Have to Slam the doors to get them to close

[modular93fox]

im curious as to why the bushing makes it close easier... what size "pex tubing" did you purchase, 1/2" ?
thanks

[Burban]

Sorry, I did not see your post.  Buy the 1/2" Pex tubing.  Put your striker back in the original position.  Slip the PEX over the striker....and all is well.  I was slamming my doors too, until an old timer told me about this trick.

[modular93fox]

does the washer slide off, I've never taken the thing completly off... I would like to think it would just slide off, but sometimes those washers are somehow stuck between the head and threads... Im going to go to Lowes tomarrow and grab 5 ft of it... lol that would be baller if it worked... if it did, I would have everyone on the board:)
thanks
clint

[modular93fox]

Well while at work, I decided to take off a door striker, and the washers came off (unscrewed). Trimmed a piece of PEX piping to the size I needed and found that it wouldnt fit over the threads.... threw that 2" chunk away and decided to grab a 13mm (pretty close to 1/2" which is the same size as the door striker itself). Couldnt find a drill that had a 1/2" chuck and decided to just wrap a shop towel around the drill bit and do it by hand.. surprisingly it worked out for me. Cut a second chunk of tubing and was able to slide it past the threads, but not over the next, smooth portion (where the piping is supposed to be).
The  easiest way I found to get everything on without a torch or some crazy stuff was a 15mm or so 1/2 drive socket, place the striker and pex piping in the socket and hit it a few times with a rubber hammer. The 1/2 drive socket hole is perfect and allows the bolt to pass through no problem. for me the bolt bottomed out on the table so I just put it on a top of the vice with the jaws open just a bit so the bolt could dangle. After that it was just a matter of trimming the excess off and reinstall. Anyway, I can tell a difference in closing the doors. My bushings arnt shot by anymeans, but they are worn. the body line doesnt line up as it did in 87, so I figured since I finished my rear disc conversion, I will pull the front fenders off, and remove and install new door bushings. Since the fenders are off, it will allow me to align the door pefectly to the body. Another reason why I want the door hung right is because in the near future i want to have the painter at work work his magic (our BMW painter is wicked good!).
If anyone wants some, pay postage probally 75cents or so, I'll mail you a foot of this stuff...
clint

[Grover 1]

Bought my PEX today, I'll let you know tomorrow how it went.

[1980c10]

Why the pex? I just bought new door strikers from the nearest parts store. They come with bushings and are cheap and simple to install.

[mrboyy17]

probly not cheap as 1.73 though which is what i paid for the pex

[modular93fox]

well theres a reason I dont like fooling with body related stuff.. its a pain in the arse. The crease in the bodyline didnt quite line up the way it probally did off the show room floor, so I did a quick check at 5pm friday after work to see if the bushing were out... maybe barely.. I was like whatever, went down to chevy and bought 4 pins and 8 bushings for 20 bucks.. Man whata pita the way I did mine. I took off the fender, and then the door bolts, left the door hanging/attached to the striker while I was working. Man I cant tell you why GM put one of the hinge bolts going from the inside to outside... all of the others are outside going inwards... gay. After figuring out how to get the dang bolt out, It was a breeze changing the pins. Simply cut the pin in the middle with a cut off wheel and one end slid out. The other end didnt stand a change against my Snap-on air hammer . Put new bushings in, slid the pin in and placed it on the vice in such a way that the hinge wouldnt bend when air hammered in. Once I was done, hanging the door and trying to make the gaps perfect... I got it close enough and then gave up. The crease on the door lines up spot on, the door shuts awesome! I just dont like some of the gaps... a little uneven, but I'm no body man and yeah. **scarcasm** cant wait to do the other side...

[Grover 1]

Mine didn't go so well.  What are those made of, I don't want to break the threads off inside the jam if I really reef on it.  Do you guys heat them up to get them off?

[VileZambonie]

Grover are you talking about the striker bolt?

Striker bolts are cheap (less than $10 bucks)

Modular, body lines are tough on these trucks. I've learned quite a few tricks over the years to get em good. Got pix of yours?

[84chevysilverado]

also a quick tip that works great is if your in a real jam take some elctrical tape and wrapp it around for a temporary fix

[Grover 1]

Vile, I'm talking about getting the old ones out, hasn't happened yet.  I don't want to break it off in the jamb.

[VileZambonie]

There's a plate behind there. Shoot it with some PB and let it soak. You can get some channel locks or vice grips on the nut if it spins. I've never broken one off. Say a few swears at it and try tightening it a little first too.

[modular93fox]

heres 2 pictures I just took of the door body line comared to the back of the cab.


open just a bit


closed

With the door line up perfectly with the rear, and the body line in the front (fender to door) looks spot on. The thing that irks me is the gap is say... 1/4" at the rear most, bottom of the door, and 3/8 at the top rear most of door. Measrements are just to say the gaps are uneven. I tried pushing the door towards the cab to get it closer, but didnt seem to help. Once i finished, put the fenders back on (forgot my bodyshims) and put it back the way it was... the fender sratched the door... dangit.. i should have looked at the bottom of the door to rocker and would have noticed it out a little bit.. but again, the rear most corner of the door sits good against the body.. Its an old truck so I dont expect it to fit together like a 2010 BMW.. I just wish the hand of Chip Foose would grace my truck

But in the end, the door shuts a **it ton better... little effor is all thats required. Maybe tuesday I will peel the other fender off and replace the bushings on the passenger side.
clint

[jaredts]

So do I understand that you removed the fender and door hinges just to replace pins and bushings?  Maybe I misunderstood.