Yang1815

Still not sure why the NA MBs have the extra long door pins but I changed them out when I had a W203 and a W209. Here it is on the V251.

All four doors are the same, they just screw out CCW for those who are interested.

1. Unlocked stock


2. Locked stock where if you put your elbow up on the door, it's in the way.


3. Stock vs. shorter aluminum Brabus door pins. The stock ones are easily damaged so be prepared.


4. Brabus unlocked


5. Brabus locked

BallJack

Awesome! Thanks for the idea. I am actually disappointed with that part of this car.

Yang1815

No problem. Have fun!

shobbs666

The reason that all Mercedes or any Car shipped to North American market have the extra long door pins is for your safety and is a requirement. The days of people using a coat hanger to pop the door pin are over. They now use a "slim jim" to go between the glass and the door to pop the lock. MB has thought of that and has a plate on the inside of the door to prevent that from happening easily. If something were to happen to the unlock Mechanism for any reason, say a car that goes into the water, the people inside the car can still unlock the door with the extented pins.

Yang1815

Apparently there is no water outside of North America.

Like I have stated previously, the pins can be as high or as low as you want them to be. Not planning on going diving in my R anytime soon so should be ok.

shobbs666

Most Countries in the World don’t have the Safety Standards that we have in the States. From Safety to Crash Test Standards along with Pollution, we have the highest standards.

Supafly

Not True. I think us canadians have stricter rules and regulations.
Hell, you guys have cars we're not allowed to have due to crash tests and smog testing...

shobbs666

You are probably correct! California may have you guys beat on the smog stardard.

YYZ-E55

Huh?

1) the long pins have nothing to do with the ability or inability to "slim jim" the car
2) you can unlock/open the front doors by pulling the handle - there is no need to pull the lock pin up. The rear seats do not have this feature (for kids).

The only reason the front doors in newer Benzs have the extended pins is because North Americans are automotive simpletons. It has NOTHING to do with regulations.

If you'd like to further satisfy yourself on the topic, take a look at an Audi - they don't even have door pins anymore.

shobbs666

Disconnect the Battery and pulling the front door handles does nothing. Audi must have some alternative to open the doors in the event there is no power, or the system is shorted out due to an electrical fire, or submerged. It is a safety requirement and a very simple one. From American Simpletons? Canadians I thought were more safety orientated. I’m satisfied with having extended pins just in case. And I never mentioned that long pins had anything to do with the ability or inability to use a “slim jim”. I stated that the days of popping a pin with a coat hanger are over. And I also stated that there is a plate above the lock mechanism to make it extremely hard to open it using a “slim jim” Just to make it clear.

Yang1815

In the event of a submerged vehicle, you should open the window instead of the door anyway.

shobbs666

The windows are power windows. No power to windows they won’t go down. There is a safety tool you can keep in the glove box at AutoZone that has a small pointed hammer too easily break a window and it also has a seatbelt cutter. I don’t know what all the commotion is about. Personally I don’t mind the door pins they way they are. If you want to change them go ahead. Again I’m just sharing my opinion.

Yang1815

The problem here is that your opinion of one should open the door in the event of a submerged vehicle is incorrect. With the water pressure, you can only open the door once the interior of the vehicle is filled with water. Instead, usually the power windows will work in the first three minutes and that should be used to escape the sinking vehicle.

Secondly, in emergency situations, windows are often broken more than doors pried open. Thirdly, I don't understand what the commotion is about either. If you don't mind the door pins, you don't mind it. There is a reason Mercedes Benz in other markets don't have the long door pins. Use your judgment, stay on the road, and keep your R out of water.

shobbs666

I never advised anyone to open the door first. How in the world did you get that idea from what I wrote? Get out of the car anyway you can! How's that? It's very hard to share an opinoin with a person that is dead set on his idea only. Again this is a Forum to share opinoin's, like I said very clearly if the extended door pins upset you change them. Personal I have never even noticed them.

