Door won't shut right
09-25-2018, 04:41 PM
#1
Heel & Toe
Thread Starter
Door won't shut right
Hi forum. I have a 2003 with 131,000 miles. I was having trouble closing the driver's door. When you open it you can see and hear the door drop slightly (1/4 to about 1/2 in). When you shut it, you have to lift up on the door to line up the latch. The bushing on the bottom hinge was shot so bad that the door would lock open, so I replaced both hinges, figuring that if the bottom was going should probably do the top as well. The door still does the same drop when it opens and requires the lift to close. I adjusted the top hinge up as far as it would go. The gaps are perfect. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for all your wisdom and help!
09-25-2018, 05:20 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
The hinges are the only support for the doors when opened/. Get someone to help you observe the downward movement while opening and closing the door. Just curious, did you make a scribe mark before removing the old hinges? Is the attachment point on the door itself in good shape? If it has slack, then that may be the source of the problem. There are (I think) four bolts per hinge on the door side. If someone these are loose or stripped, the door would sag.
09-25-2018, 11:32 PM
#3
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09-26-2018, 08:40 AM
#4
Race Director
If you replaced the hinges. The 'trick' is to make sure you adjust these new hinges so the door is level BWEFORE you actually close it. Thus... it does not drop.. .
IF you pick up on the back of the door and can see that the actual part of the door where the hinges are bolted to moves...then you door is distressed and this can make it harder to adjust due to the door will then be able to constantly get worse.
There is a steel plate that is pop riveted to the inside of your door so the hinges have a plate to mount to. This area can be a problem due to the constant dropping of the door for such a long time that it can cause this area to loose some structural integrity. That dropping down does begin a process of fatigue on the SMC and that area. As slight as it may be....it can be there nonetheless..
I have been through this and I have been lucky enough to be able to raise the door on these cars that have such high mileage on them and knowing the door was used a lot.
DUB
DUB
IF you pick up on the back of the door and can see that the actual part of the door where the hinges are bolted to moves...then you door is distressed and this can make it harder to adjust due to the door will then be able to constantly get worse.
There is a steel plate that is pop riveted to the inside of your door so the hinges have a plate to mount to. This area can be a problem due to the constant dropping of the door for such a long time that it can cause this area to loose some structural integrity. That dropping down does begin a process of fatigue on the SMC and that area. As slight as it may be....it can be there nonetheless..
I have been through this and I have been lucky enough to be able to raise the door on these cars that have such high mileage on them and knowing the door was used a lot.
DUB
DUB
