What is the best way to align/adjust the doors ?

[Ed_K]

I just reattached one of the doors to my BJ8. I need to adjust the hinge locations in order to get the door alignment correct. Is there a good way to do this other than trial and error ? Should I just loosen one hinge at a time, move it a little and then check the door alignment again or ??? Thanks for any advice.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Hi Ed,

Looks like you and I are at the same place with our cars. I just got mine painted and they are adjusting the doors.

Yes, trial and error. They use u shaped shims under the hinges to help if it is really bad. Other than that, it is adjusted by the hinges and the door latch. A little movement at a time, here and there. The latch should be adjusted to pull the door in or out. Not up or down. Totally time consuming fur sure dude.

 

[John Loftus]

Re: What is the best way to align/adjust the doors

Ed,

Unfortunately, lots of trial and error. Once you do get them set perfectly, drill two small holes in each hinge (completely through the hinge and backing plate). Then, if you need to remove the doors for painting or any other reason you can use piano wire or pins to align the door.

Cheers,
John

 

[Ed_K]

Re: What is the best way to align/adjust the doors

That is a good idea about drilling alignment holes for future use.... I guess it's going to be trial and error until I get lucky. Thanks for the replies, Ed

 

[roscoe]

Re: What is the best way to align/adjust the doors

Ed,
I found that the easiest way for me was to snug the screws on the hinges just enough to hold the door where it sits, and use a dead blow mallet on the hinges themselves to slightly move them a little at a time. If you loosen the screw enough to move the door by hand I find that I usually end up moving it too much and then have to move it back. I also drilled holes for alignment as it took me quite a while to get everything where I wanted and then I removed the doors for painting. I sure didn't want to go through the alighnment process again.

Jon

 

[BlueRidge1]

Re: What is the best way to align/adjust the doors

Hi Ed, I just put my shroud ,all for fenders ,Bonnet and both doors on this week. Had a little trouble fiting the drivers door as it was wanting to pitch upward in the rear.
I took off the hinge and squeezeed it 200 thousanths in my vise and it fit really well after that, You can bend the hinges but I am not sure what the limits are. Bob

 

[Dave Russell]

Re: What is the best way to align/adjust the doors

You wouldn't believe how pro body shops align stuff. Had a door once that didn't line up. Friend - body shop guy looked around, found a rock of the correct size, put the rock in the hinge joint, & forced the door partially shut. The hinges bent & he had a perfect fit. He said that in the shop he would have normally used a block of wood instead of the rock. You DO have to know exactly where to put the rock & how hard to push.
D /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[roscoe]

Re: What is the best way to align/adjust the doors

The rock in the door hinge is a bit like what sometimes goes on in an aircraft propeller shop. The toughest thing is to get the owner out of sight while you honk an a 6 foot breaker bar to repitch or slightly bend a blade. There are no "rules" for stuff like this. Do what you think will work. Useful experience comes from what doesn't work as well as what does. Spend time looking at the project and its needs will reveal themselves to you. Meet the needs and you're done.

 

[Ed_K]

Re: What is the best way to align/adjust the doors

Hi Bob,
It sounds like you are passing me in getting r done. I used a rubber mallet and a block of wood to bang on the hinges after I loosened the bolts up a bit. I got one door looking acceptable but not perfect. With the door lined up as good as I can get it. It looks like if I took a big wack on the edge of the front wing with a big rubber hammer and a block of wood, the alignment would be perfect. I wonder if it would move forward a bit at the top without deforming and making me wish I never thought of such a silly idea ? I think I will leave well enough alone. These cars were never perfect anyway. Now for the wing window and track installation.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif