When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Well after 2 years I put the body back on. One problem, the back of the driver door is about 1/2 inch lower than it used to be and now it won't close it hits (shown in the picture). the passenger door seems to be 3/8 inch lower also. I marked all the shims and their location but I must have done something wrong.
Where do I start??
Thanks
Did you touch the bolts that hold the doors on the car????...or the bolts that hold the hinges on the post???
If you put the shims right back where they went...and ASSUMING that you did not do any frame straightening or repairs...I have no clue unless the questions are answered.
Was any body panels changed when it was on a body dollie????
Thanks for the help.
I didn't touch the door bolts and I bagged and tagged all the mounts with the spacers, also didn't do any frame straightening. the back of the driver door dropped about 3/4 inch after all mounts were tight. the front of the door gaps look as they always did. so i loosened all the mounts and the door went back to original (it was always 3/8 inch low in the back). so I guess i need to tighten the mounts slowly and see which one causes this issue.
As always thanks for the help!
thanks. it is not a convertible but i think nailed part of the problem being the hinge. the other thing i realized is I installed #1,2,7 and 8 and then I put a floor jack under the frame just before the rear wheel and jacked it up, removed the wheel and then installed #3 and tightened it. I found this when I unbolted all the mounts except for #3 and 6 and the problem still existed but when I unbolted those the problem went away. Rookie mistake!!
Dont know if anyone has seen this but my #4 body mount has 2 body mounts in it and no shims??
This is hard to answer.
YES...there is a cushion between the body and the frame mount.....and then another one BELOW the frame mount. SO.....technically ...YES...there are two body mount cushions there.
BUT...I have NEVER seen two body mount cushion that go in between the frame mount and the body to hold it up. That I have never seen.
so i have the body back on not bolted down and the door gaps look like original (need to rebuild the hinges). body mount #1 touches both the frame and body, #2 is loose, #3 is tight, #4 is tight.
#5 is tight, #6 is loose, #7 is loose, #8 is tight.
so, should I buy shims to put on the loose mounts or start removing shims from the tight ones?
Thanks again!
I know that:
#1 is is in front of the firewall
#2 is in or near the hinge post area ( depending on year)
#3 is in front of the rear wheels.
#4 is behind the rear wheels.
The I use left and right to know what side it being talked about.
I would add shims to the mounts that are loose BEFORE I would take away any shims. Taking a way shims can cause for areas under the car to possibly bind up when it is driven (depending on year model)
Did you touch the bolts that hold the doors on the car????...or the bolts that hold the hinges on the post???
If you put the shims right back where they went...and ASSUMING that you did not do any frame straightening or repairs...I have no clue unless the questions are answered.
Was any body panels changed when it was on a body dollie????
DUB
While nowhere near an expert on this, on page 125 of the AIM it shows the shim tips if you will facing down on #1 & #4, The tips are pointing up on shims #2 & #3. Would this cause the issue the fella is having on the remount ?
While nowhere near an expert on this, on page 125 of the AIM it shows the shim tips if you will facing down on #1 & #4, The tips are pointing up on shims #2 & #3. Would this cause the issue the fella is having on the remount ?
YES it could...but if a person would look at 'things'...that the shim as a flat side due to the tips pointing the other way...and that FLAT side is away from the bushing.
SO...the points of the shim go over the bushing and aid in keeping it centered....even though many people tape it like GM did. I do not unless the car is going for judging. I use something else to hold the shims to the bushing that can not be seen.
SO...if the points are pointing the opposite way...when the body is dropped...it may will distort the shims.. but when the bolts a tightened to 45 lbs/ft....I am sure it would tweak them a bit.
YES it could...but if a person would look at 'things'...that the shim as a flat side due to the tips pointing the other way...and that FLAT side is away from the bushing.
SO...the points of the shim go over the bushing and aid in keeping it centered....even though many people tape it like GM did. I do not unless the car is going for judging. I use something else to hold the shims to the bushing that can not be seen.
SO...if the points are pointing the opposite way...when the body is dropped...it may will distort the shims.. but when the bolts a tightened to 45 lbs/ft....I am sure it would tweak them a bit.
DUB
Not to question your expertise but, looking at the diagrams in the AIM why would it be shown as the method of installation and why would one vary from it ? Just based on the fact that everything else in the AIM is followed. Thoughts ?
Not to question your expertise but, looking at the diagrams in the AIM why would it be shown as the method of installation and why would one vary from it ? Just based on the fact that everything else in the AIM is followed. Thoughts ?
So, it seems in the universe of shims there are many thoughts as to the how's and why's in the installation/replacement of them. On NCRS.org doing a search regarding shims, wow a number of different views as to installation. I can only surmise that it comes down to how lucky one gets to being damn near spot on during the body to frame reinstall.
Not to question your expertise but, looking at the diagrams in the AIM why would it be shown as the method of installation and why would one vary from it ?
The reason some people vary from how the points of the shims are directed is there own way of ...in my opinion...attempting to 're-invent the wheel'.
If a person were to hold the parts in their hand and see how the shims, when placed on the bushings or spacers...actually 'cup' over them. And that the shims can be stacked if you follow the same direction of the point of the shim. I for the life of me can not understand why anemone would do it another way. Because if they are put in upside down...the points of the shims are now contacting the flat surface of the rocker channel or #4 mount.
Just based on the fact that everything else in the AIM is followed. Thoughts ?
I do not always follow the AIM as if it the 'be all and end all' of assembling the car...due to.... sometimes it is not correct. It is a very good reference. And some areas were revised during the production year.
I do not always follow the AIM as if it the 'be all and end all' of assembling the car...due to.... sometimes it is not correct. It is a very good reference. And some areas were revised during the production year.
DUB
You know DUB, as I was just cleaning my pool I was reflecting on your previous input and my misunderstanding of 2+2 ( which isn't the first time). Earlier I went back over the diagram for the shim install and you are correct. What I failed to convey in my response was that depending on whether the bolt dropped in from the "top" or that it was inserted "up" from below affected where the shim sat ( tips toward bushing ) in relation to the bushing. I thought maybe the gentleman may have not followed that order if you will and it threw things off. Thank you for your correction.
By the way my mother used to say "Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut", I wasn't very good at it as you probably surmised.
You know DUB, as I was just cleaning my pool I was reflecting on your previous input and my misunderstanding of 2+2 ( which isn't the first time). Earlier I went back over the diagram for the shim install and you are correct. What I failed to convey in my response was that depending on whether the bolt dropped in from the "top" or that it was inserted "up" from below affected where the shim sat ( tips toward bushing ) in relation to the bushing. I thought maybe the gentleman may have not followed that order if you will and it threw things off. Thank you for your correction.
By the way my mother used to say "Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut", I wasn't very good at it as you probably surmised.
No..I feel you are asking questions that need to be answered....so....no harm...no foul.
As you probably know from the AIM...The #1 mount.( right in front of the firewall) The bolt drops down. So does #2 and #3. #4 points up due to the caged nut in the body.
TRUST ME...I have seen so many things messed up while working on Corvettes..I often times have to take a step back and shake my head and try to figure out WHY they did what they did.
Body back on!
