I thought the drivers side front door on our wagon was simply out of adjustment so took it in to fix it. Seems the problem is bigger than I knew. On the door at the hinges, the bottom hinge, right below that hinge, maybe about an 1/8 of an inch below the bottom of the hinge, is about a 1” crack, a split. It's hard to spot, but its there and you can see it.

I was informed that split will grow in time, if not dealt with. Dealing with it means either another door, which means finding a good used door and painting it, or, welding it from the inside. The mechanic said that’s the first place he looks when someone has an issue with the drivers side door, and sure enough-------.

The issue of painting it is we had the car painted a nice “custom” metallic grey a couple years ago, not a “typical” paint job, so if I want to match it I’d have to go back to the paint shop, probly at least a $200 job, plus the door itself and labor surrounding removing and replacing it, OR I can have the door removed, the panel removed, and have it welded on the inside with a piece of iron inside to make it strong. Total about $300.

So price wise, the choice is close. The Volvo shop I took it to said this is fairly common esp on the drivers side door as it's the one that gets used the most and gets leaned on quite a lot. They have seen many of these splits at about the same place as mine is. Of course we can just let it go ‘till it splits so bad, well, I’d hate to let it get that far.

Anyone else faced this issue? Just curious.

http://cleanflametrap.com/fuel1510.jpg
notice the hinge in this pix.

My 87, which I got in 97, had a hinge with a broken U spring...due to failue to lube those 2 rollers. The rollers didn't roll and that U spring cracked in half and I lost the business part that met with the rollers and damped the door swing.

The result was the door swinging free and wide pulling on the hinge attachment on the thin door metal and causing the Crack that you have.

I got a used hinge, treated the crack with POR so that it wouldn't rust and get worse...and have been very carefull not to let the door swing hard, so it would be contained by that U spring riding on the rollers of the hinge.

Keep those rollers well lubed.

so it's 2014 and still intact.

I agree with Peetz that a suitable welded repair can be done from the outside surface of the door.

However, if you do decide you want reinforcement on the inside, that can be done even though the welding is on the outside (with the door in place). When I went through aircraft mechanic's training we learned to do the reverse of what I'm going to suggest, but only because the method was used in areas where there was no access to place a reinforcement on the inside/backside of the structure.

I'm not sure how much room you have, but the idea is to drill some holes through the affected area adjacent to the crack. With the reinforcement in place, you do "rosette" welds around the edges of those holes and into the reinforcement. This joins the door metal to the reinforcement.

If I was doing the repair, I'd also open the crack slightly by grinding and do a bead along it's length, joining the door metal to the reinforcement.

The wet towel(s) idea will protect the finish near the welded area.

Tatra Mike

Seattle, Washington

1985 244 "Alfsen" (wife's car - the good one)
1984 245 "Buster" (the kid's car, now sold)
1985 245 "Cosmo" (parts car, sold off for move to WA)
1985 245 "Daisy" (back seat down, full of tools, the work truck)
1985 245 "Earl (CA vehicle 'retirement' program)

Can you tell I prefer the 1985 model 240? Better headlights than
the plastic 1986+ and nicer belt adjustments than the 1984s and earlier!

If it were me I would just mig weld it right on the car.
Just wedge up the door to take the weight from the crack and add a little zap to it!

For that kind of money you could get a Harbor Freight wire feed machine for a $100 and sneak that small tip in there yourself. It comes with all the goodies and instructions.

Just add on any kind of like color paint over the weld. Use black paint and it will look like grease or rust proofing that comes on these cars.

In fact, after painting it, coat some grease on there and let it get dirty on its on!
It's underneath the hinge and in the folds of the door jam, so it's not readily noticeable anyhow.

Unfortunately, I know you would like to be better with your pride and joy! This is the same car, is it not, that you lamented over or tormented yourself into trying to sell a while back!
That's a real pain in the heart I bet!

You probably found out that most people don't want to buy LOVE thats in a CARS body. 😍

If you decide to go the easy route, just think of it like a scar you might have on your body that you ignore. It will be covered up just as well too!

You know you can ignore most parts of your body, except your teeth!
If you ignore brushing and flossing, they will just go away!

This is just an old car with a flaw...?

😷
Phil

From what I've been told you can't just weld at the crack from the outside, there's no support, just that metal that's cracked is there. To support it you have to go inside and put a piece of iron there behind the crack and weld it to the door frame over the crack, from the inside. If you do try to weld the crack itself, it will just start cracking again. I was told it's a bit tricky but they have done it before many times. With the piece of iron supporting , should last pretty much its' lifetime.

I guess I could just let it go and if it (the door) eventually starts to fall off, a few bunji cords might help. (Isn't that what they all a "red-neck" fix??)

Anyway I do appreciate all of your input.

Actually, our Volvo has no 'flaws', it just tests our ingenuity to keep us on our toes.

Thanks for you reply back!

Never would have thought of bungee cords!
I just spent some time recently in the south and up to Kentucky. Can't believe how many fireworks only stores there are! They still have dry counties in this day and age? No beer sold on Sunday's, how ridiculous is that?
I know what you mean by that type of fix. Only one thing is though, you will have to find those thick black rubber ones used by the truckers, to make it feel like a down home Alabama fix!😎

I have to side with the other posters as mig or tig welding use metals in their rods or wire that is very mild and very close to the base of the sheet steel used.
The term "hammer welding" is a true skill of the Blacksmithing days. It's a good skill to have in one mental tool box. I do not know how it fairs with the alloys used in some steels of today outside of sheet metal.

The thickness of the bead automatically strengthens that area from both sides.
A metal backing plate would just be for cooling the bead while welding because it would not be structurally attached anywhere else. A thin shim of sheet metal could be added (bolted) under the hinge plate on the outside and welded to the crack if needed.

Good luck with your decision.

Phil

Whoever told you that a backing plate is needed is no welder. I've hammer welded patch panels in bodywork with oxyacetylene. You only get to one side. And when you're done no bondo, no lead, just file it.
That's why I said get a skillful TIG welder. A properly done TIG weld will repair the crack like it was never there. Quick, no distortion, no heat much beyond the weld zone.

I've welded a few at the back where the window frame meets the door near the lock button. And I've replaced lots of lower hinges.
My advice would be to remove the door, and then the hinge. Find a welder who knows how to TIG weld skillfully. You can protect the inside door panel with a damp towel, lay the door on damp towels, and have him weld on the outside. Just how anyone could reach in to the do a bead on the inside I don't know.
As TIG is quick there is little heat input and you can brush the base and clear over the bead and reinstall the door.