Lotus Elise / Lotus Exige. Manual - part 17

         

        

Lotus Service Notes                                  Section BR

Page 22

Note that the door glass is common to manually operated windows, with slider blocks bonded to the front

and rear edges, and a studplate channel bonded to the lower edge.  For electric window operation, an adaptor
studplate is used to provide two studs for the window lift bracket.

BR.13 - DOOR SEALS 

(Parts List 11.01)

Drop Glass 'Waist' Seal

The door drop glass waist seal is a single unit comprising inner and outer seal extrusions joined around

the rear end by a moulded capping piece.  Each length of seal is pressed onto the top edge of the inner or outer
door panel, with a plastic rivet securing the capping piece.  The seal should be removed before withdrawing the
door glass or guide channels from the door.

A 'cheater' seal is bonded to the front and rear faces of the door mirror mounting extension.  To fit a new

seal:
- Clean the bonding surfaces on the door shell edges with Betaclean 3900 (A100B6008V).
- Apply Permabond A905 surface conditioner to the bonding surfaces of door shell and cheater seal.
- Apply Loctite 382 adhesive to the inside of the cheater seal and fit onto the door.

Door Weatherstrip

A hollow section rubber weatherstrip is bonded around the door aperture and roof landings to seal against

the door shell and roof.  Different seal configurations are used for the door and roof areas, with specially
moulded sections to interface with the roof cantrails.  The seal is divided into front and rear sections, with a joint
at the bottom front of each door aperture.

The weatherstrips are manufactured with a self adhesive backing strip.  Before fitting a new seal, the

bonding area on the body must be thoroughly cleaned with Betaclean 3900 (A100B6008V).  In the critical area
of the 'A' post to windscreen header rail corner, an adhesive promoter 3M 4298UV (A116B6000V) should be
applied along the seal path to to ensure optimum seal retention.  Trial  fit the seal before peeling off the
protective backing from the adhesive and applying the seal, ensuring that the moulded sections at the cant rail
interfaces are correctly positioned.

When fitting the rear section of the seal, remove the backing strip from the seal in the section around the

latch plate, and fully insert the weatherstrip nodule into the gap between the 'B' post and rear window shroud.

Weatherstip seal

Seal path

Weatherstrip nodule

Rear window shroud

'B' post

        b335

         

        

Lotus Service Notes                                  Section BR

Page 23

Continue to remove the backing strip and stick the weatherstrip along the seal path down the 'B' post and

along the bottom of the door aperture.  Cut the seal to mate with the end of the front weatherstrip.  Repeat for
the opposite side, and then remove the top section backing strip and secure the seal along the roof shroud
flange.  Use a roller wheel along the whole length of the seal to ensure full adhesion.

A secondary 'J' section seal is applied to the front vertical face of the door shell, linking to the cheater

seal.

BR.14 - DOOR LATCH MECHANISM - Without CDL 

(Parts List 10.17)

Interior release
handle

Exterior release

Relay lever

button

Interior release

assembly

control rod

Exterior
lock
control

Door latch mechanism

rod

Bracket, door beam rear

      b251a

end to door shell

         

        

Lotus Service Notes                                  Section BR

Page 24

The door latch mechanism is fitted inside the rear face of the door, which is reinforced by a steel plate

bonded to the glass fibre composite door shell.  The latch engages with a striker pin which passes through the
composite sill/'B' post moulding, into a captive nut on the roll over bar.  An external locking door release button
is mounted via a reinforcing plate, in the top rear of the door outer shell, and transmits its motion around the
rear edge of the door glass to the latch mechanism via two short link rods and a relay lever.

The interior release handle is mounted in the front of the door inner shell, and is connected to the latch

mechanism by a control rod.  No interior control of door locking is provided.

Interior Release Handle
-

Remove the window winder handle and door trim panel.

-

Remove the four screws securing the interior handle assembly and unclip the control rod end clip to allow
the rod to be unhooked from the handle.

-

On refitting, ensure that the control rod is located in the guide clips.

Exterior Release Button
-

Remove the access disc from the rear

face of the door, and the rod access grommet
lower down.
-

Release the two screws securing the lock

assembly and angle bracket to the tapping
plate bonded in the door shell.
-

Unclip the link rod from the relay lever,

and withdraw the lock button from the door.

Trim panel

Door shell

Release
handle

Rod guide clips

      b260a

Exterior release
button fixings
(use Permabond A130
A912E7033V)

Control rod access

             b255b

         

        

Lotus Service Notes                                  Section BR

Page 25

Latch Mechanism
-

Remove the window winder handle and door trim panel.

-

Unclip the control rod from the interior release handle, and unhook from the latch mechanism.

-

Unclip and disconnect the short link rod between the relay lever and the latch mechanism.

-

Remove the three M6 screws securing the latch mechanism to the door, and withdraw the latch.

Relay Lever Mechanism

The relay lever components comprise a

shaft with an integral lever on one end, which
connects to the exterior lock button, and a
second lever pinned to the other end, which
connects to the latch mechanism.  The shaft
is supprted in two fibre bushes housed on the
bracket connecting the rear end of the door
beam to the door shell. To remove the door
beam extension bracket complete with relay
lever mechanism:
-

Remove the window winder handle and

door trim panel.
-

Release the three M6 nuts securing the

door glass to the lift channel, and separate
the glass from the channel.  Do not attempt to
withdraw the glass from the door without first
removing the door glass waist seals.
-

Remove the access grommet from the rear face of the door, and unclip the exterior lock link rod from the
relay lever.  Similarly disconnect the link rod between the relay lever and the latch mechanism.

-

Support the door shell before removing the two M8 bolts fixing the rear end of the door beam to the end
bracket, and the two screws securing the bracket to the door shell.  Remove the bracket complete with
relay lever assembly from the door.

-

Refit the bracket in reverse order to removal.

Control rod to latch

Rod to

exterior

button

Plain & spring
washers

Pivot bush

Relay lever/shaft

             b256

Viewed through outer door skin

Plate bonded
inside
door shell

Control rod to
interior handle

Control rod
to relay lever

Rear

        b261

Outboard