door closing alignment issues.. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

bguild · 03-25-2008, 07:15 PM

I have a 67 truck that I just got some good used doors for.. I have the front clip off and I am getting ready to repair the cab.. I put my new doors on to make sure I could get them aligned with the cab floors bad.. I want to make sure when I start welding the floor that my cab isnt out of wack and its aligned right.. I just bolted them up and the door is hitting the striker plate on the cab.. I played with it a little and its like the cab is out of true and the doors are a 1.4 off --- the seem to be way to far fwd and the just hit the metal of the plate and the will not close.. They do it on both sides so it almost is like I am doing something wrong.. I am tempted to buy a better cab anyway and want to make sure I should do that. Please let me know your suggestions because I will have time tomorrow night to play with them and I want to make sure my cab isnt f'd up before i weld my floors. I am a rookie at this and have never aligned doors so I know its just me screwing up but who knows maybe this is rusted beyond repair.

Blue'72 · 03-25-2008, 07:46 PM

Could it be that the strikers need to be adjusted? They can be loosened and moved around some.

bguild · 03-25-2008, 07:52 PM

well I dont know maybe.. but it looks like the styker plates just hit the latch in the wrong place.. like the doors need to moved a 1/4 inch back towards the bed.. I tried to do it quickly and cant even get close.. I am just worried maybe something is way out of alignment on the cab.. I need all new floors and rockers anyway so it might be better to buy the 500 dollar one I found that is already finished sitting in primer about 40 min from here.
I just dont want to completly take the cab off and get rid of it and figure out how to get the new one here if I dont have too. But if it will save me tons of time and money and headaches I might as well fork the 500 bones and get the one already done.

Luvlegs · 03-25-2008, 07:53 PM

If you don't have any floor in, connecting the firewall to the rear of the cab, and the rear of the cab is moved (moving) away from the firewall.... that could be the issue.. can't tell how much floor you have out (if any)

67ChevyRedneck · 03-25-2008, 07:55 PM

The striker plates have several shims behind them. Remove a shim or two on the top and bottom, see if that helps. The striker plates also have enough "play" to move up/down, in/out.

The tolerances on these trucks were TERRIBLE back in the day. I measured a door from my 67 and one from my dad's 67, and there was an 1/8" difference in the width of the doors!

bguild · 03-25-2008, 08:11 PM

Thanks guys for all the help.. The floors are bad but not really bad. The rockers and cab corners are gone and then the floor is gone about 2 inches in or so.. The cab inner kick area is also rusted through. It can be repaired but by looking at i wouldnt think the cab could shift that much but again the truck is 40 years old.. I am leaning on trying to raise 500 bucks and buying the one that is done.. Then I can just have it painted and bolt the thing on.
Anyway I will play with them tomorrow night but still not sure what I am doing but I will wing it.

sjarrett71 · 03-25-2008, 08:50 PM

I think I would seriously consider buying the good cab for 500 bucks. If ALL the body work is done and it's in primer, it sounds like a good deal. It would save you a TON on time and probably be cheaper in the long run.

bguild · 03-25-2008, 10:14 PM

That is what I am starting to think.

Ace in the hole · 03-26-2008, 01:08 AM

got the same issue with my cab right now. I'm going to do it the hard way and keep my cab but my doors are off just a touch too. Not quite a 1/4" like yours, mine will close but I do have to do some adjusting to them. I think I may need to add a shim or 2 to the cab latch plate to make it catch better. Sound like my floor was about where yours is. It has taken me a lot of hours to get it where it is and I still have a lot of work to do. It's hard replacing floor pieces when most of your alinement reference points have rusted away.

67ChevyRedneck · 03-26-2008, 01:24 AM

Yeah, forgot to add, look at where your striker is hitting the door latch, it is possible as Ace in the hole posted above, that your strikers need to be shimmed out some too... either condition could cause it not to close.

bguild · 03-26-2008, 01:32 AM

yeah that is my problem the stryker plate hits the latch and it dosent even make it to the right area to close.. I am going to play with it tomorrow night and see if I cant get it better..

