Adjusting Door Tutorial?

[SpenceRx]

My driver side door is not hung properly. It doesn’t close with the right sound and is starting to rub. Gaps are not correct as seen in the photos. Is this best left to a body shop or mechanic? Can anyone direct me to a tutorial?

The PO reported having the door damaged by wind blowing it beyond the stop. He reported getting a brand new door from Porsche and was proud of that. I believe the installer may not have got it perfectly positioned.

[Dpmulvan]

How many shims are under the top hinge? I see 2 under lower hinge. I use a floor Jack with rags on riser pump up till it contacts door that way I can manage hanging, rehanging alone with a battery 3/8 ratchet. I start with one shim under bottom hinge none on top and go from there. Only adjustments you have are a little wiggle room when the bolts are loose and shims which will obviously push door towards rear and raise door up as you use more shims on bottom hinge. Not terribly difficult just have to be patient as to not damage paint.

[shadowjack1]

Cashmere Beige??? Love that color.

[SpenceRx]

Originally Posted by shadowjack1

Cashmere Beige??? Love that color.

Sahara Beige. Special order for 1977 model year.

I will check the number of shims.

[ChrisHamilton]

There is most definitely something funky going on there. That shim on the bottom is pushing the back edge of the door at the bottom too far to the 1/4. If it went beyond the stop chances are the hinges got a little twist in them.

How I would do it for a customer is first I would remove the bottom shim and assess the gap again. What I think it needs is fairly simple. It needs to be lifted up at the rear of the door, while the hinge bolts are tight not loose.Tight meaning everything is in correct alignment. Meaning don't remove the shim and get the bottom hinge out of the alignment it's in, tighten and then try this. Everything needs to be fitting as good as it can and tightened up then then lifted/forced up. This would help correct the twist the hinges got when the door went past the stops.

First method I would try is to simply armstrong it, gripping on the bottom of the door on the back end. And try to lift up. Depending on how strong you are you might move everything enough that way to get back the alignment.

Keep in mind that the striker needs to align with the center of the striker plate for proper opening and fit. You may have to adjust the striker plate up some to get it in the correct location for that. Then you have to force the door up like I described in the previous paragraph. They make tools to this but since the striker and plate is slightly different from Japanese and Domestic cars most of them don't fit or you have to modify them to fit. This video is crappy quality and doesn't relate to a 911 but the principle is the same and you can understand easier what I'm saying if you give it a quick view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV_NI6iBOIM

To do it with a 911 like that you have to modify an existing door adjusting tool or make something on your own. I have one that I made that works. Porsche's are essentially constructed the opposite of domestic and Japanese car with the striker in the door and the striker plate on the 1/4/body.

That is what needs to occur though. The door needs to lift up with everything tight and the striker plate in the correct position on the body. You may also find that you need to loosen the fender and readjust the gap at the top front as it looks tight in your pic and when you lift the door it will get tighter.

Removing the shims and simply adjusting things first might get everything in correct alignment if this indeed was a new door. The shim on the bottom is making things worse. But I think it will need some adjustment in the method I mentioned to actually get it fitting correctly.

I hope what I wrote makes sense. It's hard to convey in written words alone. Please ask me to clarify if you need to.

[ChrisHamilton]

The other way to try is to simply start over. Shims in the hinges simply move the door back and forth horizontally. If your gap is tight at the fender and wide at the 1/4 then using a shim helps even that gap out. As you can see your gap is tight at the back and wider at the front. The shim is causing that.

The hinges themselves have play to adjust up and down and in and out. If I was just going to try and start over, I would loosen the hinges and move the door up then tighten the hinges. Remove the bottom shim and tighten and see how that looked. The door is sitting low compared to how it should. Doing what I spoke of in the previous post or adjusting the hinges to raise the door is what is needed. Likely a combination of both.

Adjusting doors can be frustrating and take a lot of trial and error to get it correct. Don't let it get you discouraged. If you decide to try it yourself, one thing I would highly recommend is that you get some quality automotive refinish tape (not box store stuff) and tape the edges while you are working to protect them from chipping. Use automotive refinish tape because the adhesive will release cleanly and is not so strong as to pull any paint with it. Using cheap tape can result in both the adhesive making a mess and pulling the paint with the tape.

[wgirardot]

trial and error with the shims until you get it right. I hung/supported my door from a large a-frame ladder with nylon straps............going about it until it was correct. Be sure to tape off areas that may come in contact with each other

Bill

[83_Silberpfeil]

My go-to DIY videos for my '83 SC is here: https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.Garage911/videos

This channel has a few door install/adjust videos. Here is a link to the channel filtered for its "door" videos: https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.Garage911/search?query=door

Give this a try, you may find something that helps you.

NOTE: videos do not have dialog, only subtitles/captions in English & Japanese.

For my '83 SC, the videos on this channel are as close to a "video version" of the "101 Projects" as I can find.

Good luck!

[Dpmulvan]

I’d start with no shim on top and one on the bottom and go from there.

[SpenceRx]

I just checked. Currently no shim on top and two on the bottom.

I will look at the resources provided and thanks for the support everyone. I was hoping to adjust each hinge independently while leaving the door hung but not sure if that is possible. Even easier would be forcing it up with some muscle.

[thetorch]

If you can't adjust enough with shims, the workshop manual shows the Porsche approved method.

Get out the BFH:

[Dpmulvan]

Originally Posted by SpenceRx

I just checked. Currently no shim on top and two on the bottom.

I will look at the resources provided and thanks for the support everyone. I was hoping to adjust each hinge independently while leaving the door hung but not sure if that is possible. Even easier would be forcing it up with some muscle.

Loosen up the bolts get someone to pull up or use a floor Jack tighten bolts.

[eastbay]

Don't see it mentioned, but are you sure your door hinge bushings are still tight? Open door fully and lift it up and down, any play at all and the bushings need to be replaced before any door adjustment can be successful.

[PeteKz]

^^ same question. If they put two shims under the lower hinge, that indicates it was worn, and they shimmed it to compensate.

[SpenceRx]

Originally Posted by eastbay

Don't see it mentioned, but are you sure your door hinge bushings are still tight? Open door fully and lift it up and down, any play at all and the bushings need to be replaced before any door adjustment can be successful.

I tried this and it’s very tight. No play.

[eastbay]

Originally Posted by SpenceRx

I tried this and it’s very tight. No play.

Then ChrisHamilton told you every thing you need to know and do, very nicely I might add.

BTW, very common problem with old 911s (and most old cars), don't think I have owned one that did not require refitting and tweaking doors, especially the drivers side.

A big hang up you can run into is lots of body guys remold that bottom lower curve of the 3/4 panel when fixing rot. Usually get it wrong.

[ChrisHamilton]

Originally Posted by eastbay

Then ChrisHamilton told you every thing you need to know and do, very nicely I might add.

BTW, very common problem with old 911s (and most old cars), don't think I have owned one that did not require refitting and tweaking doors, especially the drivers side.

A big hang up you can run into is lots of body guys remold that bottom lower curve of the 3/4 panel when fixing rot. Usually get it wrong.

Thanks. Nice to know someone found it relevant.