Door adjustment question

LeeH · 02-23-2005, 08:54 PM

I know that in a perfect world the door gaps would be adjusted before paint. But what do you do if your car has a very nice paint job, but the driver's door needs to be moved forward slightly. Is there a way to do it without mucking up the paint around the hinges?

Really the gap doesn't look too bad, but the weather stripping the meets the rear of the door frame seems to keep it from closing all the way unless the door is closed hard. It all looks correctly installed, but there's definitely something that needs work.

toolman · toolman's Garage

You will have to loosen the bolts and gack up the paint but you could touch that up. Don't loosen all the bolts at once, keep one partially tight and move one hinge at a time. First rotate the top one forward and tighten then do the bottom one. If it looks good, tighten all of them.

RoninLB · 02-24-2005, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LeeH

Really the gap doesn't look too bad, but the weather stripping the meets the rear of the door frame seems to keep it from closing all the way unless the door is closed hard.

It all looks correctly installed,

toolman is correct If you have to adjust and have some feel for the job.

Otherwise if the door only needs a firm closing I wouldn't touch it. If your windows go up&down correctly the window frame alignment is ok, and a firm closing is better than a loose closing imo.

toolman · toolman's Garage

My new seals made it pretty hard to close the door. Ronin is right, if the door gaps are good, just slam the door harder until the seals "flatten out" a little. Mine took over a year.

LeeH · 02-24-2005, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by toolman
First rotate the top one forward and tighten then do the bottom one. If it looks good, tighten all of them.

I'm confused. I thought to move the door forward you had to either remove a shim, if one is there, or bend the hinge forward. What do yo mean by "rotate the top one forward?"

Zeke · 02-24-2005, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LeeH
I'm confused. I thought to move the door forward you had to either remove a shim, if one is there, or bend the hinge forward. What do yo mean by "rotate the top one forward?"

Since he said do one hinge at a time (which I agree with), then he probably meant rotate the door forward by doing the top one first.

If there is no shim, you don't have to bend anything unless the hinges are already bent from a previous accident. If you have no shim and need the door to go forward more, put a washer under the hinge on the body side at the bolt furthest away from the pin. This will "lift" the back of the hinge off the body and roll the pin forward. It's a cantalever effect and is used on architectural doors all the time. I can make a door go like a 6 way adjustable seat with strips or partial shims changing the angle of the hinge leaf.

cgarr · cgarr's Garage

Are your hinge pins warn? This can really screw up gaps but you will also see a sagging door. Is it just the front gap or does the whole door have to go forward? I was thinking maybe the fender has to come back a bit? Otherwise I have tweeked my doors by using a 2x4 and a heavy shot hammer placed on the hinge/piller and you can move it forward and it dont take much.

Craig

RoninLB · 02-24-2005, 07:37 PM

Originally posted by toolman
Mine took over a year. [/QUOTE]
Originally posted by Zeke
. I can make a door go like a 6 way adjustable seat
Originally posted by cgarr
I have tweeked my doors by using a 2x4 and a heavy shot hammer

great thread

LeeH · 02-24-2005, 08:26 PM

I'd say the whole door needs to go forward. I measure about 10mm gap at the front of the door and about 3mm gap at the back. The gaps seem uniform with no sag when the door is open.

Does the 2x4/hammer trick work with the door in place or does it need to come off?

RoninLB · 02-24-2005, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LeeH

10mm gap at the front of the door and about 3mm gap at the back.

what about the gap at the top front at the shield ?

toolman · toolman's Garage

Are you sure the fender is in the right place? How does the fender line up with the cowl?

toolman · toolman's Garage

I might have confused you, Your right about the hinge, I forgot one side is welded. The only way to move it forward is remove the shims. If you have no shims, you must remove the door and bend them forward with a big hammer and a peice of hardwood. This should not be the case unless it has been in an accident, then all bets are off.