replaced door hinge bushings, door now sticks out

[cerberusaardvark]

i need to know how to adjust a door to sit correctly. my door is straight and sits level horizontally but it sticks out from the car and rattles. the striker is fully engaged but i can still push on the door and it seems like it needs to grab harder or something

when i replcaed the bushings i outlined the hinges with sharpie so i could rebolt them where they were originally. i dont know how but something must have been misaligned.

 

[FR-425]

The striker can be moved as well, It's just a matter of adjust and test until you get it right.

Start with the striker.

Once you get the door to shut flush and snug, then loosen the hing bolts, BUT leave one of the top bolts tight enough to hold the door.

Then push the bottom in until it is flush at the bottom of the fender.

Tighten only one bolt on the bottom, loosen the top hing bolt and push that in until flush with the top of the fender.

Keep repeating until you are satisfied, then tighten all the bolts. Done!

You need to keep the hing bolts snug enough to keep the door from moving around each time you close it for a look, but loose enough that you can gently bang the door with your palm to move it without denting it.

Make sense?

 

[cerberusaardvark]

It does. As far as i can tell my door is aligned right but how do I move the striker to adjust it? There's only one hole and it seemed like it would only thread one way. Do u adjust by bending the metal c shaped band ?

 

[littlebro294]

Does the striker have the plastic on it? I had the same problem when I bought my X but couldn't figure out what it was and thought it was the latch assembly messing up, once i had a second pair of eyes look at it they said that it should have the plastic tube on the striker. My rattle went away and the door closes fully now.

 

[swshawaii]

Outline the striker with a Sharpie or pencil before loosening.

Striker Door Latch Adjustments
http://www.scribd.com/doc/219582510/Striker-Door-Latch-Adjustments

 

[cerberusaardvark]

Interesting. Yea I took off the plastic sleeve. So u adjust by rotating the support c band on the striker

 

[swshawaii]

Be patient. Slightly move the striker in or out keeping the "C" at 90 degrees to the pillar.

Why did you remove the bushing? Without the "plastic sleeve" it will never latch tightly.

 

[littlebro294]

Put the plastic sleeve back on and see if it helps, thats a main part of it matching up.

 

[FR-425]

When you loosen the striker the whole thing moves. The hole the striker bolt goes through is about 1" in diameter. The nut is on a "capture" slot and can not fall down in the pillar.

 

[cerberusaardvark]

I took off The plastic sleeve bc i thought it was part of the packaging. Like a protector 9n a contact surface. Also the other strikers don't have the plastic sleeve. I figured it was going to get ripped to shreds anyways. It's really supposed to be kept on? Also sorry for my spelling, I hate typing on my phone.

 

[FR-425]

Yes: The nylon bushings are sold in packs, in the "help" stuff at auto zone.

You need to get those on all doors. you'll be impressed at how much noise the doors used to make, rattling around on the bare strikers.

If you run around without the nylon bushings you will destroy the latch, not fun or cheap to replace those!

 

[swshawaii]

The Dorman/Help #38424 kit doesn't fit DOOR strikers.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=340603

As shown they are replacement bushings for rear liftgates or truck tailgates.
http://www.dormanproducts.com/itemdetail.aspx?ProductID=15607&SEName=38424

 

[cerberusaardvark]

excellent to know. i just moved my striker and was able to get the door to sit flush with the other one. ill go stick that sleeve on there now.