied bolts or allen-head bolts, and adjust the door by moving the Swing Arm to the chassis plate adjustable connection mount with the horizontal door gap adjuster (2) in the left or right direction until the gap dimension is the same O.E.M dimension (prior to disassembling the door). 8h. Adjust the height of the door by moving the chassis plate vertically (up or down) (Photo 23). Loosen the mount bolts prior to adjusting, but not removing them completely. The use of a rubber mallet would be useful in moving the chassis plate. GROUND PLATE MOUNT BOLT SWING ARM MOUNT BOLT PHOTO 21 SWING ARM MOUNT BOLT GROUND PLATE MOUNT BOLT PHOTO 22 PHOTO 23
STEP 8 IF REQUIRED 8k. If the Magic Stick (Photo 24) (lower adjustment screw)(1) is not in the correct position when the door is closed, a spacer (Photo 25) (D) has to be installed under the M.A.R.A (2) as shown in the pictures below. PHOTO 24 D 2 D 2 STEP 1A - TOP STEP 2A - BOTTOM D 2 D 2 STEP 1B - TOP STEP 2B - BOTTOM PHOTO 25
STEP 8 ADJUSTING THE DOOR OPENING cont d The door openings of vehicles will vary from one model to another. This adjustment controls the gap between the edge of the door and the edge of the fender. This opening-dimension has been pre-determined by our R&D Techs. 8m. With the fender removed, slowly open the door. Using a measuring tape, measure from the outside top corner of the door to the frame of the chassis (Photo AA). IMPORTANT NOTE: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO INSTALL ONTO THE ADJUSTMENT SCREW, LOC-TITE. THIS WILL PREVENT THE ADJUSTMENT SCREW FROM BECOMING LOOSE OVER A PERIOD OT TIME. 8n. Once this width of opening has been established, tighten the ADJUSTMENT SCREW on the M.A.R.A. system (Photo BB). 780mm(30 ) PHOTO - AA
STEP 8 ADJUSTING THE DOOR OPENING cont d 8n. Once this width of opening has been established, tighten the ADJUSTMENT SCREW on the M.A.R.A. system (Photo BB). 8o. Once you have tighten the ADJUSTMENT SCREW (with Loctite ), you can now slowly lift the door to the upward position, checking for any interference. 8p. Locate the door back to the closed position. 8q. Re-install the fender back on the vehicle. Open the door slowly and place it in the upward position, checking for any interference with the fender as it is being lifted upward (Photo CC) ADJUSTMENT SCREW M.A.R.A. SYSTEM PHOTO - BB PHOTO CC If interference occurs with fender-to-door, Steps 8m and Step n will need to be repeated, until the door is fine-tuned into position.
STEP 9 MOUNTING THE GAS DAMPER (after correct gap distance has been established) IMPORTANT NOTE: PRIOR TO MOUNTING THE GAS DAMPER AT ITS RESPECTIVE MOUNTING POINTS, WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND USING AN ANTI-RUST LUBRICANT, WIPING DOWN THE MOUNT POINTS TO PRE- VENT RUSTING. KEEPING THE MOUNTING POINTS LUBRICATED, ENHANCES THE LONGEVITY OF THE LSD DOOR SYSTEM IN WORKING PROPERLY GAS DAMPER TOP PIVOT POINT ON LSD SWING ARM GAS DAMPER BOTTOM PIVOT POINT ON LSD GROUND PLATE
STEP 9 MOUNTING THE GAS DAMPER (after correct gap distance has been established) 9a. Hang (mount) the gas damper (H) on the mount point of the Swing Arm (Photo 26). Secure it with the kit supplied security ring, by using needle-nose pliers. 9b. NOTE: Use care when installing the security ring. 9c. Carefully pivot the door up and hang in the gas damper at the fitting point of the chassis plate (Ground Plate). Secure it with the kit supplied security ring (Photo 27). PHOTO 26 PHOTO 27 DANGER: The gas damper is under extreme pressure! Please make sure the security rings are installed correctly and are snapped in their respective guides.
STEP 10 ROLLER ADJUSTMENT IMPORTANT NOTE: The door needs to be in the closed position for this adjustment to be properly done. NOTE: This adjustment also needs to be done with the gas damper installed. 10a. Install the kit supplied slide roller (as shown in the picture). 10b. Adjust the slide roller (4) so the LSD swing arm has the initial contact and preload while opening and closing of the door. (Photo 28). 10c. Periodically lubricate the slide roller to insure a constant smooth open/close sequence. HORIZONTAL ADJUSTMENT 4 4 VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT T O P V I E W SWING ARM PLATE PHOTO 28
STEP 11 ROUTING THE WIRE HARNESS 11a. Pivot the door carefully up and make sure there is sufficient clearance on the fender, A- pillar and hood. If there isn t enough slack on the wiring harness, two things can happen. One, you can damage the wiring harness itself, separating all the connectors. Or two, the door will have trouble opening to its full opening position. If necessary, adjust the LSD chassis plate or the LSD swing arm again. 11b. Lay the wire harness on and attach it to the marked points shown (Photo 29). Secure the wire harness with the kit supplied cable ties. The wire harness is located on the backside of the LSD chassis plate. PHOTO 29
COMMON TROUBLESHOOTING QUESTIONS and ANSWERS Q1: WHY DOES THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR NOT SIT FLUSH, AT THE FRONT OR REAR?: A1: LSD door hinges are engineered and designed to compensate for this issue. They are designed to be installed in the center location of all mounting slots. Some vehicles are different however; adjusting the location of the swing arm mounts on the door will fix this problem. Mounting the swing arm towards the interior of the door, top or bottom will move the door out; mounting the swing arm towards the exterior of the door will move the door in. In some cases, the mounting will be slightly different between top and bottom mounts. Q2: WHY DO THE DOORS SPRING A-JAR WHEN OPENING THE DOOR?: A2: LSD door hinges are engineered and designed to compensate for this issue. It is common on vehicles that the left and the right sides are not quite the same. When a door springs open there is a misalignment between the swing arm and the ground plate. This can be remedied by increasing the distance of the third point on the ground plate. The third point is usually located towards the front of the vehicle. Increasing the distance and angle of the ground plate to the vehicle will release any pressure and/or contact between the swing arm and the ground plate. Q3: WHY DOES THE DOOR HITS/RUBS AGAINST THE FENDER WHEN OPENING?: A3: LSD door hinges are engineered and designed to compensate for this issue. Attaching the LSD hinge in the center location of the slots and adjusting the magic stick such that the tuff lock is centered is the optimum desired installation. Making minor adjustments to the MARA / C profile, the third point, and/or the Magic stick should alleviate this problem. Q4: WHY IS THE WIRING HARNESS TOO LARGE FOR THE ROUTE SHOWN IN THE INSTRUC- TIONS?: A4: LSD door hinges are engineered and designed to compensate for this issue. LSD wiring kits are designed for the MAXIMUM wires installed on vehicles. If additional wires are added or modified that are larger than original, wiring routing might have to be modified. Vehicle owners are responsible for this modified routing. Q5: WHY DOESN T THE GAS SPRING HOLD THE DOOR UP?: A5: LSD door hinges are engineered and designed to compensate for original door weight, i.e. speakers and electronics. NOTE: As temperature fluctuates, the gas pressure in each shock increases or decreases. Example; in the heat, the gas pressure will expand, in the cold; it has a tendency to contract. Any modifications to the speakers or electronics may require a larger gas spring. Vehicle owners are required to purchase these larger gas springs from their local dealer. If you have not modified your door, your gas spring may be faulty. Vehicle owners are required to contact their local dealer for replacement(s).