TR4/4A What's the purpose of this door part?

[Sarastro]

The arrows in the picture below point to a 1/8" diameter rod. It wraps around the window channels and under a tab in the stamped bracket that serves as a lower stop for the window. Does anyone know what its purpose is?

I don't think it is intended to provide support to the bracket, as the tab is pretty flimsy, and it can't give much additional support to the window channels, as the attachment point is where the channels are bolted to the door body.

Anyone know? Or even willing to guess?

 

[Rut]

Steve,
I don’t know it’s purpose either, but I did reinstall it.
Rut

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

It’s a spreader bar/tie rod for the bottom of the window channels.

Tush

 

[Sarastro]

Tush, that's about all I could figure. Seems pointless, though, since it fits around the window channels at their strongest point.

My car had one of these, but the second was missing. I can easily make a bracket to replace the missing one, but the rod seemed unnecessary to me, unless I was misunderstanding something.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[Rut]

Tush, that's about all I could figure. Seems pointless, though, since it fits around the window channels at their strongest point.

My car had one of these, but the second was missing. I can easily make a bracket to replace the missing one, but the rod seemed unnecessary to me, unless I was misunderstanding something.

Thanks for the responses.

It may have been installed as a noise maker!
Rut

 

[ed_h]

Yes--I think it's properly called a Rattle Rod.

I couldn't see any earthly purpose for it, either, but did improve it and replace it, and even dutifully fabbed the missing one for the other side.

Ed

 

[Popeye]

I’m getting ready to reassemble my doors... I’ll let you all know what I see (might be a few months still).

 

[ed_h]

Facetiousness aside, I believe the purpose of those rods is to brace the bottom of the window tracks, to keep them from spreading apart. The bottoms of the tracks are located on longish brackets, which could spring under pressure, letting the tracks spread apart.. The rod prevents that.

Ed

 

[Sarastro]

Ed, I think that's the only purpose that makes sense, at least to me.

They're easy enough to fab, so I'll probably just make a new one and be done with it. And maybe put some tubing over it in places where it could rattle against the door's body.

 

[ed_h]

And maybe put some tubing over it in places where it could rattle against the door's body.

Good idea. Contact points are at the ends and at the center.

Ed