Adjusting Shims on Two Body Mounts
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Adjusting Shims on Two Body Mounts
My passenger door is has very tight gaps. I need to drop the rear deck on the RH side to make the door gap larger. (the deck is about 1/8" high).
Can you just loosen the RH 3 & 4 and pull out shims or do I need to loosen all or any of the following
1. RH 1&2
2. All Body Mounts
3. Rear Bumpers
If I can get a couple of shims out my door can come bak and up without rubbing fibreglass like now.
Anyone done this?
Can you just loosen the RH 3 & 4 and pull out shims or do I need to loosen all or any of the following
1. RH 1&2
2. All Body Mounts
3. Rear Bumpers
If I can get a couple of shims out my door can come bak and up without rubbing fibreglass like now.
Anyone done this?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
as far as I know, the shims are square with a hole thru the middle. The bolt will have to be removed to remove shims. I would certainly, atleast, loosen the other body mounts to aleviate fiberglass stress
The ORIGINAL and bestest
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 10,009
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From: Toronto Ontario
Toronto Events Coordinator
I went through almost a week of trial and error with the shims when I put my body back on, but I wanted perfecr door gaps. I even ended up making a couple of my own bumper brackets to get the adjustability I needed!! Anyways, I need more info to help you. Is the door gap tight at the front or back? Top or bottom?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
as far as I know, the shims are square with a hole thru the middle. The bolt will have to be removed to remove shims. I would certainly, atleast, loosen the other body mounts to aleviate fiberglass stress
at the #3 shims. If you're gonna lift it that much - gotta get most of
the bolts pretty loose or out. Watch out for other places where the
body meets the frame ... rear bumper brackets, front end at the
radiator support and front bumper ... maybe even the seatbelt cable
under the floorboards and the parking brake cable. Oh - and the
negative battery cable. Maybe even a ground strap - but I think those
are far enough up front to be out of the way for lifting the rear a bit.
I forget - what year do you have, Pete ?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Pics of the door
Originally Posted by NHvette
I agree - gotta pull the bolt out ... and even lift it a few inches to get
at the #3 shims. If you're gonna lift it that much - gotta get most of
the bolts pretty loose or out. Watch out for other places where the
body meets the frame ... rear bumper brackets, front end at the
radiator support and front bumper ... maybe even the seatbelt cable
under the floorboards and the parking brake cable. Oh - and the
negative battery cable. Maybe even a ground strap - but I think those
are far enough up front to be out of the way for lifting the rear a bit.
I forget - what year do you have, Pete ?
at the #3 shims. If you're gonna lift it that much - gotta get most of
the bolts pretty loose or out. Watch out for other places where the
body meets the frame ... rear bumper brackets, front end at the
radiator support and front bumper ... maybe even the seatbelt cable
under the floorboards and the parking brake cable. Oh - and the
negative battery cable. Maybe even a ground strap - but I think those
are far enough up front to be out of the way for lifting the rear a bit.
I forget - what year do you have, Pete ?
Dave, Bruce and Dale,
I have a 70.
The gap is shown in the pics below.
I have adjusted the door to get an almost perfect front gap but the top right rubs on the trim and the back centre is also barely clear. It has rubbed in the past before I put in new hinge bushings and pins. The door really needs to go back more and slightly down to clear the window trim. If the rear drops down about 3/16"-1/4 " I should be able to achieve what I need. If not I gotta start grinding fibreglass.
Can I just loosen the passenger side mounts, radiator support, seatbelt shoulder harness, rear bumper. Will that get me 3 inches on this side without fooling with the other side?
To be honest I am terrified of those damm body mounts. Everything on the car is done except paint and this door. I finally got everything back in the interior yesterday except the passenger side door trim. Last thin I need is cracked fibreglass or a broken body mount now. At least if it cracks it is before the paint job.
Last edited by stingry; Apr 4, 2005 at 09:28 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
I'm not sure if you can get the gap correct by changing the body mount shims - the front gap between door and fender looks more like a sagging frame to me (hopefully I'm wrong)
Did the '70 come with aluminum or rubber mounts ? If rubber, then it's very likely time to replace them anyway. the poly mounts are not as harsh as you may think and they're only $80 including the bolts. I did my body mounts in less than a week and worked on it only 2-3 hrs a day after work, I also took my time... it can be done a lot quicker.
