73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: PromiseKeeper on May 02, 2011, 08:14:51 pm
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I had my drivers door off to put in a new hinge spring and paint. Put in a new door gasket too. Now I cant seem to get it aligned so it closes right. Any pointers? THanks!
Scott
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Dumb question, did you forget to use any shims, or adjust the hinges themselves ?
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Do they close correctly without the gaskets?
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The drivers door is the one I had off and it closed fine before. I put in a new hinge spring and changed the gasket. Reinstalled keeping as close to the old marks as I could. There were no shims in it when I took it off. I know I'm a bit off - low in the back about 1/4 inch and the top seems to be tipped in toward the cab. I haven't had time to spend a half day on it yet, was looking for some shortcuts if there are any! I thought maybe there was a simple formula for getting it close right away. A buddy says to take the striker completely off and get the lines right, then put it back on and adjust that part last.
The passenger door has not been taken off, but I am going to replace the gasket. I'm sure that will change things too!
Not a dumb question bake, I'm famous for forgetting details like that! I had to stop and go to work and will take a look again in a couple of days. I just didn't want to randomly start adjusting and end up worse than I already am.
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Do you still have the old gasket? Put it back on and see how far off you are. If your good, the new gasket will eventually form.
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It sounds to me that it is in too far on the top & putting pressure on the gasket, thus binding.
Loosen the 3 bolts on the top hinge & push the door out some & tighten...check were your at & repeat.
The problem with discussing this over the internet is that something obvious to someone, may not be to someone else.
I to, like to remove the striker while aligning the door, hood, trunk, ect. It is a part of the latching system, not a means of guiding the part into some other place...If only every bodyman would relate, agree & abide by this simple rule ;)
One word of caution is: On these trucks, the nutplate behind the post doesn't have a cage around it so when you loosen it, it will rotate & will fall down once the striker is removed.
A door with a new gasket will be hard to close for awhile, you may need to leave the striker out an 1/8" or so until the gasket "takes shape" & then move it in flush with the cab corner. Hope this helps, Lorne