Doors don't shut right - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Jeepwm69 · 05-05-2009, 05:37 PM

Have an 83 GMC that the doors won't latch tightly on. The weatherstripping is original, and I thought that it might have shrunk a bit, allowing the doors to rattle. I also thought it might be door sag (like the 88-98) but after I looked at the doors and pulled up on the corner they don't have much play in them at all, so not sure what I should do to get these things latching properly again.

The drivers door is the worse of the two. It will latch, but not latch tightly, so it rattles as you drive.

Thanks for any advice.

JohnC · 05-05-2009, 05:44 PM

Adjust the striker, or replace it. It's pretty common.

Driveway Dreams · 05-05-2009, 07:10 PM

try that. Good luck and let us know.

6772fan · 05-05-2009, 09:48 PM

I would bet your door strikers are missing the round plastic sleeves that go on them. If so, you can find them at your local HELP section at the parts house. It makes a huge difference and makes the door easy to shut and latch up nicely.

Turbo85GMC · 05-06-2009, 07:07 AM

Once the plastic parts fell off on mine, the doors did the same thing.

Jeepwm69 · 05-06-2009, 08:28 AM

What do these sleeves look like? I don't remember there ever being anything there other than the pin.

JohnC · 05-06-2009, 08:45 AM

They are a round plastic bushing/sleeve that is around the striker. Head to your local store and as stated before check out the HELP section. They should have the whole striker and just the plastic pieces

Rain City · 05-06-2009, 04:33 PM

YES! Just did this myself, worked awesome - Thanks guys!

same_me · 05-07-2009, 02:12 PM

I bought some yesterday myself. They were about $8.

Jeepwm69 · 05-06-2009, 04:42 PM

Thanks for the help. I'll check those out and see if that fixes the problem. Won't report back for a few days. This is Dad's truck and I'm going to visit late next week.

Thanks again.

Square84 · 05-06-2009, 04:45 PM

that should fix it but be sure to take your rear speakers out and grab the plate that the striker threads into. on mine i guess the spot welds broke so i took the striker out and the plate fell down into the cab corner and i never found it i had to get new plates from the salvage yard.

tgh117 · 05-06-2009, 06:25 PM

A quick fix you can try to see if that helps the problem is to take some electrical tape and wrap it around 4 or 5 times and see if that tightens them up. The plastic rings always break off over time. Good luck.

86Hoopty · 05-08-2009, 04:54 PM

yeah, my dad put them on his 75 and it worked great

Jeepwm69 · 05-14-2009, 08:28 AM

I'm going to get new pins, but since the plastic pieces seem to break off frequently, I figured I'd get some extra bushings too so I'd have them on hand. I'm big on "spare parts".

ron350 · 05-14-2009, 11:37 AM

Makes me wonder how brass or aluminum striker bolt bushing would work?

ElGracho · 05-14-2009, 09:46 PM

You can order just the bushings from some of the common parts vendors. I got a bunch of then from Chevyduty (now classicparts).

Jeepwm69 · 05-22-2009, 12:43 PM

Put new door striker on drivers side, and used a Ford bushing on the factory pin on the passenger side. NO RATTLES

The ford bushing is tight/undersized on the GM pin, but I pushed it up on there a little bit and then using the spacer/washer, screwed those up on the pin, and that pushed the bushing up onto the pin. Works fine.

05-05-2009, 05:37 PM	#1
Jeepwm69 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 679	Doors don't shut right Have an 83 GMC that the doors won't latch tightly on. The weatherstripping is original, and I thought that it might have shrunk a bit, allowing the doors to rattle. I also thought it might be door sag (like the 88-98) but after I looked at the doors and pulled up on the corner they don't have much play in them at all, so not sure what I should do to get these things latching properly again. The drivers door is the worse of the two. It will latch, but not latch tightly, so it rattles as you drive. Thanks for any advice.

05-05-2009, 05:44 PM	#2
JohnC Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 7,461	Re: Doors don't shut right Adjust the striker, or replace it. It's pretty common.

05-05-2009, 07:10 PM	#3
Driveway Dreams I have car A.D.D. Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greeley, Northern Colorado Posts: 4,147	Re: Doors don't shut right try that. Good luck and let us know. __________________ -Gerald Building vehicles in memory of the first "car guy" I ever knew, my Grandpa. Bob Dunham 1935-2009. Rest in peace. 61 GMC Suburban SOLD The 86 build thread SOLD Are you a Colorado member?Click here.

