Door Alignment

[RedWings69]

Looking for any tricks or advice - I have had my Bronco for 10years plus and always ran trail doors - trying to install new doors and the driver side will not line up. Passenger no issues and I am starting to think something might be bent in my A-Pillar or ? I have spent about 5 days off an on trying shims - old hinges etc. Any advice or starting to think I need to get this to a pro that does this for a living, if I can find one.

 

[Master Chief]

Body mounts greatly affect the doors as well. I’d inspect the area around the body mount under the drivers floor pan. Ensure the cross support it straight then start adding (or removing) shims to that mount to adjust that A pillar vertically. Small corrections make big changes.

When I restored mine, I found the forward cross support under the driver floor pan cracked, so was the factory reinforcement. I never noticed the crack before but my driver side door never lined up properly. The support provides side to side structure to support that mount and everything above it…essentially the weight of the cowl, dash, and windshield. With that support broken, it drooped from the mount out to the rocker and allowed the A pillar to drop.

 

[JB Fab]

Looks like the door is just twisted.... Twist it back the way you need it... Just don't apply all the pressure in one place. One of the doors we just replaced was the same way.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Body mount sets so many door adjustments. Not just the #2 and 3 mounts (front and rear of door).
Think of the body as 2 boxes. Engine compartment with body mounts #1 and 2, and the bed with body mounts #3 and 4.
As you move the #1 body mount it pivots on #2 and will change how the door fits to the rocker and the striker. Yes, that far away.
Usually #2 collapses a bit, that lowers the A-pillar. The engine bay box drops a little, the door now rubs the sill and sits low on the striker. The mistake is often to try and shim the hinge instead of the body mount. This screws up the Door to fender and door to windshield gaps.
Hinge alignment should be used to adjust the front of the door, not the back. Body mounts adjust the back of the door to the opening.
It is a huge game. shims here, there an stuff moves around. One gap opens, another closes, taper goes straight.

Now for the flushness. Lower hinge needs to go in. You are not moving the bed side. Maybe the upper comes out some as well. the upper window frame you just put a little body english into it to straighten into place at the very end. The fender bolts allow the fender to be loosened and moved around until they line up.

 

[JB Fab]

Here's a diagram of what Broncobowsher is explaining

 

[RedWings69]

Thnak you all - going to start fresh with all new bushing after looking at them last night. Thanks again for the advice and education.

 

[PCB 4x4]

First thing you want to do is bust the spot welds where the vent frame goes, then you can twist the door and close the gap up at the back. Mustang doors have the same problems

 

[danroot]

Some really good info here! My drivers door does the same, bottom pokes out like the door is twisted.

 

[PCB 4x4]

That's why you bust those tabs under the vent glass, then twist the door till it fits and reweld the tabs.

 

[Colo77Bronco]

Someone on here built a jig at some point for twisting the doors in to alignment. Might have seen it on YouTube as well. Maybe Nashville Broncos.

 

[DirtDonk]

Before you start cutting and adjusting things, have you measured them?
Is the door opening square? Is the body the part that’s twisted, or is it the door?
They are new doors of questionable manufacture, so double check that you’re not tweaking the body to match a bad door.

 

[SLOWnEASY]

Yeah my doors also pop out the rear corners. I always assumed it was my worn out door hinges with a possibility of the body mount sagging. Someday I might try to address that.

 

[m_m70]

so double check that you’re not tweaking the body to match a bad door.

important! I was fighting my drivers side door for ever until I measured the door and found it was not square. Still looking for a good door.......

 

[SC74]

Here's a diagram of what Broncobowsher is explaining

I will need this in the near future, thank you!

 

[SC74]

Has anyone experienced the door not shutting completely because he hinge bolts are touching? My bottom hinge bolts are interfering and not allowing it to close completely. I’ve never seen this and find it hard to believe it’s even possible, but it is. I’ve removed one bolt from the body and another from the door to eliminate the two that touch and it does close.

 

[DirtDonk]

Heard of it, but never run into it.
Is yours using hex head bolts, or Phillips head screws? If hex head, could you grind them down to a lower profile? Or just use lower profile versions?
You could counter sink the holes either way. Just a relief cut to allow more room for hex head bolts with a low profile head. Or countersunk in the tapered shape, for Phillips head screws.
I forget my correct naming, but isn’t that type referred to as pan head?

No matter what, can you post up a picture of your particular hinges?

 

[SC74]

Heard of it, but never run into it.
Is yours using hex head bolts, or Phillips head screws? If hex head, could you grind them down to a lower profile? Or just use lower profile versions?
You could counter sink the holes either way. Just a relief cut to allow more room for hex head bolts with a low profile head. Or countersunk in the tapered shape, for Phillips head screws.
I forget my correct naming, but isn’t that type referred to as pan head?

No matter what, can you post up a picture of your particular hinges?

They are Duff lift off hinges with the hex head bolts. I think the hinges are a tad thicker than stock and the bolts in the bolt kit I purchased as a master body kit might be a tad taller. I’m going to knock the tops off the bolts that are inteferring and it should work.

 

[73azbronco]

Probably body mounts and not enough shims. Unbolt body mounts, use a floor jack and 2x4 or scrap wood to raise and lower the body to check door alignment