door latch "striker bolt bushing kit"

[CDW6212R]

That looks promising, props for being proactive with it. I agree the Dorman things show wear very quickly, though I haven't had any of them long enough to decide about lifespan yet.

It's fun adjusting a door isn't it?

 

[toypaseo]

You could take that worn OEM bushing and turn it around on the striker bolt. My passenger door was squeaking over bumps. My striker bushing was still intact, so I thought I would try an experiment. I just removed the striker assembly, removed the striker bolt, removed bushing, wiped striker bolt off, wiped the inside of the bushing, installed bushing opposite direction on striker bolt, installed striker bolt, and installed striker assembly. Hit some country dirt roads, and no squeaking. Good so far...

 

[swshawaii]

^ Good idea toypaseo, but I tried that. I reversed them after buying the Dorman 38424 kit that doesn't work for DOOR strikers and made for rear hatch bushing replacement. If you look at the pic below, the crescent shaped latch "claws" has worn grooves on both ends of the bushings. As Don @CDW6212R said, the bushing material is not very strong. If the replacement metal bushings work without causing any latch wear, it's very surprising not having seeing this fix anywhere.

 

[toypaseo]

Ahh, I couldn't see if there were wear marks toward one end, or toward both ends...

 

[natenkiki2004]

I've been silently working on this lately and came damn close to a cheap fix today. It works but is awfully tight, makes me feel like I'm going to break the door handle. The tolerances are tighter than you think.

 

[swshawaii]

^ Agree tolerances are very tight. Anyone who's done the temporary "fix" using black electrical tape knows that one wrap is the difference between a door that locks, a bounce back, or cut tape. Had the hack saw out and did the rear doors today. We'll see how it holds up.

 

[toypaseo]

@natenkiki2004, what material is that?

 

[natenkiki2004]

@natenkiki2004, what material is that?

It is brake air line, 5/8" variety I believe.

I think I've got a winner:

 

[CDW6212R]

Well done, I like that PEX sizing better than the one time I checked it at the store. I have to buy some for a garage sink project, I will give that a try again. Thanks for the efforts.

 

[APOC543]

I just did the PEX tubing fix for my Explorer, I got the bushing from Pepboys and they didn't fit except for the rear liftgate. Went to Home depot and for less than $5 I got a lifetime supply. Works and feels great after a few break ins, and no more noise. All my bushings broke off and were missing. Sounded like the doors were gonna come off

 

[njkode]

Those nuts are captive.

The only way they should come out is if you get behind the panel and lift(fish) them out. There is sheetmetal bent up around them and they are made to set down into that "pocket."

Sorry to bring back an old thread but replacing the bushings today on the passenger side my captive nut fell out/down. I took the interior panels off and can't find it. I am going to try in the day again tomorrow but does any one know the part number for these captive nuts???

 

[CDW6212R]

If you mean the one for the striker that is in the door jamb, it will be in there down below the hole. The trim covering that is the one between the doors if that's the front you are working on, or the big monster trim in the back. Those captive nuts are about 2" long with the nut inside, it's a sheet metal thing, a picture would help to locate it.

 

[BrooklynBay]

It's possible to 3D print a new bushing, but to draw the design in a CAD program, the exact measurements need to be taken. What are the wall thickness, length, inner & outer diameter in millimeters?

 

[CDW6212R]

It's possible to 3D print a new bushing, but to draw the design in a CAD program, the exact measurements need to be taken. What are the wall thickness, length, inner & outer diameter in millimeters?

That's a good idea, if the material used is similar or better in lifespan as the OEM or Dorman part. I think the Ford parts are made of a very good material, the Dorman bushings I'm not really sure about. The Ford bushings seem to be great for about ten years with minor deforming, the Dorman bushings show some wear within a year.

 

[njkode]

If you mean the one for the striker that is in the door jamb, it will be in there down below the hole. The trim covering that is the one between the doors if that's the front you are working on, or the big monster trim in the back. Those captive nuts are about 2" long with the nut inside, it's a sheet metal thing, a picture would help to locate it.

Thank you, this morning I was able to remove the plastic interior panels and fish my hand in there and find it.

This project started since the driverside bushing was 100% gone. I replaced that with pex and the drivers door closes solid now. More solid then I have ever heard it. lol. Its my wife's car and she has had it since she was 16 and I'm willing to bet the bushing were never replaced.

The passenger side one is still OEM but I can tell it will not last much longer. I tried to replace that with pex as well but when I do the passenger door will not close all the way. So for now I put the OEM back on until its falls off.

Any ideas why the passenger would not close completely but the driver side will?

 

[LG57]

To get it to close, try to adjust the striker out slightly.

 

[CDW6212R]

The PEX tubing is slightly too large from the OEM bushing. Others have found a way to reduce the diameter of the PEX enough to make it work right. I didn't try it before due to that, but I might try it next year too.