Yang1815

How about here:

Obviously I already changed them. And I don't need your opinion of how "it's a safety requirement" while MBs outside of the North American market don't have that. That's my point. And if you would read, you would probably understand that because long door pins are not a safety requirement.

shobbs666

Good Luck to you. SORRY that you have to read another persons opinoin. This is what happens on a forum as defined:
Definition of FORUM

1
a : the marketplace or public place of an ancient Roman city forming the center of judicial and public business b : a public meeting place for open discussion c : a medium (as a newspaper or online service) of open discussion or expression of ideas

2
: a judicial body or assembly : court

3
a : a public meeting or lecture involving audience discussion b : a program (as on radio or television) involving discussion of a problem usually by several authorities


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Yang1815

Good job copying and pasting.

You're just mad because your opinion of how long door pins are a "safety requirement" is flawed and I called you out on it.

And yes, that is my opinion of your opinion.

Like I've said, I don't plan on going diving with my R. You do whatever you want.

shobbs666

Here's the US Federal Requirement. Meeting the requriement you need to be able to manually lock and unlock the door from inside. I'm just giving other readers of this forum something to consider before altering the pins. Yang please settle down, this isn't a contest.


DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</B>
49 CFR Part 571
[Docket No. NHTSA-2004-19840]</B>
RIN 2127-AH34</B>
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards;
Door Locks and Door Retention Components and Side Impact Protection

Door Locks
We are proposing to retain the existing requirements for door locks largely as is. However, two minor changes are proposed. First, we are distinguishing between exterior and interior door locks. All exterior door locks must be capable of being unlocked from the interior of the vehicle by means of a lock release device which, when engaged, shall prevent operation of the exterior door handle or other exterior latch release control and which has an operating means and a lock release/engagement device located within the interior of the vehicle. Interior door locks are subject to the same requirements except that for rear side doors and back doors, this release mechanism must require a separate action distinct from the simple actuation of the door handle, and the release device must be readily accessible to the driver of the vehicle or an occupant seated adjacent to the door. The reason for differentiating between interior and exterior locks is that automatic door locks actually have two separate door lock devices, which may or may not use the same release device. For manual locks, there would be only one lock that secures the latch from both the interior and the exterior of the vehicle.

Yang1815

That's great. Obviously you haven't tried it. The doors unlock if you pull on the handle. No need to find the door pin anyway. Bottom line is, I don't like the door pins, I changed them out both for functional and cosmetic reasons just in case someone else wants to change them out. You want to voice your opinion about non-existent safety requirement, go ahead but it's a non-issue and it's getting really old.

shobbs666

Still not sure why the NA MBs have the extra long door pins?

That question was in your first post. For God's sake all I was trying to do is give some insight as to why. The requirement is real not made up. I'm not quite sure why you take offence when you pose a question and then reject the info someone is trying to extend to you. That is getting old. If you pose a question in the future and someone answer's you please have a better attitude. That's All.

Yang1815

What I rejected is your original opinion on water and why that's the reason the NA MBs have long door pins. Because obviously if that's the case then what, Europe and Asia don't have water?

If you would read my last post, the doors can be locked by the door handles and no it's not a "simple actuation." A simple actuation means unlocking and opening the door in one motion. You have to do that twice in MBs thus making the long door pins redundant.

And no kidding it's getting old. If you would read that your answer does not make sense, then stop trying to repeat it.

The question I posed wasn't looking for an answer, but more like "why did they do that? that was not necessary"

mhass350

well then, back on topic, what happened to the photos?

Yang1815

Hmmm... The photos work for me, no?

mhass350

Nope, just the squares with the red x's. Perhaps it is a function of my work computer firewall and such. However, photos that are attached as thumbnails are viewable in the thread and when opened.

I'll check again tonight when I get home.

lkchris

Tradition is all it is, I believe. MBUSA simply thinks it's what Americans want. They're NOT required, as for one, BMW have the flush style locks on their cars.

And if you're really **** about it, you can look at a CLK or an SLK and find that MBUSA did NOT change them.

The standard flush door pin Mercedes has used everywhere else still has a 123 part number--meaning it dates to the W123s of late 1970s. These are quite fine and come in lots of colors to match various interiors--IMHO AMG or Brabus pins or anything chrome kind of epitomize "wannabe" or simply "tacky."