05-05-2009, 09:48 PM	#4
6772fan Active Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: East Texas Posts: 380	Re: Doors don't shut right I would bet your door strikers are missing the round plastic sleeves that go on them. If so, you can find them at your local HELP section at the parts house. It makes a huge difference and makes the door easy to shut and latch up nicely. __________________ Lane 1979 Chevy SWB- (Second owner- Father in Law was first) 1979 Chevy Silverado SWB-Red/Red

05-06-2009, 07:07 AM	#5
Turbo85GMC Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Medford, MA Posts: 307	Re: Doors don't shut right Once the plastic parts fell off on mine, the doors did the same thing. __________________ '85 GMC 1500 "Friends don't let friends drive stock!"

05-06-2009, 08:28 AM	#6
Jeepwm69 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 679	Re: Doors don't shut right What do these sleeves look like? I don't remember there ever being anything there other than the pin.

05-06-2009, 08:45 AM	#7
JohnC Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 7,461	Re: Doors don't shut right They are a round plastic bushing/sleeve that is around the striker. Head to your local store and as stated before check out the HELP section. They should have the whole striker and just the plastic pieces

05-06-2009, 04:33 PM	#8
Rain City Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 32	Re: Doors don't shut right YES! Just did this myself, worked awesome - Thanks guys!

05-07-2009, 02:12 PM	#9
same_me Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Athens, AL Posts: 58	Re: Doors don't shut right I bought some yesterday myself. They were about $8.

05-06-2009, 04:42 PM	#10
Jeepwm69 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 679	Re: Doors don't shut right Thanks for the help. I'll check those out and see if that fixes the problem. Won't report back for a few days. This is Dad's truck and I'm going to visit late next week. Thanks again.

05-06-2009, 04:45 PM	#11
Square84 I don't think these pills work Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: burkburnett,Tx Posts: 626	Re: Doors don't shut right that should fix it but be sure to take your rear speakers out and grab the plate that the striker threads into. on mine i guess the spot welds broke so i took the striker out and the plate fell down into the cab corner and i never found it i had to get new plates from the salvage yard. __________________ SQUARE84 90 SUBURBAN

05-06-2009, 06:25 PM	#12
tgh117 Crazy Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Emmaus, Pa Posts: 203	Re: Doors don't shut right A quick fix you can try to see if that helps the problem is to take some electrical tape and wrap it around 4 or 5 times and see if that tightens them up. The plastic rings always break off over time. Good luck. __________________ 77 SB Stepside in a bunch of pieces scattered around the garage.

05-08-2009, 04:54 PM	#13
86Hoopty Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Surrey B.C. Posts: 44	Re: Doors don't shut right yeah, my dad put them on his 75 and it worked great

05-14-2009, 08:28 AM	#14
Jeepwm69 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 679	Re: Doors don't shut right I'm going to get new pins, but since the plastic pieces seem to break off frequently, I figured I'd get some extra bushings too so I'd have them on hand. I'm big on "spare parts".

05-14-2009, 11:37 AM	#15
ron350 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Birmingham AL Posts: 254	Re: Doors don't shut right Makes me wonder how brass or aluminum striker bolt bushing would work? __________________ Stock 75 C10 step side. 350 2 BBL, 350 trans. 150K miles.



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05-14-2009, 09:46 PM	#16
ElGracho Gentleman Jim Driver Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 1,550	Re: Doors don't shut right You can order just the bushings from some of the common parts vendors. I got a bunch of then from Chevyduty (now classicparts). __________________ Joe '75 GMC Gentleman Jim '84 Chev C10 Short Wide - Super duper plain (manual steering, manual brakes, no dome light, no cig lighter) '85 Chev C10 Short Wide - Super plain Vortec 4.8 4L60E trans also: '81 K30, '83 C30 Crew Dually, '84 M1028 CUCV, '85 M1009 CUCV, another '85 C10 SWB, '89 R3500 Flatbed

05-22-2009, 12:43 PM	#17
Jeepwm69 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 679	Re: Doors don't shut right Put new door striker on drivers side, and used a Ford bushing on the factory pin on the passenger side. NO RATTLES The ford bushing is tight/undersized on the GM pin, but I pushed it up on there a little bit and then using the spacer/washer, screwed those up on the pin, and that pushed the bushing up onto the pin. Works fine.

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