Door Alignment

[kstang67]

I just bought new weather stripping for my '74 Bronco. The doors line up perfectly and close easily before I put the rubber in. When we install the WS, the doors will not close/latch all the way. Is there a trick to aligning the doors, and/or is there a problem with the new weather stripping from Tom's Broncos?

 

[rojo23]

you can pull the weatherstripping off and take a rubber hammer and knock the pinch weld in a bit. Once the weatherstrip get shaped then you knock it back out. It is pretty common with new weather stripping

 

[fatboy4211]

i got my ws kit from toms too. having the same problem. even have bout 1/4" gap running along the window frame. almost like it wasnt made thick enuff.

rojo23...i have no clue what you mean by pinchweld. can you explain and maybe a pic?

 

[needabronco]

DONT hammer the pinch weld!%) Your only creating more problems and doing a half assed repair at best..... Once you hammer it in, I'm not so sure you can simply 'hammer' it back out?

The easiest thing to do would be to adjust the striker out about an 1/8" or so until the weatherstripping settles, then bring it back in.

 

[Pipehitter]

Definately the striker adjustment is the way to go, once the ws takes a set, you can readjust the striker. I had the same problem, and also the large gap at the front angled part of the door to the windshield. Move the back as far as possible to pull the windshield at a better angle with not much luck. Ended up having to put on adhesived back weather strip piece on the door itself to close up this gap.

 

[fatboy4211]

noticed my door hinges need replacing too. thay have some play in em. that should help the gap, but i dont think it will close it.
BTW is it better to replace or rebuild the hinges.

 

[needabronco]

Hinges aren't hard to rebuild if you have a drill press.