Striker Plates - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Paul Clark · 08-11-2002, 03:23 PM

Been trying to adjust the door striker plates. Got them so the doors close pretty good. They just don't want to open.
Worn out parts? WD40? Keep adjusting?
Thanks

Blue_71 · 08-11-2002, 05:05 PM

this may be a stupid question, but do you have weather stripping on your cab? no weatherstripping makes them harder to open somehow

Paul Clark · 08-11-2002, 05:20 PM

Nope. No weatherstripping. The guy in town who does street rods said to get them to where they'll close easily by just pushing with a couple of fingers. Got that part. Now I need a crowbar to open them.
Something is out of whack. (what is a whack, anyway?)

Paul Clark · 08-11-2002, 05:22 PM

Back at you Blue71.
This isn't a challenge - just a question.
If weatherstripping make them harder to open, what do you adjust?
Thanks

junkyardjohn · 08-11-2002, 06:11 PM

THE BEST WAY THAT I'VE FOUND TO ADJUST THE DOORS FOR FIT IS WITHOUT THE WEATHERSRIP INSTALLED. AFTER YOU INSTALL THE WEATHERSTRIP, YOUR DOORS WILL BE A HOLE LOT EASIER TO OPEN. THE WEATHERSTRIP COMPRESSES TO ABOUT 1/8" KEEPING THEM PRESSED TO THE OUTBOARD POSSITION & PREVENTS THE DOOR FROM CLOSING TOO FAR. AFTER YOU GET THE WEATHERSTRIP INSTALLED YOU'LL SEE WHAT BLUE_71 WAS SAYING.

johnnyp · 08-12-2002, 09:18 AM

Something doesn't sound right here. After painting, I rehung the doors and adjusted them with no weatherstrip and they close and open very easy. After putting on the weatherstrip they don't really open any easier, they just pop out a little better. It is a little harder to close after the weatherstrip is installed - you have to slam them a little harder but this should ease up a little when the rubber gets compressed with use.

I don't think your door should be "hard" to open even without the weatherstrip. Something not working right.

Paul Clark · 08-12-2002, 09:32 AM

The sprocket on the door that engages the striker plate - How freely should it move? Both ways?
If it's suppossed to move when the door is opened and it doesn't, that would make it hard to open, right?

JimKshortstep4x4 · 08-12-2002, 10:08 AM

Usually there have been three problems with doors when they open hard, 1) The pin on the door handle is not long enough to realease the latch and you have to bend the tab or replace the pin to fix this problem, (This is easy to check, with the door open, depress the button and if the roller will turn easily, it is ok), 2) the most common problem is that the striker is not shimmed out properly and it rubs the side(s) of the latch, and 3) the striker and the latch are not on the same plane and this causes interference.

Good luck!

Jim

Paul Clark · 08-12-2002, 11:15 AM

One problem fixed -
The metal shroud that goes around the sprocket got hit and wouldn't let the sprocket turn.
New problem -
The striker is as low as it can go, but the door still lifts a little when closing and then falls. It won't open without banging on it.
What's left to adjust?
Thanks for all your help.

johnnyp · 08-12-2002, 11:44 AM

Take the striker off and close the door. Does it fit well with equal gap all around? If not, adjust hinges untill it fits good and then see if that fixes the striker problem. If it already fits good, then you'll have to get the striker lower by elongating the square holes in the door pillar which can be done fairly easy with a file.

Southpa · 08-12-2002, 12:47 PM

Also have a look around the edges of the inside of the door, usually the back corner, for any indication that its touching the rocker panel when closing. No door seals means the door will close a little farther in than its supposed to. It could be getting wedged in.

Heres an odd one. I got new seals and recently adjusted doors. You have to close both doors with some authority because of the new seals. But they don't seem to close as well with the windows down, whats with that?

Nichboy · 08-12-2002, 01:45 PM

Southpa thats interesting, with my windows down my doors close alot easier, it's almost like there is a vacumm with the windows up. I know this truck isn't that tight.

johnnyp · 08-12-2002, 01:56 PM

Southpa, when you put the new rubber in did you butt the ends together where they meet at the bottom of the door? You need to cut one of the ends at about a 30 degree angle so the air will vent from the tubes when you slam the door. You can also place a small hole in the tube at the top center of the door to act as a vent.

08-11-2002, 03:23 PM	#1
Paul Clark Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Center Point, IA Posts: 502	Striker Plates Been trying to adjust the door striker plates. Got them so the doors close pretty good. They just don't want to open. Worn out parts? WD40? Keep adjusting? Thanks