At the time you change the mounts the frame will be supported by jackstands - all you can do is trying to get the load evenly distributed to all 8 mounts so that none of them can be rotated by hand once the body's weight is on them. You won't see if the door gaps are good or bad until you get the weight on the wheels.... my gaps did not change much from worn (I mean really bad shape) rubber and new poly body mounts. It does however squeek a lot less than before
Did the '70 come with aluminum or rubber mounts ? If rubber, then it's very likely time to replace them anyway. the poly mounts are not as harsh as you may think and they're only $80 including the bolts. I did my body mounts in less than a week and worked on it only 2-3 hrs a day after work, I also took my time... it can be done a lot quicker.
At the time you change the mounts the frame will be supported by jackstands - all you can do is trying to get the load evenly distributed to all 8 mounts so that none of them can be rotated by hand once the body's weight is on them. You won't see if the door gaps are good or bad until you get the weight on the wheels.... my gaps did not change much from worn (I mean really bad shape) rubber and new poly body mounts. It does however squeek a lot less than before
The ORIGINAL and bestest
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 10,009
Likes: 240
From: Toronto Ontario
Toronto Events Coordinator
Okay, to play with the shims at #3, you will have to lift the body, which means disconnecting a whole bunch of things to do it. When I was shimming my body, I tried to add/remove shims without lifting, but I couldn't do it, there is just no room to get your hand up in there.
That being said, I would try two things: (1) remove shims from the #4 mount to open the gap at the back top of the door. Do this with the car on the ground and the wheel on, its a tight space, but it can be done. You should loosen the rear bumper bolts as well to do this. This will open the gap withpout causing any damage anywhere else, you would be amazed to see how much the body can flex. When you do this, it will also widen the back middle gap maybe enough to slide the whole door rearward to increase clearance at the front top. If that doesn't work for the front..(2)remove shims at #1 to widen the gap at the front top. You shouldn't have to losen anything else to do this. Also do this withthe car on the gorund, wheels on, and remove the side grill to access the bolt. Remember to tighten the body bolts back to 50 ftlbs after adding or removing shims.
That being said, I would try two things: (1) remove shims from the #4 mount to open the gap at the back top of the door. Do this with the car on the ground and the wheel on, its a tight space, but it can be done. You should loosen the rear bumper bolts as well to do this. This will open the gap withpout causing any damage anywhere else, you would be amazed to see how much the body can flex. When you do this, it will also widen the back middle gap maybe enough to slide the whole door rearward to increase clearance at the front top. If that doesn't work for the front..(2)remove shims at #1 to widen the gap at the front top. You shouldn't have to losen anything else to do this. Also do this withthe car on the gorund, wheels on, and remove the side grill to access the bolt. Remember to tighten the body bolts back to 50 ftlbs after adding or removing shims.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by 7t2vette
Okay, to play with the shims at #3, you will have to lift the body, which means disconnecting a whole bunch of things to do it. When I was shimming my body, I tried to add/remove shims without lifting, but I couldn't do it, there is just no room to get your hand up in there.
It's too tight , I agree.... here's what i did to access #3 body mount:
After gluing the pice back in place it's really not visible... well, not everybody wants to do this to the body, especially not on a high$$$ chrome bumper.... but.... if you don't want to lift the body off this is your only alternative.....
here's a photo after fiberglassing it back in place:
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Originally Posted by RedBad1979
I'm not sure if you can get the gap correct by changing the body mount shims - the front gap between door and fender looks more like a sagging frame to me (hopefully I'm wrong)
I hope its not sag. I think the car was in an accident at some stage.
Mine has the aluminium body mounts.
Thanks for the picture. Don't know if I want to cut but it does give me an option. that area isn't structural so it is a possability. I am going to try 7T2s idea of 1&4 first.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Originally Posted by 7t2vette
Okay, to play with the shims at #3, you will have to lift the body, which means disconnecting a whole bunch of things to do it. When I was shimming my body, I tried to add/remove shims without lifting, but I couldn't do it, there is just no room to get your hand up in there.
