Driver door Post replacement... Questions

[904Bronco]

Cut the rust spot out. Now I attempting to make a patch panel.

Treated the area with SEM rust mort to convert the rust.

Man this got to page three quick!

 

[904Bronco]

Made the patch panel, welded it in, some more grinding to do.

A little paint and then fit the door post... Supposed to be the best part

 

[surfer-b]

looking good, I don't think you will have much trouble with the post, you have a lot of original metal to work with.

 

[rjrobin2002]

Nice patch panel, most people don't take the time to make it match. I actually may enjoy sheet metal restoration the most on my Bronco restoration more than drivetrain, suspension, and paint and body.

 

[rydog1130]

looks good! Sheet metal screws are your friends. Once you have your door post on, draw a reference line by running a sharpie down your kick panel along the door post flange. That way if you need to adjust you'll have an idea which way it needs to go!

 

[904Bronco]

Nice patch panel, most people don't take the time to make it match. I actually may enjoy sheet metal restoration the most on my Bronco restoration more than drivetrain, suspension, and paint and body.

I am Type A so I sometimes take things a little far...

The saying that rings out, is that there is never enough time to do it right the 1st time, but plenty of time to do it a second time. So take your time and do it right the 1st time.

That piece was a little challenging, required some heat and pounding on a steel welding table. I had to go round the corner to my buddies trailer repair shop and ask him how he would do it...

 

[904Bronco]

looks good! Sheet metal screws are your friends. Once you have your door post on, draw a reference line by running a sharpie down your kick panel along the door post flange. That way if you need to adjust you'll have an idea which way it needs to go!

Thank you for the tip! ;D

 

[904Bronco]

So I tried to dry fit the replacement door post today, a little challenging...

The replacement post is not quite the same and will have to be massaged.

I also had to pull the door hinge plates out, clean up the burrs, and run a tap through all the threaded holes. Including the 3 fender bolt holes. I applied some paint inside the door post and on the door kick panel. But we have been running in the 50's here so paint is taking its time to dry.

I drilled the plug holes and will put some weldable primer on tomorrow afternoon. Hoping Sunday to get it into position and fit the door and fender.

I appreciate all the feedback and suggestions!

 

[rydog1130]

One other thing to remember is that these door Post are like a hard shell taco where they can flex when you start sinking screws into the flange which can throw things off...just be aware of this phenomena!

 

[904Bronco]

So I got the door post in place. I had to be creative.

I have some screws in and I have the door on, fitted, with the full weight of the door with window, etc.

And I am having issues.

The fender fits fine, but the door gap at the hard top is tight.
And the door is binding as you try to close it the last 2 inches.

I have messed with it the better part of the day... With the door being on off a few times... by myself. I have my old measurements and the ones on the chart. They are pretty damn close

I decided to call it a day... Back at it tomorrow

 

[rjrobin2002]

That looks great. I would weld it in and do the rest of adjusting with shims and a hammer.

 

[904Bronco]

That looks great. I would weld it in and do the rest of adjusting with shims and a hammer.

Well I was thinking that...

The door looks good because the Nader pin/striker is getting the door lined up. The back of the window frame is really close to the hardtop.

The new measurements are damn close to my original, but closer to the ones on the sheet posted.

The hinges, were re-pined and seem tight, but there were washers behind the hinge on the door post side. So I wonder if they are bent.

The one thing I worry about is the rear clearance, if I do not have enough and I weld in the post there is nothing i can adjust after that to give me more.

I knew I would get in this ugly loop of making adjustments and getting the feeling that I am going nowhere fast ;D

 

[DirtDonk]

Looks like you have space at the front of both the lower door and the upper window frame for it to move forward and away from the rear hard top issue no problem. I forget how the hinges are oriented in side the door, but if you put shims between the hinge and door metal, would that push it forward?
Big pain it sounds like, but if it works it would kill two birds.

What about the binding? Can you tell where it's coming from?

Lookin' good otherwise!

Paul

 

[rjrobin2002]

Can you use a pry bar and move the hard top on that side back a hair?

Another thing that moves a door a lot is to add shims to just the top or just the bottom.

 

[rjrobin2002]

Looks like you have plenty of rear clearance on the tub and that just the hard top needs adjusted back.

Take a picture of the door line up with it almost closed but not latched on the door latch pin.

 

[904Bronco]

Looks like you have plenty of rear clearance on the tub and that just the hard top needs adjusted back.

Take a picture of the door line up with it almost closed but not latched on the door latch pin.

I will work on that picture... I will pull one of the hardtop bolts to see how much movement there is.

 

[904Bronco]

Here are the pre-disassembly pictures, showing gaps (With the old door post)

 

[rjrobin2002]

It looks like you have a shim behind both hinges on it now, is that correct?

 

[904Bronco]

It looks like you have a shim behind both hinges on it now, is that correct?

Before I replaced the door post... Yes there were stainless washers behind the outer two bolts on the lower, one washer on the top, can't remember if it was the outer lower or upper

 

[rjrobin2002]

If you remove the upper shim it will pull the window frame away from the hard top.