woodscavenger Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 I just put the door back on Mater last night. The passenger side aligns nicley and opens and closes with the latch mechanism nicely. The driver door seems to sit about 1/4" to low. There is a large gap at the top and it sits below the bottom cab line. The striker even sits low. From what I can tell there are not any real alignment options. Any suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodscavenger Posted February 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 Come on, this has been on here for at least 2 hours. I'm dying here. Merle, anybody.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 I read your first post, but didn't have an answer at that time. And I still don't know if I have an answer. How did the door fit before it was removed? Did you remove the hinges too, or did you just knock out the hinge pins? Can you loosen up the hinges where they attach to the A pillar and slide the door up some? Is it low all the way around, or is it just sagging at the rear of the door? If just the rear is sagging you'll probably need to bend a hinge in or out to adjust the door. Merle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodscavenger Posted February 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 From my memory I think the door was like that before. It is not just a rear sagging issue. The entire door appears shifted down by 1/4" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kuster13 Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 By no means am I very good with body work but I was able to adjust my doors and align them quite well. I loosened the door hinges and lightly tapped the hinges up until the door was at the right height in the opening. Then used a block of wood and depending on how the door needed to be aligned to the rest to the cab for example the bottom rear edge of the door was to deep in the frame. I put the block between the door and frame close to the bottom and closed the door to hold the block then pushed and "tweaked" the door until everything lined up. You can also adjust the door by place the block of wood into the hinges and pushing the door closed. Depending on which hinge different adjustments happen. Little adjustments make big changes but I'm sure other more experienced members will be able to offer better advice. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey beard Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Shame on all you guys for not doin' yer homewori like you should have! Shop manual tells you all about it with pics for them what don't have real hot reading comprehension. When the door's low at the back, just clamp a big C clamp onto the top hinge and force the door open a little bit to bend the hinge. A little trial 'n error is sorta' called for here. My own doors drooped so badly I thoughrt I'd never get them to close like they should, but this recipe really works well. I also had lots of play in my hinge pins and assumed they needed replacement. WROOOOONNNNNGGGG! Even doors that close nicely will have play in the hinge areas. They're made with some play. But this doesn't mean they shouldn't fit like a coffin lid. I used the instructions in the shop manual on my doors, and then put new weatherstripping on after the paint was finished, and they fit and close better than I could have hoped. Had to replace one worn out latch on the driver's door, but they now close nice and solidly - remember I used sound deadener butyl rubber peel-n-seal inside all that stuff as well as insulation. Just like a new truck, man . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodscavenger Posted February 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 You don't have a pic of that do you? I can't quite figure out where I'd clamp and where I would push/pull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Check the cab mounts before bending anything and yoiu haven't twisted the frame with a low tire. Hinge bolts need to be tight to determine how far off alignment is. If it's that far off it must be tight somewhere else on the door. Just the top hinge means it should be tight to binding on the back edge upper window corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill pilot99 Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 I found it best to drill small holes in the hinges before removing them from the cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodscavenger Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 I take it that you mean through the door pillar and hinge to act as an alignment guide for reinstallation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill pilot99 Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 That is it, works real good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey beard Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Here's what you must know about door fits. The top hinge bends backwards from sixty-plus years of hanging onto the door to climb into the cab. Just by clamping the door in the shut position with a heavy duty six-inch C clamp and then forcing it open a few inches, you bend the top hinge forward just a small amount which restores the door to the center of the cab opening. Try this and you'll be peasently pleased with how nicely the door fits the opening. Cab mounts have nothing to do with door fits. Cab mounts will, however, have a LOT to do with how the door leading edge mates up to the fender rear edge. If the gap between your door and fender is tapered wide towards the bottom, you likely have a sunken front cab mount. Doors and their welded cab openings are not affected by cab mount sinking, but alignment to the nose surely is. JMHO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodscavenger Posted February 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 I am not picturing how you clamp it shut then open try to open it. Where exactly does the C-clamp go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 The only place you can physically fit a C Clamp is is on the exposed portion of the hinge on the exterior. Not a lot to grab onto. Weak cab mounts or a frame that has been flexed from whatever WILL rack the cab somewhat and will alter the door fit and will alter the front fender gap. Doesn't take long to check and creates a solid baseline for any other adjustments that may need to be made. I also pull the guide off the door so when the body lines match, it isn't because the guide has forced the door up or down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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