pulling my hair out

[Buddy]

 
I am trying to re assemble my truck. I have purchased 2 OEM doors, 2 new inner fenders and two fenders and a new box. the only thing the same is the cab. I am having  a ton of trouble trying to get things to line up. I have never done this before, I thought you would just bolt the parts together and things would line up. I am at my wits end, no matter what I do nothing works. The doors and the fenders don't line up. the gab at the back of my door is tight as heck and there is a 1" gab at the front of the door. I can stick my fingers between the top of the door and the cab. When I get the door siting right on one end the other is screwed up. I have screwed with everything now so I don't know where to start??I know you screw with the hinges to get stuff to work but thst doesn't seem to be working. The fender fits nice and my body lines are some what good it just getting everything to work together. I also screwed with the striker. I see it doesn't have and plastic on it and  think it is supposed to. I have no clue what to do now??? I am about to go crazy. I have to walk away from the truck and I was just getting pissed. Is there so kind of trick to doing this? is there a starting point? HELP. I know that everything can line up because everything looked good before I replaced the pieces they where just way to rotten so that is way I replaced them

[VileZambonie]

The first thing you need to do is align the doors. Take the fenders back off and take your time adjusting the doors and striker so it has perfect gaps/fitment and literally clicks shut. Once you have the doors aligned perfect fitting the fenders correctly may require some jack support under the cab etc. When you have the desired fit, tighten all of the bolts and lower the jack. It's a pita but patience is important.

[Captkaos]

Keep in mind that unless it is the doors that came off the truck and weren't removed, GM doors or aftermarket won't matter you will still have alignment issues to sort out, and I think Vile is using perfect gaps loosely as these truck didn't have the best gaps.  Nothing like what i produced now.

I would start with the cab and do a cross measurement of the cab to ensure that it is aligned as best as possible and then start with the bed and align it, and like Vile stated start with the door.  When you get tot he front fenders, loosely put the core support on and cross align it and loosely put on the inner and outer fenders and work it around.

[junkman.]

FYI when i pulled my parts truck apart there was shims between the fender and cab at least i think that's were they came from

good luck JM   

[Buddy]

pulled the fender off, checked the cab for square all is good. Screwed with the door some more still cant get it. Man I cant beleive how this is driving me crazy.

[jaredts]

To get your gap larger at the back of the door you will probably want to loosen up your hinges from the pillar.  One bolt on the top hinge goes in from the cab and you've got to get it loose too.  You can put a rag (doubled or tripled) between the rear pillar and door to force it forward while you tighten the bolts back up.  Then fine tune the bolts that hold the door to the hinges for in/out and up/down.  If you run out of adjustment you can elongate holes, but you shouldn't have to.

[Swims350]

agreed the pillar side let's to door go forward and back between the cab and fender, and maybe some up and down, the hinges on the door let it go in and out of the cab and some up and down. if you need more you can try and make the slots bigger as mentioned. The doors are a must and the front thing. IMO if you can get a good cap between the back of the cab and the door, you're good to go. I've seen plenty with bad gaps between the top of the cab and window top of door, and front coming down the windshield. You can also adjust the stirker and the latch inside the door some to help get the back end in or out enough or moved around. I'd get the body line level, then get the cab to door gap at the back of the door right, then hang the fender, line it's body line up, get a good gap between it and the door, and have it in or out enough to be pretty well flush with the door as you look down the panel from the hood towards the floor. Then move on to the hood, and you'd be done pretty much.

[Buddy]

I have posted this here before and have tryed everything everyone has told me to do.
I have an 85 chevy 4x4 and i have done a frame off resto.  I have tried to install a new GM door that i have found. This is not an aftermarket door. I have checked the #'s and the door is a OEM door. My problem is no matter what i do the door gab at the back of the door is like 1/16 of a gab and when I get it painted it is going to chip. I have moved the door so far ahead that it is hitting to the front part of the cab. I think that the piller might be twisted a touch. Now what do I do. I have everything weld and expoy painted on the under side. I am totaly pissed an have no clue what to do. I know the body guys can work wonders but is my only choice to cut eveything thing apart and try to pull the piller back. I am willing to take any advice here guys HELP!!!

[VileZambonie]

It might be time to call in a good body man for some help if you can't get it right. Regardless of GM or aftermarket you should be able to fit the door. The suggestions we gave are about all there is to it. Did you replace the cab corner or rocker?

[Buddy]

yes I did, but i thought i took extra care to ensure this didnt happen. I took a measurement from one side of the truck to the other to see if they where the same and they seem to be.

[jaredts]

Loosen the door hinge bolts and shut the door with the striker set a little high.  Get something to put in the back gap and pry it forward as you tighten the bolts.  A helper might be needed.  Either you can pry it forward far enough or you can't.  If you can't you have to elongate holes.  To pry you need a body tool that looks like a thick spatula or something similar.

[Buddy]

if i do what you say and make the holes bigger to let the door slide won't the door than hit on the part where the windsheild is. The part that holds the glass the pillar I think it is called? it looks pretty tight there now.

[jaredts]

Some pics would sure help, but is your gap at the back of the door tight all the way up and down or just at the top or bottom?  Loosening the hinges from the pillar also allows you to adjust the angle of the door so the gap at the top and bottom rear of door can be made the same/similar gap.  If you are tight all the way up and down at the rear of the door and tight at the front top of the door you might have issues.  Can you snap a few pics?

[VileZambonie]

Cab corner and rocker should be replaced with the door fitted.

[Buddy]

i understand with out pics it is hopeless. Dont know how to post pics as far as the gab it is tight all the way down the door from the bottom of the window down. From the there up there is about a 7/18 gap. i can stick my finger in the opening. The front of the door is almost tight to the windsheild area at the middle of the door where the windsheild and the hood area meet.

as far as the rockers they where installed pior to me getting the truck and I just installed the back section and everything else. I dont know what it looked like before as I didn't think to look at it. Just went at it.... rookie mistake I guess. I guess I will have to break open the grinder and cut ot all my work and start over......