Repairing GEM Hard Doors

The factory installed hard doors are a maintenance nightmare. Typical problems have included water leaking in, inability to close or open, and constant need for readjustment. I have enlarged the 8mm mounting holes and use larger 3/8" bolts, which give a little more holding power. The hinge pins on both cars have in the past seized up, causing the bracket to wear out. This was effectively repaired by set screwing the replacement hinge bracket to the hinge pin. This keeps the pin stationary to the bracket and eliminates wear. Be sure to grease the pin. I have made replacement pins from stainless because they are VERY hard to get out when seized in the bracket. The pins can be made on a small lathe. The little cables inside the door do not last very long. Each plastic window sells for about $230, so be careful with them in cold weather. Hard door parts are not in the parts manual, but GEM will send you a list. I will publish a list of hard door parts in the future.

Daniel

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I would very much like to have a list of hard door parts so please send it! Thanks, Elaine

[QUOTE=GEMmechanic;8723]The factory installed hard doors are a maintenance nightmare. Typical problems have included water leaking in, inability to close or open, and constant need for readjustment. I have enlarged the 8mm mounting holes and use larger 3/8" bolts, which give a little more holding power. The hinge pins on both cars have in the past seized up, causing the bracket to wear out. This was effectively repaired by set screwing the replacement hinge bracket to the hinge pin. This keeps the pin stationary to the bracket and eliminates wear. Be sure to grease the pin. I have made replacement pins from stainless because they are VERY hard to get out when seized in the bracket. The pins can be made on a small lathe. The little cables inside the door do not last very long. Each plastic window sells for about $230, so be careful with them in cold weather. Hard door parts are not in the parts manual, but GEM will send you a list. I will publish a list of hard door parts in the future.

Daniel[/QUOTE]

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The hard door parts are not in the factory parts manual. However, the factory parts department will give you any numbers you may need. I plan to post a list as soon as Iā€™m back in the US.

Daniel

I have a friend with GEM hard doorsā€¦ he is in need of the locking body latch as I understandā€¦ think he has all the parts on the door and needs for it to stay closedā€¦ novel ideaā€¦ the parts from GEM are $129ā€¦ part numbers (left striker 0205-00309, 0105-00710, right striker 0205-00310 or 0105-00711)?

anyone have extras? or ideas as to where to look?? I donā€™t have a diagramā€¦ sorryā€¦

Bob

Attached are two pics showing two fairly durable (~6 months for each & neither have failed) repairs to broken-off window latches.

Hi. I realize this is an older post.
Were you ever able to acquire the parts manual for the hard doors?
I need a replacement cable and door handle and canā€™t find them anywhere.
thanks

welcome Galileo3ā€¦ think you may need to look for a car being parted out or doors either on eBay or Craigslistā€¦ I saw some doors being sold on CL in Calif the other dayā€¦ didnā€™t pay much attentionā€¦ if you are on FB join my groupā€¦ I post GEM car items as Iā€™m looking for cars from time to time for peopleā€¦ canā€™t close my eyes and see any doors with the pickers that I have in my phone book forā€¦ a couple of people to check with for new are GEMcarpartsdirect.com (Karen 888-677-4961) look at the manual on lineā€¦ the other NEVaccories.comā€¦ not sure if they can help on doorsā€¦ Iā€™ll keep an eye out

Bob

Thanks Bob and will do!
Have a great weekend.

what ever you doā€¦ travel safe

Iā€™m off to a couple of car showsā€¦ new signs for this season

Bob

Daniel or anyone else out there: Do you know what size nut driver I need to remove the door handle on the hard doors of my GEM 2008 e2 ?
Thanks, Elaine

The door latch parts you need are called a ā€œslam latchā€. Small manufactures like GEM buy off-the-shelve hardware, much cheaper than custom tooling. Check Southco or Austin hardware for slam latches. Slam latches normally run $5.00 to $10.00 each depending on material. Biggest issue is finding retailer. There will be a interior latch lever which you can attach the cable to. Good Luck

thanksā€¦ think my post was at least 5 years agoā€¦ I donā€™t remember who was looking but am sure your answer will help someoneā€¦

Bob

Thanks for response. Since they changed the format it is more difficult for me to track posts by date.

Thanks for response. Since they changed the format it is more difficult for me to track posts by date. I notice that you used eSGEMcolo so I suspect you live in Colorado. I was born and raised in Steamboat Springs, CO and miss the mountains, but not the tourists.

Denzil

guess it called progressā€¦ yes Iā€™m in the denver areaā€¦ Iā€™m a transplantā€¦ last stop Reno before moving hereā€¦ am really a SoCal personā€¦ canā€™t say kid any moreā€¦ have had my GEM eS since 2011 just had it refurbed in AZ over the winterā€¦ itā€™s got a new paintā€¦ motor controler chargerā€¦ fram was beefed upā€¦ new carā€¦ we donā€™t have a dealer in the areaā€¦ the work was done by Innovation Motorsportsā€¦

Bob

Thank you, Big_Dee and eSGEMColo, I, too, have had a hard time with the siteā€™s new format.

I suppose that I need to remove the doorā€™s interior in order to change out the door handle. ???
I think I need to find a parts (or repair) manual if I want to do this myself. I live in rural East Texas city of Palestine so we service ours ourselves. Good to know about

There used to be parts (or repair) manual online when Daimler Chrysler owned GEM. Iā€™m going to go hunting for it.

I bought a new 2006 eS without doors in July '06. I bought a 2008 e2 with doors in 2012. Neither door will open from the outside.

Thank you for the info about Innovation Motorsports!

Yes, you will need to remove door interior to access latch.

Repair manuals can be purchased on e-bay. Type in ā€œgem electric car manualsā€. I bought mine in a CD format.

Fit and finish on GEMs is not great and I suspect the spring that activates the outside door handle has came loose and fell down inside door.

Unfortunately most GEM dealers know less than I do. That is not saying much, because I know very little.

Thank you sooo much, Big_Dee!

P.S.- You make me smile with your other comments.

You are welcome. Glad I gave you a smile, it helps to have a sense of humor when you drive a GEM!

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Just got a 2001 E825 with hard doors, and this thread gave some clues. Mine are somewhat difficult for my lady to open, but with my large hands, they work OK. I found this trick helped a lot - I place my thumb on the door latch above the pull, and use my fingers to pull the latch while pressing with my thumb. Made the door open MUCH easier, and took the feeling of ā€˜OMG its gonna breakā€™ away. I still plan to take the doors apart for some PM and adjustment.

I have a cracked drivers window, with a serviceable repair for now. When replacement time comes, I was going to get some ā€˜off the shelfā€™ 1/8 inch tinted plexiglass and cut my own. If it does need the slight curve I may attempt a slump on it. I read somewhere else on here where people made their own. :grin:

And thanks for the heads up about the hinge pins, I will give them some love and lube before they cause trouble.

Small world! I have friends that moved there from Florida a few years ago. Robert and Deborah S***k with several children.

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