The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors door alignment on 53

Doing a complete resto on a 53 3100 and have rebuilt the door hinges with new pins and oversized bushing and installed new rubber. I have the door aligned pretty good with the gap and belt moulding but now it won't close. I have adjusted the striker plate out as far as possible and the hinges out but the door needs another Inch to close properly at the rear of the door. I can see it make contact with the rubber strip across the floor on the front of the door. The doors used to close before i painted them. Any ideas, Please.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/booklets/4748sctc/index.html

Are the latches and strikers new?

no, but the latches are not the problem yet. The door won't close enough to engage the striker and the striker is all the way out to the edge. I can force the door to almost close but should not have to do it. Both doors are the same.

Great link Dad.
That's what I can a Tech Tip!
I wish I'd of come across that one when I was doing my BC door's. Even though it's 2 versions away from the TF/BC it's an easy translation.
Thanks

basham, are you sure the weather stripping is on correct? I just have to ask.

As best i can tell. I looked at pics on this site and the short side goes toward the door and that's what i did. Maybe i can take a pic and post it.

If it's not on correct it'll hold the door open and make it difficult to close. I'll see if I can find a video I watched a while back about installing the door weatherstrip. If I can find it I'll post the link. Here you go.

basham,

Alan Horvath shows the door weatherstrip installation on his website. He shows a Steele Rubber drawing for the orientation of the weatherstrip. It sounds like you have it on right.

.... and I think JimCarter has a pic of it on his site. Here is how I have mine on and from all I could learn it is correct.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/000_0216.jpg

basham, let us know what you find out. It'll save a lot of us from learning the hard way!!

Is it binding real tight at the hinge side of the door? If so, you may need to loosen the hinge bolts on the pillar and move the door outward to relieve the bind. The book calls for the door to be flush to 1/16" out. It also calls for 1/8" minimum gap between door edge and cowl edge. This would also relieve the bind. Aren't doors fun?
Carl

Thinking that Steele Rubber has some online videos on UTube as well, helpful info. MIke

Looks like the drivers door seal is wrong. Don't know how I did that. Passenger door looks right, but will not shut either. I"ll try adusting it some more as i really have'nt messed with it. So, what's the best way to remove the new seal from the drivers door. Yes, doors are fun.

Pull and pray. The adhesive should stay on the door. The problem will be getting the seal off in bigger than shelled peanut sized pieces. I wouldn't worry about removing the adhesive from the door as it should be OK to add new adhesive over it.

kinda what I figured. I'll get started. thanks.

Had to take one of my rear door strips off the panel. I rubbed some gasoline on the side of it, peeled off what would come off then used a rag soaked in kerosene to get the rest of it off.

Not saying its the right way but its what I had in the shop and it worked. Kind of slow go but not that bad.

After taking a look at the passenger side, it look like the seal is on correctly. I adjusted the door but it still won't close. when lifting up on the door i notice a little movemet. Now i think the hinge is not tight. Maybe it's just time to buy new hinges. Ouch.

basham, there is a tech tip for rebuilding the hinges. I've rebuilt quite a few of them for myself and for others. Just follow the tech tip...... I will say that if the pins are hard to come out then heat them, or take them to someone who can, and get them out without destroying the hinge body or the tongue. You can do it and save monneeeeeey.

I've already rebuilt them. thers is still some slop.

basham,

Did you rebuild them with over-sized pins? If thety are still loose, those pins were not over-sized enough.

I have successfully used these hinge-pin repair kits when I could not find tight enough over-sized pins.

As you have probably figured-out, if your pin holes are too "wallowed-out", new/replacement hinges will be needed.

what i used was a combination of those pins and bussing and the ones with the longer pins i already had laying around. I think it's just time for new hinges.

Well, I can't win. Installed the new hinges and replaced the weatherstrip on the drivers door, the correct way this time and still can't close it. This is driveing me nuts. Any advice.

Can you pst a few pictures.

I bought new hinges from the Truck Shop. Installed the new hinges and neither door would close. Tried to adjust both hinges on the door. Removed the new hinges and reinstalled the old hinges. Then I was able to close the doors. I took the new hinges apart for an inspection. The new hinges were drilled off center. No wonder there was a problem. So I rebuilt the old hinges. Now the doors close and open correct. The new hinges are junk. Plan to write a letter to the complaint Truck Shop.

Been messing with my doors and put new striker plates on today for a 53 and got the drivers door to close on 1 click. I'm starting to wonder if i have the right door latches. How can i tell if the latches match the strikers. The new strickers look different than the ones i took of the truck. Is it possible someone has mis matched the door looks and striker plates. I bought the new strikers from classic chevy for a 53. Maybe a picture of each.

If you take the striker plate off, does the door close flush with the cab? If it doesn't then the problem is not the lock or plate.

I really have to put my weight into it to close it. but it will close. Still about a half inch from touching at the bottom. Going to have someone help me this weekend. cause it's going to be a two person job.

It sounds like your doors are binding, maybe at the front post/cowl. If that is so and you push hard enough, you will bend the area and cause damage that is very hard to repair. I am just trying to give you a head's up.

Ok. back on the doors again. Yes, it feels like they are binding at the front or at least it feels like it. Again, gaps are good new striker and clip kit on latch, new hinges and the old hinges fit the same as new. belt line is good. I have the striker plate adjusted to where the door will latch ok but from the belt line down it tapers from a little to 1/2 inch out at the bottom. Doors used to fit alot better before i took them off the truck to paint. Getting very frustrated. door closes freely to about 2 inches from closing but once I get to that part i have to push on in. Need more ideas. Thanks.

The rubber needs to be *trained* to go flat ( shrink ) into place. I have heard of guys having to use bungie cords to get the doors close to closed, let them sit for a week, then they will start to catch on the latches. How did you make out anyway? I spent 6 months on the cab, and have 3 months into the doors and they still don't fit right. But they work. I am just never going to be happy with the lines.

Ok, as you can tell this is an old post of mine and I really hate to bring it up again but it might help someone in the future. I put the truck on the road about a yr ago and it has been alot of fun to drive. I've gone back and forth with the doors and just could not figure out why they wouldn't close flush with the back of the cab. Well after more tinkering with them last night I had a thought that never really occured to me. Wait for it. I took the striker plates and switched them from right to left and guess what happened when i close the door. That's right, they closed perfectly. Don't recall there being a left or right. So at the risk of sounding like an idiot i'm posting this just in case anyone out there runs into a door issue.

LOL- great news! Congrats. Maybe this is why I'm doing my doors but just one door at a time.