The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors No Gap in the back of the door

Took the right side door off my '47 3100 to repair thr rusted floor and side panel. I didn't move the A pillar at all.
Putting the door on I couldn't lock the door! The first safety catch would work but the door wouldn't allow the lock to secUre the door. Said a few censored words, thought a bit-----the took off the weather stripping the PO has installed. I felt like I had won the lottery when the door closed and locked!
The problem I now have and haven't been able to solve is that I have NO gap at the back of the door. Was wondering if I took the door off again and widened the slots in the door hinges if that an answer to giving more forward push to the door? I have about 1/4" on the fron side.
Anyone have any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks.

Was the door opening braced while you replaced the floor?
If the floor was rusted out it could have already moved before you started.
Do the door openings both measure the same?

Well it was rusty and could have moved due to the floor/body rust out. I didn't do en entire floor repair just a portion of the passenger spfloor and the foot slope.
I did measure the door opening and it appears to be the same measure . I've yet to research the correct dimension as manufactured.
I've attempted to use a debuting bit to shave some metal from the hinges to allow more forward door movement. I did accomplish that so the gap in front is c. 3/16 and the Bach side is 1/16-1/8.
The door closes but now I've got to figure out/adjust why I'm seeing a the top rear curve and the upper front curve hitting the drip rail.
You may be right, the PO did do some welding that also could have thrown things amuck. An error I made was to not measure initially. Figured my repair wasn't that extensive that would cause any movement.
So now I've got to solve this fit.

There is a phrase which was coined (maybe by me) about the "Ring of Death" regarding the door opening. It is in reference to the "ring" which consists of the hinge pillar, latch pillar, rocker panel, and the top of the door opening. If any portion of this "ring" is broken and not restored to specs, your door won't fit. It sounds like you broke the Ring of Death at the rocker panel, but got it put back together pretty close, based on your current fore and aft measurements.
Does the beltline of the door match that of the cab, front and back?
Also, it will help the alignment procedure if you remove the striker at the latch pillar.
Carl

Hey fellas,

I believe correct door opening measurement would be 36 inches? Should gaps be at 3/16 around entire door, front, back and top with drip rail installed?

Thanks Carl and Doug. Your comments are most helpful. You both make me question the opening width. Yikes!
That's almost what I measured but I will re-check it again. I have 3/16 in the front gap. The rear is less-1/16 to 1/8. So clearly there's "something rotten in Denmark".
So I've gotta find a solution AFTER I re-measure..

Spending the morning tho "welcoming" 5 inches of snow with my snowblower.

Jim, look at this manual for adjustments:
Servicing cabs

With all the suggestions above I noww think I have to look at how much travel I have in the up and down movement of the hinges. Seems by using a debuting bit on the in door hinge holes I've gained additional gap in the back of the door. My issue now is the top of the door hitting the drip rail. Wayne's suggestion leads me to checking those hinges----with the outside possibility of perhaps having to shave some metal from the door edge.
These suggestions have been very helpful in analyzing and things of a logical cause and cure.

Jim, you are wise to address the hinges. Don't rely on "feeling" for looseness alone. They sometimes bind up and appear to be tight and just fine, when in reality they actually move around in an abrupt and clunky manor. 99% of them need to be rebuilt because 99% of them were never lubricated since new.
Carl

Thanks Carl. I will take the door off and re-examine those hinges. I want to verify the hinges on the A pillar are moving enough to adequately adjust them. The hinge pins themselves have been rebuilt. Had a machine shop align and bore the holes so there is no slop there.
By process of elimination and all the suggestion given, it sounds the the hinges, the up and down adjustment is where I look next.
Well as soon as my new garage heater goes in. Never fails, -10 temps, big snow forecast and my garage heater goes in the pooper! Grrrr.

The doors are ever-so-slightly wedge-shaped, so moving them down will increase the gaps front and back. You just have to worry about the belt line alignment (or not).
Carl

I have have the belt lines actually aligned pretty well----somehow! But I'll take your advice and keep tinkering with the fit.
My research tells me it may not ever be "perfect" but I'll make it as "perfectist" as I can. Your points help a lot.

Regardless of how jacked they end up looking, if they close properly without hitting the door openings, they will likely end up looking better than most of the brand new trucks did fresh off of the assembly line.

You all have given great tips/info. I played, tinkered, re-readjusted and now have it really pretty close to where it should be. At least I've been sent down the right path.

Back to playing with the door again! After "letting it rest" while I replaced a kick panel and part of the left floor , I again tackled the problem child.
Remembering thread comments about the weather strip thickness etc., I decided to remove mine. I could not believe the results.......had to stop and have a cold one. The darned door, belt line matching, closes easily with just a simple light push!!!! Holy smoke! Latches perfectly.
Only two flies in the ointment now......1. There's no weatherstrip so I must look for thin material? 2. I still have like no gap along the back of the door.
The good news is I'm closer to an answer, I THINK.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

Well back at this door again after sending it to the shame corner while I readjusted my thinking.
I actually reamed the hinge holes to allow for more play in the door adjustment. The door now is now closer to a better fit than it ever was. Still I've got some tweaking ahead following the above comments.
Wise men said it takes a lot of time to adjust the doors----were spot on.

The gap in front of door can be real small and still open. So maybe bias to front more. I don't like the shaving door idea. Don't like the non standard rubber idea. Don't know AD trucks, but on TF if the door fits side to side and up/down without rubber, applying rubber does not change that fit. It only changes the flush. How is the rubber affecting your fit? You may not like a small gap but if that is what it takes to close door then the only thing you can do to get wider gap in move fender. That will also help in "rotating" door to get radii to fit.

What is a debuting bit? Do you mean deburring?

Hehe. Darn computer misspells too many words, Yes I meant deburring .
Presently I have removed the weatherstrip as I am also repairing some rust in prep for painting. I will reapply the WS with masking tape as a temporary answer and then reinstall the door and test fit again.
After reading posts here there was ample caution given about shaving the latches. I understand why you don't like the idea. Things seem to be working out slowly for me. Thanks to everyone who is able to offer suggestions!
Weather is getting nicer here and am anxious to take my dog for a ride.

After many trials I think I hard the ultimate brain f---! After carefully rebuilding my hinges, painting, and trying to refit the right side door many times I finally discovered what was wrong!
My lower hinge had a backing plate that was a mess and fell off the hinge. Being useless, I read in a thread here to make one yourself. Got a correct gauge metal piece and worked it to the correct pattern. Then I tried to refit the door. Previous posts received many solutions which I fail fully tried. None worked for me. Frustratrated, upset and having exhausted every cuss word I knew, I took the backing plate off the hinge as that was the only thing I hadn't tried. Yep you got it...it was that darned plate! The base do the pillar was a mess and I had to straighten it as a part of the repair. So I did some metal work. Apparently the backing plate hit the high spots,on the post that pushed the hinge and the door back toward the latch causing all my issues!
I'm posting this so others who may have a similar problems, may benefit from my experience.
Finally thank you to everyone who offered suggestions to help me.

Good find Jim. Sorry it didn't come sooner!