Door striker nuts fell into body

[87xjmike]

So while attempting to replace all 4 striker bushings, the two rear striker nuts fell into the body when i removed the striker bolts. I was in a hurry as i was loading my expo onto the trailer for a Desert run that day so i just welded the strikers to the body. Id like to fix it right so its adjustable again as i welded them in a little too deep. It works but one door is a pain to open...

Has this happened to anybody? I was thinking of cutting a hole next to the existing striker hole to enable me to slide in a tabbed nut that a bolt can then go through.

Just looking for ideas.

 

[87xjmike]

Ill share my mistakes so others don't make the same.... Heres what happens when you rush welding to sheet metal. I should have changed my wire size but I rushed myself to get it to the dezert.

Second pic is of the nut tab I'm talking about adding through another hole i'll have to cut.

I do have a parts expo. It may be quicker to just graft in a new striker area that i can cut and donate from the parts rig. I'm thinking my years of abuse in the dezert has caused something to separate inside my door quarter panel area to allow the nut to just fall in.

At least my crappy welds held up and the doors made it through 100 dirt miles without ripping apart and flying open.

 

[Centaurious]

Those are usually a square plate with a threaded hole loosely caged by sheet metal. That nut is probably too light to work well.

 

[FR-425]

Nutsert: their like a rivet with treads.

 

[CDW6212R]

The area behind the strikers is accessible by removing the trim panel there. Those caged nuts do not easily come out, so nobody typically should ever have problems with those.

To fix that, I'd cut out the welded pieces and repair the area, which may take a piece from another Explorer, depending on how close that behind caged nut section is, and if it is damaged too. Pull the interior panels off and see how the old nut section looks, there are metal pieces back there which allow the nut to move around a decent amount, but shouldn't let it come out without lifting it upwards in some way.

 

[87xjmike]

thanks Don! I peeled back the trim piece and could see the little access hole into the caged nut area. That will hopefully be my access to getting the nuts out that fell below as well.

 

[CDW6212R]

thanks Don! I peeled back the trim piece and could see the little access hole into the caged nut area. That will hopefully be my access to getting the nuts out that fell below as well.

You can find the fallen nut things and put them back in when you get the striker areas fixed. It's been years since I looked at those back side areas. The caged part is well designed to hold them close enough to start the bolt, but loose enough to be able to replace the nuts if needed. That's how I recall seeing it when I checked one out the first time in about 1998, when I helped a friend part out an old 1984 Mark VII. We took apart about six cars over a few years, and saved every last nut and bolt, clip etc. We took those odd nuts out also, but I don't recall where the gallon jug we put them in, is located. My friend was a pack rat before I met him, and I've always saved everything. So we have lots of things that we cannot find now, LOL.