19673ontree · 03-26-2008, 02:00 AM

I'd like to see some pictures of what you have going on , but I can say this , 67's seem to me to be a little more out of line and hard to get good looking gap's than the 68 to 72's for some reason , maybe where it's the first year ,
I LIKE TO HAVE NEVER got my door gap's to suite me when I was doing my 67
here is some old photos of my 67 under construction , it take's a lot of metalwork and bondo to get U'M to look right at home on your own !!!

you can see the door to cab fit in these pic's pretty good ,

this last one is just to make you work harder !!!

gmc67swb · 03-26-2008, 03:14 AM

A lot of people make the mistake of trying to adjust the door to the striker.Been doing body work for 30 years, pull your striker out align your door with the fender,cab corner,and rocker, get it in the hole where you want it then put the striker back in and adjust it to the latch. You do have plenty of play with the striker to move it up ,down ,in and out. Hope this helps....

bguild · 03-26-2008, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmc67swb

A lot of people make the mistake of trying to adjust the door to the striker.Been doing body work for 30 years, pull your striker out align your door with the fender,cab corner,and rocker, get it in the hole where you want it then put the striker back in and adjust it to the latch. You do have plenty of play with the striker to move it up ,down ,in and out. Hope this helps....

That does help and makes total sense.. If I get the doors aligned and I have to put 1/4 of spacers I know I have issues but it makes sense to align the door then the striker. Thanks for the help.

**Green Machine** · 03-26-2008, 04:00 AM

Yes - absolutlely, remove the strikers from the cab, then adjust the doors, If possible have all of the glass and door regulators and other parts in the door, the extra weight will make the door hang just a little lower. If you are doing these on the frame, always intall new cab mounts and make sure the frame is in level spot. The top window frames can be bent in or out and even tweaked front to back a little if you need some fine tuning.

bguild · 03-26-2008, 05:39 PM

yeah I plan to align some tonight... I cant do new frame mounts..i just want to make sure my cab is F'd up before I decide to sell it or repair it.. There is a part of me that say buy a welder and go for it and then a part of me that says why waste the time when I cna get one done.. I am in no hurry so I am starting to lean towards just fixing what I have..
question.. When replacing the floor whats the order of putting the pieces in.. do I work on the cab mounts under neath first then the floor pans and then work my way out?

67mater · 08-20-2008, 01:23 PM

ttt

Ol'Rover · 08-20-2008, 01:28 PM

is the cab floor rotted so bad that the rockers are no longer connected if it is, (would be exactly like mine) i have to push on the back of the cab to get the door to close.

03-25-2008, 07:15 PM	#1
bguild Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: kansas city mo Posts: 898	door closing alignment issues.. I have a 67 truck that I just got some good used doors for.. I have the front clip off and I am getting ready to repair the cab.. I put my new doors on to make sure I could get them aligned with the cab floors bad.. I want to make sure when I start welding the floor that my cab isnt out of wack and its aligned right.. I just bolted them up and the door is hitting the striker plate on the cab.. I played with it a little and its like the cab is out of true and the doors are a 1.4 off --- the seem to be way to far fwd and the just hit the metal of the plate and the will not close.. They do it on both sides so it almost is like I am doing something wrong.. I am tempted to buy a better cab anyway and want to make sure I should do that. Please let me know your suggestions because I will have time tomorrow night to play with them and I want to make sure my cab isnt f'd up before i weld my floors. I am a rookie at this and have never aligned doors so I know its just me screwing up but who knows maybe this is rusted beyond repair.

03-25-2008, 07:46 PM	#2
Blue'72 Skinned knuckles Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Longview, Washington Posts: 1,126	Re: door closing alignment issues.. Could it be that the strikers need to be adjusted? They can be loosened and moved around some. __________________ '72 C-10 longbox soon to be short step! '72 Chevelle (sold in January) '07 Sebring '01 Ranger (I've gotta long commute..) If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done? My build thread - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=276904

03-25-2008, 07:52 PM	#3
bguild Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: kansas city mo Posts: 898	Re: door closing alignment issues.. well I dont know maybe.. but it looks like the styker plates just hit the latch in the wrong place.. like the doors need to moved a 1/4 inch back towards the bed.. I tried to do it quickly and cant even get close.. I am just worried maybe something is way out of alignment on the cab.. I need all new floors and rockers anyway so it might be better to buy the 500 dollar one I found that is already finished sitting in primer about 40 min from here. I just dont want to completly take the cab off and get rid of it and figure out how to get the new one here if I dont have too. But if it will save me tons of time and money and headaches I might as well fork the 500 bones and get the one already done. Last edited by bguild; 03-25-2008 at 07:52 PM.

