Parts of a Car Door
by Pam Pleasant
No matter what type of vehicle you drive, you will be constantly using mechanisms on the car door. These components can be manual or motorized, and they are used for a certain functions. For example, you can roll a manually operated window down with a hand crank or you can press a motorized button and the window will come down by itself. For safety reasons, every car owner should be familiar with the parts of a car door.
Window Crank
Manual window cranks have a big circular bottom that fits snuggly over a turning mechanism. The crank has a small arm that extends from the circular bottom and a smaller round knob used for a hand grip. If you have a window crank that is broken or damaged, you can easily replace it as long as it is a manual crank.
Door Lock Cylinder
The door lock cylinder can be found on the outside of the car door. It is a small metal component that allows you to unlock your car door with keys. The small mechanism is inserted into the car door and it is usually covered in with a round alloy metal, for added protection. There are a few types of cars that have a key pad for a door lock. A sequence of specific numbers has to be entered to unlock the car. But most vehicles have a door lock cylinder.
Door Hinge
The car door hinge can be found where the door and the car meet. These hinges are responsible for the car door opening and closing, and they also help to securely hold the doors to the vehicle. They are smaller metal components with hinge-like fixtures. They are normally made with a stronger metal, such as steel.
Door Handle
The door handles are on the inside and outside of the car door. They are either plastic or metal grips used to gain entry into the vehicle or to leave the vehicle. The door handle has a long metal rod that extends to the door latch. It disengages the door latch when the handle is pulled. All of this happens inside of the car door.
Moulding
Some cars feature moulding on the outside of the car door. This is a strip of rubber of plastic that protects the car door from smaller dents and dings that can occur when you open the door.
Window Regulator
A window regulator is a mechanism found inside the car door. It is a component that raises and lowers the window glass. An average manual window regulator consists of linkages, spur gears and a metal plate to support the glass. A manual hand crank is used to activate these inner gears, to raise or lower the window .
Writer Bio
Pam Pleasant has been writing professionally for three years. She attended Mott Community College in Flint, Mich., where she studied English. She has published more than 45 articles, and they are uniquely written by her, here at Demand Studios.
