Door Alignment HELP

[RonJones]

Door shims are better, as they spread the forces over a larger area, meaning there is less “sag” over time. Washers are easier to come by.

 

[DeepC73]

Door shims are better, as they spread the forces over a larger area, meaning there is less “sag” over time. Washers are easier to come by.

I think the hardtop might be the culprit here. It basically the only thing I haven’t tried to this point. I’m going to loosen it up today and see what happens.

 

[RonJones]

I think the hardtop might be the culprit here. It basically the only thing I haven’t tried to this point. I’m going to loosen it up today and see what happens.

So you tried upper hinge inboard bolt-only washers and lower hinge all-3 bolt washers? How thick of shims? What was the effect? I’m afraid that you may be disappointed with b-pillar body mount shims after all the effort of loosening all the hardtop bolts including windshield frame and rear support angles, and then running a putty knife between the hardtop and the rail/windshield frame seal. Also, the wiper cover has to come off, if installed, to get to the windshield frame bolts.

 

[71 CA Bronco]

That door looks tight. Have you checked your floor supports to be sure none are cracked or broken? Sometimes that happens and caves in the door posts, if that is the case you are wasting your time trying to fit the doors before the floor braces are repaired. Just a thought before you put too much time into it.

 

[DeepC73]

So I removed all of the hardtop bolts and loosened it up. The top is just sitting loosely on it. The windshield actually wobbles forward/backwards about an inch or so. I also loosened the front fender. However, I managed to make some progress. It still needs more work. The pics explain it. Thanks again for the help. Please keep it coming.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0l_LOKunk8WO2U942AC7RSEjw

 

[RonJones]

That’s more improvement with a b-pillar jack than usual. How much shim did you use there? You might try just a little less, which will make your lower rear gap a little larger. Also, what’s the fit in the rear window frame where it butts up against the hardtop? Otherwise, your gaps are definitely better. The door does seem to be riding high in the front, and a little low in back. You can adjust up and down some by adjusting the door side hinge bolts, and even rotate the lower rear (and front) in a little by putting a little twist in at the same place. I’d wait until you get the striker in play re the twist, though.

 

[DeepC73]

Right now I have 2 shims in the A pillar and 1 shim in the B pillar. The B pillar body mount is not even tightened in these pics. I raised the door up in the jamb as far as it would go (both hinges all the way up). It closed the gap in the rear to almost even with the rear, but now the front is too high. How do I get the lower rear corner to come in flush without bringing the top forward out?

 

[RonJones]

Have you engaged the striker?

 

[DeepC73]

Have you engaged the striker?

Sorry, what do you mean?

 

[RonJones]

The striker is the protuberance mounted on the b-pillar that holds the door closed. It can be adusted to raise the aft door slightly or even suck in the door some.

 

[Rustytruck]

wow that door opening is way tight. if you put the hood down how is the fender grill fit to the hood? hood sticking out past the grill edge? was the door hinge pillar ever replaced? Hows the drivers side?

 

[DeepC73]

I have not moved the striker. I have closed the door, but not moved the striker. It closes and clasps.

 

[Rustytruck]

There isnt much you can do with the striker as it is just a locator. it sets the height of the door to the top of the bed side and locates fore and aft for the protrusion from the bed side. you will want the fore and aft location with the door just slightly proud of the door opening not flush at the striker location just enough to feel it. then you adjust the front hinges in and out top and bottom as the door pivots on the rear striker post this sets how much the rear lower door corner sticks out of the door opening.

 

[DeepC73]

Sorry for the silence fellas, I had duty and didn’t get home until late. I have made a few minor changes. I attached the pics to show the current status. Currently the top, front fender and windshield are both loose. I can actually lean the windshield back to align with the door angle. My biggest issue issues are 1) I can’t get the bottom rear door in even with the bed, 2) If I lower the door on the jamb to even it out with the front fender, the back of the door is much lower than the bed where the window frame starts. More tips please.

Also, best I can tell,the floorboards are straight. I have one shim on the b pillar and two on the A pillar.


https://share.icloud.com/photos/014GwLgg83pYvfgP9rsVOUtgA

 

[Rustytruck]

how about a close picture of the door seam and body line in the door lock area. it looks to me the door is in to far at the body latch post. at the body post it looks in too far. the door will need to be slightly proud at the door edge. have you put a level at the top of the body tub, the lip at the door sill on the rocker panel and the top of the door. they should be at the same plane. with the door latched sight down the body line from the tail light down the side of the body line at the tub is the body line at the door going straight or rising or dipping?

 

[tbratz]

The bottom left gap in the door at the body may not be able to be adjusted out. If the back of the door is in as far as it can go against the striker the bottom rear of the door may actually be bent out causing the gap. It looks like it actually is in the picture. If that is the case, once the rest of the door is fitted and that gap still exists the only alternative is to work or bend the bottom corner of the door in until the gap is reduced. Checking the original Ford body manual, it even states that if the proper gaps cannot be set by the adjustment procedure that bending, or "jacking" the door gap is acceptable. I hope this makes sense.

 

[DeepC73]

So I have both doors on and adjusted. I will post pics tomorrow. Both doors seem to have almost the same protruding corner as in my previous pics. The rear bottom corner. I am at the point of realizing I am going to have to bend them in. I have already tried. I’m not sure how much force to use. I can tell you it is not bending willingly. I will slowly get there. The next issue is that with the hard top bolted back on, the windshield is about 3/4” too far forward at the top of the door on both sides. I have about a 3/4” gap at the top. The top obviously can’t be slid back, so what is the fix?

 

[Rustytruck]

see if there is a shim between the windshield frame and the body tub where the windshield hold down bolts go through the dash pad.

 

[DeepC73]

No shim at all. If I installed a shim or spacer, it might solve my problem. Should there be one?

 

[Rustytruck]

my 2 1974 did not have shims. shims wer commonly used when running with the top off the windshield would vibrate and contact the door window frame.