66 build update! Door Hinge Shims!!!

[Frameworks]

Since nobody offers door hinge shims, I made my version of what I thought they should look like! And they work GREAT! I made some 3/16", 1/8" and 1/16" !! Now I got some killer door gaps!!

 

[GRW]

Sweet, I am still working on the inner fenders up front. I hope to get to the doors next month. Thanks for the heads up looks like it works great and fairly simple to make them.

 

[needabronco]

Frankly adjusting your door gaps without having the body on the frame is almost pointless! When you move the body to put it back on the frame it will flex and you'll have to adjust for gaps again. And you can easily adjust the gaps on the back side with body shims at the body mounts.

 

[Frameworks]

Frankly adjusting your door gaps without having the body on the frame is almost pointless! When you move the body to put it back on the frame it will flex and you'll have to adjust for gaps again. And you can easily adjust the gaps on the back side with body shims at the body mounts.

Have you fell and bumped your head???
I am WELL aware that the body will flex, these things are flimsy, when reinstalled on the chassis it will be shimmed to the chassis to get the exact gaps that I have now!!!!!!
As far as putting body shims behind the hinges, thats going to look like a NEANDERTHAL DID IT. Did you build yours with a chainsaw?????

 

[needabronco]

I adjusted mine with body shims. On one lower hinge I have about 1/16" shim behind the hinge. I also pushed another hinge plate in slightly. I've built several cars and might actually know how to do this stuff....

I'm not knocking your shims at all, in fact I like them. I'm just saying its best to adjust them on the frame that the body will be bolted to. You know the flex these bodies have and getting the gaps back exactly as they are now is creating work.

 

[needabronco]

The body shims go in between the body mount and the frame. Start at the very back mounts and work forward.

 

[Frameworks]

I've been doing this for 20+ years, I can shim a body thats been through a shredder! I'm working with all aftermarket parts , one hinge needed 1/4" of shims, and the other 3 needed 3/16" of shims, and that would have looked like total crap!! Thats why I opted to to make these plates, they will be painted to match to make them a lot less noticeable than a bunch of ugly a$$ shims stacked up!
It's the work that people don't see that makes for a quality restoration! Had I just shoved all those shims in there, when a person's eyes would have caught that, it would have been the same as hitting speed bump at 200 MPH! Everything must flow as seamlessly as possible to the eye!
NO SPEED BUMPS!!!!!!!!!

 

[needabronco]

I wasn't trying to make you look like an ass (you appear to do a fine job of that yourself), I was offering up some advice. Since your a self proclaimed expert carry on. I have a chain saw to tune up.;D

 

[Frameworks]

Lmao!!! Shew! Go away! Go be a troll somewhere else!!!!!! Be gone Knee-Grow!!!!!!

 

[Frameworks]

Know! For record to everyone else, my reason for this thread was to show what I did to resolve my door hinge issues, as I have seen others ask questions pertaining to shimming door hinges to get their door gaps correct. I was simply sharing with everyone what I did to fix these issues on the EB that I'm doing for a customer so that it MIGHT help others!!! Thats it! I am no expert by any means! I had no clue that I would be called out on it and told my work was POINTLESS!!!!!!
Simply put; When bitten, I bite back!

 

[bbow]

Nice shot of the open toe sandals in the one pic. I don't feel so bad working in my crocs now

 

[Frameworks]

Nice shot of the open toe sandals in the one pic. I don't feel so bad working in my crocs now.

Haha! I saw that in the pic after I posted it and laughed too! Needless to say, theres no dress code at my shop!!!! If your feet are happy, your happy! Lol

 

[jim3326]

Until that weld berrie falls between your toes%)

Seems to me if the hinges require that much shim then the opening must be too big. I don't know what all you may have replaced, but it shouldn't require a 1/4" of shim. IMHO

Jim W.

 

[Frameworks]

Until that weld berrie falls between your toes%)



Seems to me if the hinges require that much shim then the opening must be too big. I don't know what all you may have replaced, but it shouldn't require a 1/4" of shim. IMHO



Jim W.

Lol! I never weld without my work boots!
I only changed the front and rear floors, everything was completely braced before replacing the floors! Front replaced first, then rear! The doors, hinges, & fenders are all aftermarket! My body measurements were all good! Only one shim was 1/4". What I can tell you is , now my gaps are all great and run parallel with each other. Door to quarter, door to rocker, & door to fender. Both sides!!!

 

[viper982]

Toms sells shim kits: http://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/product/1120K-door-hinge-shim-kit-4-hinges-66-77-ford-bronco-new

 

[1973 Houston]

I have some pretty sweet plastic horseshoe shim that work just fine..... and they cost 10cents each!!!!!

 

[Frameworks]

Toms sells shim kits: http://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/product/1120K-door-hinge-shim-kit-4-hinges-66-77-ford-bronco-new

Wow! I didn't know anybody offered them! I was told by somebody that nobody offered hinge shims! Oh well mine are made! Lol

 

[Rustytruck]

Your issue is due to the aftermarket hinges. If you had the factory hinges you wouldn't have as big an issue. Ford use to bend the back of the hinges for special case issues changing the arc of the bend. I have seen several sets with special press marks on the inside radius. Your effort does show what lengths are necessary to correct the tolerance stacking that can go through when miss matched parts are used. I am sure you work will help someone having these same issues. The one issue I see is moving the hinge plane that far back changes the arc of the swing of the door. Have you tested the striker and door latch fitment?

 

[Frameworks]

Your issue is due to the aftermarket hinges. If you had the factory hinges you wouldn't have as big an issue. Ford use to bend the back of the hinges for special case issues changing the arc of the bend. I have seen several sets with special press marks on the inside radius. Your effort does show what lengths are necessary to correct the tolerance stacking that can go through when miss matched parts are used. I am sure you work will help someone having these same issues. The one issue I see is moving the hinge plane that far back changes the arc of the swing of the door. Have you tested the striker and door latch fitment?

I'm waiting on the new latches to come in, this was a U13 so I didn't have any old hinges , latches , or doors to test with. But I've seen other broncos that the doors were a lot closer to the quarter panel and didn't have any issues with the latch to striker fitment! Got my fingers crossed! heres some pics of the door gaps! What do you think?

 

[Rustytruck]

The door gaps look great, better than Ford ever did. Ford liked the doors closer to the front fender and larger gap in the rear and a wide gap below the door. Make sure you get the softest door seals you can find. With tight door jambs you may have issues, allot of people have had issues. My only concern is moving the pivot point of the hinge a 1/4" or more back and how it may or may not cause issues in the striker. The door latch is going through the striker at a slightly different angle than intended. The original hinge pin is almost in line with the edge of the fender and you have moved it significantly rearward. I doubt you will have issues but you don't want to find out after its all painted.
One thing you may want to watch for is Ford could have used out of spec bodies for the roadster knowing that tops and doors are not going to be attached. They also didn't live their life with the support and structure that a metal top and solid doors give so the sheet metal has allot more room to move on its own.