I have a 74 vert. The passenger door sags about a quarter inch. The top rear corner of the door is not flush with the rear quarter panel. In other words, the door drops down towards the floor a little. How do I raise (adjust) the door up?

Thanks

 

You need to determine if your bushings are worn on the door hinges. When the door is almost closed pull up on the door. Does it move up to about the right height? If so you need new bushings on the hinge. After you install the bushings you will also need to adjust the door side of the hinge. If you have electric windows this procedure will be a bi#$%. If not then it is easy.

Take of the door panel and associated handles and stuff. Be careful you don't put too much pressure on the door opening lever as you pull it out as the latch it is connected to is die cast.

I would reccomend covering all edges of the door and the door opening with masking tape before you proceed.

Support the door. Use a jack and a friend, or two friends named jack. It is heavier then it looks. Put some wood and foam or an old piece of carpet on top of the jack so you don't trash the bottom of the door.

Locate the hing mounts at the front inside of the door. You need to remove the top access cover.

Now if the bushings are shot then you need to remove the door. If not then you need to adjust the 8 bolts (4 top, 4 bottom).

To remove the door loosen all bolts and remove, be sure to support the door otherwise the front edge will drop and chip. To adjust just loosen the top four first and get your friend to lift up on the rear of the door, then tighten. Carefully check the gap/height now. Be sure to look at the front gap as well as the rear. If it OK then you are done. If not then you need to start thinking about loosening the bottom bolts and lifting up on the rear again. A small movement at those bolts is a large movement at the back of the door. If that fails then loosen both the top and the bottom and position the door again.This can be a frustrating process but it is easy.

Once the door is in position check your striker to make sure it is centred on the door latch. You can adjust the height of that by loosening it and moving it up or down.

As a final check watch the door as it is closed. Do it slowly. Does the door move straight in or move up/down as it latches? If it moves straight in and all the edges are aligned then you are good to go.

Now go fix it.


Pete


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Thanks Stingry. I'll give it a shot tonight.

 

Thanks for asking this question jcoulter, its been on my list of things to do for a while now.

trw

 

ditto for me too !!!

 

well said stingry

 

most chevy dealers carry the pins and bushings, you may have to cut the pins length to match the orig pins, but that is easily done with a hacksaw, bevel the edge with a bench grinder, definitely use masking tape around the area you'll be working in. new pins made my doors close easier and aligned the mechanisms so my electric door locks actually work.

 

Good instructions.

 

When removing the old top pins you may have to cut them first with a hacksaw. The way the door curves inward it blocks the pin from coming all the way out. Plan on using a couple (at least) good hacksaw blades or even better, a die grinder and stone. That pin material is really hard.

When you replace the top pins, run them in from the bottom, then use a push on retainer to hold the pin in place from the top so it doesn't work it's way back out. They're shaped like dished washers with radial cuts that go outward from the inner hole. You can find them at a good hardware or fastener supply.

 

Thats another good alternative. Makes it easy to take the doors off in the future also. I would probably want to cross-pin it myself with a cotter pin or something. Everything I don't loctite/pin/tie tends to fall apart!

 

im not sure if you are pulling the doors or not but i am about to replace the bushings on mine and sense i dont have anyone around to help with this project i will be ordering one of these door tool which should help out alot sense it is a pain in the @$$ to adjust without any help but good luck