door latch "striker bolt bushing kit"

[Toucan]

I have ended up with three sets of these bushings. None fit my 1998 Explorer XLT 4.0L 6 CYL SOHC. Can anyone point to where I can surely obtain the right ones. TKS

 

[swshawaii]

Have yet to find the correct DOOR striker bushings separately. Here's a complete aftermarket assembly mentioned in reply #8 .

http://www.dormanproducts.com/itemdetail.aspx?ProductID=6998&SEName=38445

 

[CDW6212R]

The bushings found all over the www and HELP sections are 11/16" OD, much too large for any of my several 90's Fords. I took a chance on a box of 50 from eBay, and they are the same oversize bushings. The HELP sections used to carry a (4) pack which did have two that fit there Fords, but not now, not even NAPA.


I'll try the PEX hose then.
Edit, skip the PEX tubing, it is also too large, around 5/8" in diameter.

The proper size needed is very close to 9/16", or the .575" range. This box that I have, it's from Auveco(#18914), and they do measure about 11/16" OD. I will call them tomorrow in KY and see if they know that what they make are too large, and ask them if they will produce the proper sized bushings. I plan to measure a couple of mine, including one that came from Ford last year.

Their phone # is 1-800-354-9816 if anyone else might choose to call them and discuss the bushing sizes needed. Regards,

 

[golfnut6]

Door Latch Bushings

So far no one has reported if the nut on the other end of the bolt is CAPTIVE or falls down in the door frame. BTW, it's a Torx 50.

 

[CDW6212R]

So far no one has reported if the nut on the other end of the bolt is CAPTIVE or falls down in the door frame. BTW, it's a Torx 50.

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."

 

[golfnut6]

OK, here's the latest info. The Dorman bushings do NOT work on passenger doors of my 1993 Explorer. However, the longer of the two Dorman bushings do fit and work on the rear hatch just fine. The fix for the passenger doors is the half inch OD PEX bendable tubing. It's red in color and available at Lowes or Home Depot in 5 foot length for less than $2.00. It's in the plumbing department and the longer lengths are intended for radiant heat systems. Be sure to mark the location of the bushing bolt with a Sharpie before removal. Give it some break in time of a few days worth of open and close.

 

[swshawaii]

^ Good info but all previously mentioned in this thread. Is it really worth the time and effort when you can replace the strikers for less than $10 each shipped from eBay? Only two thread and bushing sizes used for this type of striker. Measure bushing O.D. using a caliper, crescent, or open end wrench. Outline old striker, R&R, tighten 30 ft/lbs using a T-50 Torx socket. Done.

M10-1.5 Thread (Approx. 9/16" O.D. bushing) See specs
http://www.dormanproducts.com/itemdetail.aspx?ProductID=6998&SEName=38445#tab2
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...Xdorman+38445.TRS0&_nkw=dorman+38445&_sacat=0

7/16"-14 Thread (Approx. 11/16" O.D bushing) See specs
http://www.dormanproducts.com/itemdetail.aspx?ProductID=6999&SEName=38448#tab2
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...Xdorman+38448.TRS0&_nkw=dorman+38448&_sacat=0

 

[FirstExplorer]

LMCtruck.com always stocks the strikers.

 

[CDW6212R]

Amazon too, for less, and RockAuto for the best price, DORMAN 38445 for $6.20 each+S&H.

 

[swshawaii]

^ Thanks Don, great heads up. Definitely a wear item, I'm ordering four at that price.

EDIT- Oops, RA shows $13.19 each, or $24.80 for four shipping to Hawaii. I'll stick with eBay. LOL

 

[CDW6212R]

^ Thanks Don, great heads up. Definitely a wear item, I'm ordering four at that price.

EDIT- Oops, RA shows $13.19 each, or $24.80 for four shipping to Hawaii. I'll stick with eBay. LOL

What, is that the right part number? I have four or six of them in my cart right now, that's how I found the part number and price so quickly. My shipping was about $8 for those and a pair of rear swaybar end links from Moog. Is Hawaii a lot higher for shipping from some places?