That being said, I would try two things: (1) remove shims from the #4 mount to open the gap at the back top of the door. Do this with the car on the ground and the wheel on, its a tight space, but it can be done. You should loosen the rear bumper bolts as well to do this. This will open the gap withpout causing any damage anywhere else, you would be amazed to see how much the body can flex. When you do this, it will also widen the back middle gap maybe enough to slide the whole door rearward to increase clearance at the front top. If that doesn't work for the front..(2)remove shims at #1 to widen the gap at the front top. You shouldn't have to losen anything else to do this. Also do this withthe car on the gorund, wheels on, and remove the side grill to access the bolt. Remember to tighten the body bolts back to 50 ftlbs after adding or removing shims.
That being said, I would try two things: (1) remove shims from the #4 mount to open the gap at the back top of the door. Do this with the car on the ground and the wheel on, its a tight space, but it can be done. You should loosen the rear bumper bolts as well to do this. This will open the gap withpout causing any damage anywhere else, you would be amazed to see how much the body can flex. When you do this, it will also widen the back middle gap maybe enough to slide the whole door rearward to increase clearance at the front top. If that doesn't work for the front..(2)remove shims at #1 to widen the gap at the front top. You shouldn't have to losen anything else to do this. Also do this withthe car on the gorund, wheels on, and remove the side grill to access the bolt. Remember to tighten the body bolts back to 50 ftlbs after adding or removing shims.
). Once the bolt is loose I will put the wheel back on and put the car on the ground and mess around with that body mount and see what happens. Let you know how I go.
Thanks for the advice guys.
Pete
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by stingry
Don't know if I want to cut but it does give me an option. that area isn't structural so it is a possability.
It's definately not structural - it's a dirt protection for the body mount, that's about it..... there should be a bigger opening that can be removed and bolted on...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
OK - just got a look at your pictures ... Here are my thoughts:
1 - The front gap (as you noted) is uniform ... looks great.
2 - The top of the front rubs the trim.
For this, I really think you need a shim (maybe two) between
the upper door hinge and the pillar. These are cheap - new or on ebay - door shims !!
3 - The gap in the rear is too wide at top. It's kinda close at
the middle/bottom, but you cannot simply adjust the bottom. It
is a fixed width. By adding/removing shims, you will be moving
the top in/out. To fix the top gap, you could try adding some
shim to the #4 body mount. If this closes the middle too much,
you will need to A) move the whole door forward slightly or
B) shave off some of the door edge to even it up.
Well, that's my take. If you can't get a door shim, try a few
washers, but they will be tough to get in place. The door shims
slide in after the bolts are (loosely) in place.
PS - yes, loosen the rear bumper brackets. The shoulder belt: bolts
into a steel reinforcement that is rivetted to the body. You can see it
just above the rear wheel well. No need to remove seatbelts.
OK - correction - shim slides in with 2 hinge bolts in ... then put two more:
http://www.zip-products.com/Zip/prod...639C23F35F50D7
1 - The front gap (as you noted) is uniform ... looks great.
2 - The top of the front rubs the trim.
For this, I really think you need a shim (maybe two) between
the upper door hinge and the pillar. These are cheap - new or on ebay - door shims !!
3 - The gap in the rear is too wide at top. It's kinda close at
the middle/bottom, but you cannot simply adjust the bottom. It
is a fixed width. By adding/removing shims, you will be moving
the top in/out. To fix the top gap, you could try adding some
shim to the #4 body mount. If this closes the middle too much,
you will need to A) move the whole door forward slightly or
B) shave off some of the door edge to even it up.
Well, that's my take. If you can't get a door shim, try a few
washers, but they will be tough to get in place. The door shims
slide in after the bolts are (loosely) in place.
PS - yes, loosen the rear bumper brackets. The shoulder belt: bolts
into a steel reinforcement that is rivetted to the body. You can see it
just above the rear wheel well. No need to remove seatbelts.
OK - correction - shim slides in with 2 hinge bolts in ... then put two more:
http://www.zip-products.com/Zip/prod...639C23F35F50D7
Last edited by NHvette; Apr 5, 2005 at 05:06 PM.
The ORIGINAL and bestest
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 10,009
Likes: 240
From: Toronto Ontario
Toronto Events Coordinator
Danger Dave makes a good point.....shimming the door out at the top will clear the trim, but if your door is now flush with the fender, after shimming it will be sticking out. Basically what is comes down to is alot of trial and error. Be patient and you will get it where you want.
