Door strut bracket recomendations - Grady or Heninger?

[Timeless]

Completed my braces recently as part of roof box bolting service. 1/8" thick steel plates 3M panel bonded to the the body. Black POR-15 coated followed by top coat of Wurth satin black trim paint. 1" long stainless retainer bolts with nyloc nuts and washers top and bottom. Sealed with Lexel applied inside the holes and application on the bolt threads. Let dry for days then poured water on roof bolts and strut bolts with ZERO leakage. (I love Lexel)

Installed fresh powder coated windshield trims (3) and new design DMC door seals and adhesive-backed outer door seals. Also installed a DGo stainless rear finisher. It's a beautiful piece and much stronger/thicker than OE - allowing T-panel tabs much more secure grip and as such no loose T-panel.
door strut support raw.jpgdoor strut bolts lower (2).jpgdoor strut bolts lower (1).jpgdoor strut support comp.jpg

[mike123]

Forgot about this thread, but I did end up using the Heninger brackets as well. I bought and started to install the ones from DPI but due to some bizarre imperfections in my tub, I could not correct the leaning studs even with the new brackets. Byrne was a lovely gent to work with and very helpful, and the brackets are really excellent.

A word to the wise though. Don't remove the ball studs from them. He torques them so they help the angle iron maintain rigidity. I removed one of mine just out of curiosity and ended up having a lot of flex in the bracket as a result. Byrne fixed it for me though...

Is the door strut retainer screwed into the L-bracket? And does the L-bracket attach to anything on the small side of it? (I see all the attachment points on the long side but it's not clear to me what the short side is doing).

I might try to re-create something like this. I have the feeling I'll need it on my driver side in the next decade. And if it's as simple as a piece of steel with some holes, bent at the end and with the ball stud screwed or welded to it, I might actually be able to accomplish that.

Thanks!

[r00b]

You could always repair the fiberglass if it's cracking, even reinforce it while you're in there. No need for that kind of stuff.

[Timeless]

I might try to re-create something like this. I have the feeling I'll need it on my driver side in the next decade. And if it's as simple as a piece of steel with some holes, bent at the end and with the ball stud screwed or welded to it, I might actually be able to accomplish that.

Thanks!

Yep, simple plate. Honestly, 3M panel bond is SO strong I doubt bolts/screws are 100% necessary - it's added insurance.

[Patrick C]

Is the door strut retainer screwed into the L-bracket? And does the L-bracket attach to anything on the small side of it? (I see all the attachment points on the long side but it's not clear to me what the short side is doing).

I might try to re-create something like this. I have the feeling I'll need it on my driver side in the next decade. And if it's as simple as a piece of steel with some holes, bent at the end and with the ball stud screwed or welded to it, I might actually be able to accomplish that.

Thanks!

Byrne sold two different types of brackets. The original style kept the ball stud at a similar angle to the stock setup. I have this style installed. The later ?Blue Sky? system had the ball stud differently.

[mike123]

Thanks guys, this is really helpful. I am planning to do a time machine build and it's going to get very cumbersome to take off the t-panel and the rear headliner, so that's why I'm thinking of either doing a fiberglass-based solution now, or something like the Heninger solution post-conversion.

3M panel bond would be amusing, and might work... but if it fails, that door is coming down HARD and could really hurt someone, or the car itself.

Patrick, I've heard of both versions but that's very helpful to see them. Sounds like the latter "blue sky" version is what needed the longer struts, but the original version would keep the ball stud in the same spot and thus could use the normal struts?

The only thing I might add to that original design is a perpendicular support triangle at the end of the bracket, just to maybe help keep it from twisting. (Although maybe a little flex is a good thing in this... probably better for the bracket to flex than anything else).

Thanks again for sharing!

[Patrick C]

Patrick, I've heard of both versions but that's very helpful to see them. Sounds like the latter "blue sky" version is what needed the longer struts, but the original version would keep the ball stud in the same spot and thus could use the normal struts?

The only thing I might add to that original design is a perpendicular support triangle at the end of the bracket, just to maybe help keep it from twisting. (Although maybe a little flex is a good thing in this... probably better for the bracket to flex than anything else).

Thanks again for sharing!

I believe you are correct—Blue Sky used a longer strut. I think the original design was perfect, used normal struts, and I haven’t noticed any flex at all with it. I’ve had them installed for probably 12 years at this point with no issues.

[mike123]

I believe you are correct?Blue Sky used a longer strut. I think the original design was perfect, used normal struts, and I haven?t noticed any flex at all with it. I?ve had them installed for probably 12 years at this point with no issues.

OK, that is awesome to hear.

Seems very easy to have fabricated... eyeballing it, it looks like 1/8" thick steel?

[Patrick C]

OK, that is awesome to hear.

Seems very easy to have fabricated... eyeballing it, it looks like 1/8" thick steel?

That sounds about right!

[Timeless]

3M panel bond would be amusing, and might work... but if it fails, that door is coming down HARD and could really hurt someone, or the car itself.
Thanks again for sharing!

As I stated, that's why the bolts are there. Myself and others have used panel bond - they aren't moving.