08-11-2002, 06:11 PM	#5
junkyardjohn Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SOMERSET KY. Posts: 6,427	THE BEST WAY THAT I'VE FOUND TO ADJUST THE DOORS FOR FIT IS WITHOUT THE WEATHERSRIP INSTALLED. AFTER YOU INSTALL THE WEATHERSTRIP, YOUR DOORS WILL BE A HOLE LOT EASIER TO OPEN. THE WEATHERSTRIP COMPRESSES TO ABOUT 1/8" KEEPING THEM PRESSED TO THE OUTBOARD POSSITION & PREVENTS THE DOOR FROM CLOSING TOO FAR. AFTER YOU GET THE WEATHERSTRIP INSTALLED YOU'LL SEE WHAT BLUE_71 WAS SAYING. __________________ junkyardjohn 69 1 TON TOW TRUCK // 84 4WD CUCV BLAZER// 85 1 TON 4WD STAKE TRUCK// 86 M1031 5/4 TON 4WD CUCV// ALOT OF OLD TRUCKS FOR ONE OLD MAN TO DRIVE. THERES ROOM FOR ALL OF GODS CREATURES RIGHT NEXT TO MY MASHED POTATOES// LIFE MEMBER OF P.E.T.A (PEOPLE EATING TASTY ANIMALS) DON'T RENT U-HAUL ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH IT WILL AMAZE PART OF THE PEOPLE & ASTONISH THE REST

08-12-2002, 09:18 AM	#6
johnnyp Keepin' It Stock Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Grand Island, Nebraska, USA Posts: 554	Something doesn't sound right here. After painting, I rehung the doors and adjusted them with no weatherstrip and they close and open very easy. After putting on the weatherstrip they don't really open any easier, they just pop out a little better. It is a little harder to close after the weatherstrip is installed - you have to slam them a little harder but this should ease up a little when the rubber gets compressed with use. I don't think your door should be "hard" to open even without the weatherstrip. Something not working right. __________________ 72 Sierra Grande - Maych Forget about "do it right the first time". Do it wrong the first time to learn how, then do it right the second time.

08-12-2002, 11:44 AM	#10
johnnyp Keepin' It Stock Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Grand Island, Nebraska, USA Posts: 554	Take the striker off and close the door. Does it fit well with equal gap all around? If not, adjust hinges untill it fits good and then see if that fixes the striker problem. If it already fits good, then you'll have to get the striker lower by elongating the square holes in the door pillar which can be done fairly easy with a file. __________________ 72 Sierra Grande - Maych Forget about "do it right the first time". Do it wrong the first time to learn how, then do it right the second time.

08-12-2002, 12:47 PM	#11
Southpa Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 2,410	Also have a look around the edges of the inside of the door, usually the back corner, for any indication that its touching the rocker panel when closing. No door seals means the door will close a little farther in than its supposed to. It could be getting wedged in. Heres an odd one. I got new seals and recently adjusted doors. You have to close both doors with some authority because of the new seals. But they don't seem to close as well with the windows down, whats with that? __________________ 1970 GMC 1500 Custom Original 350/TH350 Victoria, BC, Canada You can wish in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first.

08-11-2002, 05:20 PM	#3
Paul Clark Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Center Point, IA Posts: 502	Nope. No weatherstripping. The guy in town who does street rods said to get them to where they'll close easily by just pushing with a couple of fingers. Got that part. Now I need a crowbar to open them. Something is out of whack. (what is a whack, anyway?)

08-11-2002, 05:22 PM	#4
Paul Clark Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Center Point, IA Posts: 502	Back at you Blue71. This isn't a challenge - just a question. If weatherstripping make them harder to open, what do you adjust? Thanks

08-12-2002, 09:32 AM	#7
Paul Clark Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Center Point, IA Posts: 502	The sprocket on the door that engages the striker plate - How freely should it move? Both ways? If it's suppossed to move when the door is opened and it doesn't, that would make it hard to open, right?

08-12-2002, 10:08 AM	#8
JimKshortstep4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Muskegon,MI,USA Posts: 6,026	Usually there have been three problems with doors when they open hard, 1) The pin on the door handle is not long enough to realease the latch and you have to bend the tab or replace the pin to fix this problem, (This is easy to check, with the door open, depress the button and if the roller will turn easily, it is ok), 2) the most common problem is that the striker is not shimmed out properly and it rubs the side(s) of the latch, and 3) the striker and the latch are not on the same plane and this causes interference. Good luck! Jim

08-12-2002, 11:15 AM	#9
Paul Clark Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Center Point, IA Posts: 502	One problem fixed - The metal shroud that goes around the sprocket got hit and wouldn't let the sprocket turn. New problem - The striker is as low as it can go, but the door still lifts a little when closing and then falls. It won't open without banging on it. What's left to adjust? Thanks for all your help.

08-12-2002, 01:45 PM	#12
Nichboy Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Oklahoma City Oklahoma Posts: 173	Southpa thats interesting, with my windows down my doors close alot easier, it's almost like there is a vacumm with the windows up. I know this truck isn't that tight. __________________ 1971 Chevy SWB Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

08-12-2002, 01:56 PM	#13
johnnyp Keepin' It Stock Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Grand Island, Nebraska, USA Posts: 554	Southpa, when you put the new rubber in did you butt the ends together where they meet at the bottom of the door? You need to cut one of the ends at about a 30 degree angle so the air will vent from the tubes when you slam the door. You can also place a small hole in the tube at the top center of the door to act as a vent. __________________ 72 Sierra Grande - Maych Forget about "do it right the first time". Do it wrong the first time to learn how, then do it right the second time.



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