 

[CDW6212R]

I see that Summit wants $8.97+S&H for them, eBay $8.99 total each, and Amazon is $8.99 from one Prime source. It takes some shopping around to get best pricing, and sometimes you end up buying more of something to get a better deal.

I needed a Sonnax part($65) for my trans, and Summit had the best price for an 8.8 rear cover gasket($22), so I bought two of the 8.8 gaskets, to save their $8.95 shipping charge for under $99 orders.

So I gave another $13 to get a 2nd gasket(which is nice but a little thinner than I was expecting).

 

[swshawaii]

Is Hawaii a lot higher for shipping from some places?

Yes, unfortunately. Some eBay sellers have exorbitant shipping rates to Hawaii, and many won't ship to Alaska or Hawaii at all. Worst experience was Explorer Express when they were an EF vendor. UPS GROUND shipping alone for an X-Spec rear sway bar was almost $250, non negotiable. Ended up buying an Addco 633 from Amazon for $180 including shipping.

 

[CDW6212R]

I see, that's not good. That $250 from EE sounds like a freight shipping rate. I've spoken with those a few times, and that seems to be the low end of their costs.

 

[swshawaii]

Edit, skip the PEX tubing, it is also too large, around 5/8" in diameter.

The proper size needed is very close to 9/16", or the .575" range.

Any reason these bushings need to be plastic? I finally gave in and bought two NAPA (Dorman 38445) strikers on sale for $7.50 each and found the round metal base under the bolts deforms when tightened to the 30 ft/lb. torque spec. Very soft steel compared to stock. Reused the stock strikers with the new NAPA bushings without bending. Was thinking about at cutting these lawn mower wheel bushings in half and giving them a try. Opinions?

https://www.rotarycorp.com/product/2907

 

[natenkiki2004]

It may end up being like a key in the ignition. Key wears so you can replace the cheap part, rather than the expensive one. I'd rather keep replacing plastic bushings than the whole lock mechanism. I desperately need to do mine but just can't bring myself to buy a whole new aftermarket striker.

 

[CDW6212R]

I agree that a metal bushing material would make the door latch itself wear out faster. Who knows how many years or miles it might take to cause the latch jaws to wear too much. It's not a horrible thought, I just wish there was some tubing available that is 9/16" OD.

 

[swshawaii]

Think I found the right size metal bushings I had in my spare parts boxes. The older and ever so popular Moog K7275 end link spacer sleeves are the same 7/16 x 9/16 size. I had many because Moog does not sell the failure prone (thermoplastic rubber) blue bushings separately and eventually upgraded to the ES 9.8103 polyurethane bushings. I'll cut one sleeve to the proper 7/8" bushing length and try it with greased latches.

http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=203218&jsn=__GIP__3__

 

[CDW6212R]

Give it a go, if the OD is the right size, the latch jaws may not be stressed too much.

I think the bushing material Ford and Dorman use isn't very good for long term. The OEM version becomes brittle after a few years, and the Dorman plastic is too soft really. I wonder what the PEX water pipe is made of, if it could be tough enough?

 

[swshawaii]

Moog K7275 sway bar end link metal sleeves seem to work well. Only difference I feel and hear is the latch "pop" is more subdued when the door is opened possibly due to the metal bushing not flexing like the plastic. Reason for going through all this effort is the OEM strikers (F67Z-7822008-AA) range in price from $30 to $75 EACH on line, and I had an annoying rattle that was seemingly coming from the passenger side dash. I suspect the loose plastic bushing would transmit noises from the lock rods connected to the latch and make the noises appear to come from deep within the dash or firewall. Passenger side rattles and squeaks I've been chasing for years are now GONE. Still have some tweaking to do on the striker position, but believe this will be an excellent long term solution that shouldn't wear out. First pic left to right shows worn stock, metal, and Dorman striker bushings. Dorman appears to be nothing more than thin walled PCV pipe showing signs of wear after only a few days.