Re: door hard to close
 

I love those little gray bushings. I just replaced both door strikers on my 84 - they looked to be the original 30 year old strikers by the way - and now both doors are easier to close. The best thing is no passenger door rattle when I go over bumps. Now I just need to grease the hinges.

Re: door hard to close
 

I replaced all 4 striker insulator sleeves on both my trucks, the doors now shut with one finger.

Attachment 1165042

Desert

Re: door hard to close
 

not the best pic. but I went to home depot $3.05 in plastic tube not pvc. and it works like a champ

Re: door hard to close
 

slip the pipe and install

Re: door hard to close
 

x2 on the pex tubing....works like a charm.

Re: door hard to close
 

Dino,

Did you use glue or adhesive of any kind or does the plastic tubing just spin free? Also, the pic is a bit blurry... is the tube 1/2" x 5" and does it come in black too?

RIZ

Re: door hard to close
 

No. Well... Kind of... You stick one end on the striker and the other end in the latch and then whoof on it with a breaker bar and bend the door, hinges, and striker until it closes good. Usually it takes a lot of up, some down, and a tad up again. Feels wrong when you're doing it but it works like magic. Keep an eye on the fender/door gap while you're whoofing on it, things that are way out of whack will let the door move so much that it contacts the fender and chips the paint off.

Using the plastic pipe for a replacement bushing is a neat idea, I'm going to give that a try! I assume it must push the latch just a bit further naturally so it clicks over to full latch and holds? I suppose it also keeps it from rattling on rough roads too.

Re: door hard to close
 

The tubing is 1/2". Go to a plumbing supply store and tell them you only need a tiny piece and they might let you cut it and take it for nothing, which is what the guy at Ace Hardware did for me. You'll need a piece 3/4" long per striker. Slit it down the middle, gently spread it open, and push it onto the striker. No glue...just arrange the slit so it is facing away from the door. I have read about this a while back and decided to try it. No more slamming the doors now. Only color around here is white, red, blue, and yellow. Sure bets replacing the striker. If this doesn't do you any good, then there is other problems, like the pins or hinges.

Re: door hard to close
 

I have been working on my K5 Blazer for a couple years now and hope to finish it next year if all goes well. I have replaced both door hinge pins and installed brand new door weather strip so everything is pretty tight. I just got back from Home Depot and bought 1/2" x 5' PEX plastic tubing, I cut two 3/4" lengths and put them on the strikers and the doors seem to shut much better now even with the weather strip I just installed over the weekend so I'm pretty happy how this simple $1.77 tip has improved my doors shutting better. These are the types of tips I just love. Thanks.

RIZ

Re: door hard to close
 

I am looking for a used "Butta" tool if you have one laying around let me know.
How many times have you used one after you align everybody's doors?

Re: door hard to close
 

I searched Eastwoods website and cannot find a door alignment tool. Anyone know where to get one of these?

Re: door hard to close
 

^^^^^

Never mind on that above. Did a quick Google search. I ended up ordering one just now off Amazon.com for $22.85. Headed down to the parts store to see about picking up a new hinge pin and bushing set. I replaced my striker bolt about 2 months ago. Made no difference. We'll see what happens after I replace the hinge pin and bushings.

Re: door hard to close
 

There are some good videos on how to do this.
I basically went down the same road you are heading.
For me, replacing the striker and bushings was not enough to re-align the door.

I have to get to the hinge bolts themselves and "fit" the door.
Accessing the bolts is not all that easy.

Your truck is newer and might be fine with just the hinge bushings.

Watch this, it shows you all the stuff you need!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Je6I4EVjJo

Re: door hard to close
 

I have been trying to figure out why 1: My door rattles while driving down the road and 2: Why it's so hard to shut. Man I love these posts. How stupidly easy this was to fix. Thanks guys!!

Re: door hard to close
 

I cant find this tool on the Eastwood site. I used all sorts of searches and no luck.
Can anyone give me some help?

Re: door hard to close
 

here is a link make sure its compatible https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/ste...5-p-11726.aspx

here is another one http://www.top-downsolutions.com/ez-...alignment-tool

Re: door hard to close
 

Thanks Dayton 601

Re: door hard to close
 

Replace mine last month they shut like a Cadillac know........easy fix

Re: door hard to close
 

Do you have to remove the front fender in order to loosen the door hinge bolts that are attached to the cowl?