03-25-2008, 07:53 PM	#4
Luvlegs Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Smith Mountain Lake Virginia Posts: 1,537	Re: door closing alignment issues.. If you don't have any floor in, connecting the firewall to the rear of the cab, and the rear of the cab is moved (moving) away from the firewall.... that could be the issue.. can't tell how much floor you have out (if any) __________________ "A cat will almost always blink when hit between the eyes with a ball peen hammer" (you don't always have to state the obvious) Wear your PPE! You can eat with false teeth but you can't see with a false eye. 1959 Studebaker Silverhawk 350/400 1972 C10 L6 3OTT 2005 F350 - Built - whew!

03-25-2008, 07:55 PM	#5
67ChevyRedneck Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 23,090	Re: door closing alignment issues.. The striker plates have several shims behind them. Remove a shim or two on the top and bottom, see if that helps. The striker plates also have enough "play" to move up/down, in/out. The tolerances on these trucks were TERRIBLE back in the day. I measured a door from my 67 and one from my dad's 67, and there was an 1/8" difference in the width of the doors! __________________ Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride American Born, Country by the Grace of God 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications! Last edited by 67ChevyRedneck; 03-25-2008 at 08:00 PM.

03-25-2008, 08:11 PM	#6
bguild Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: kansas city mo Posts: 898	Re: door closing alignment issues.. Thanks guys for all the help.. The floors are bad but not really bad. The rockers and cab corners are gone and then the floor is gone about 2 inches in or so.. The cab inner kick area is also rusted through. It can be repaired but by looking at i wouldnt think the cab could shift that much but again the truck is 40 years old.. I am leaning on trying to raise 500 bucks and buying the one that is done.. Then I can just have it painted and bolt the thing on. Anyway I will play with them tomorrow night but still not sure what I am doing but I will wing it.

03-25-2008, 08:50 PM	#7
sjarrett71 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rolla, MO Posts: 2,463	Re: door closing alignment issues.. I think I would seriously consider buying the good cab for 500 bucks. If ALL the body work is done and it's in primer, it sounds like a good deal. It would save you a TON on time and probably be cheaper in the long run. __________________ -Scott-

03-25-2008, 10:14 PM	#8
bguild Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: kansas city mo Posts: 898	Re: door closing alignment issues.. That is what I am starting to think.

03-26-2008, 01:08 AM	#9
Ace in the hole Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA Posts: 538	Re: door closing alignment issues.. got the same issue with my cab right now. I'm going to do it the hard way and keep my cab but my doors are off just a touch too. Not quite a 1/4" like yours, mine will close but I do have to do some adjusting to them. I think I may need to add a shim or 2 to the cab latch plate to make it catch better. Sound like my floor was about where yours is. It has taken me a lot of hours to get it where it is and I still have a lot of work to do. It's hard replacing floor pieces when most of your alinement reference points have rusted away. __________________ 1970 K20, 350--- SOLD 05 silverado extended cab short box- duramax Jeep wrangler unlimited

03-26-2008, 01:24 AM	#10
67ChevyRedneck Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 23,090	Re: door closing alignment issues.. Yeah, forgot to add, look at where your striker is hitting the door latch, it is possible as Ace in the hole posted above, that your strikers need to be shimmed out some too... either condition could cause it not to close. __________________ Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride American Born, Country by the Grace of God 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications! Last edited by 67ChevyRedneck; 03-26-2008 at 01:24 AM.

03-26-2008, 01:32 AM	#11
bguild Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: kansas city mo Posts: 898	Re: door closing alignment issues.. yeah that is my problem the stryker plate hits the latch and it dosent even make it to the right area to close.. I am going to play with it tomorrow night and see if I cant get it better..

03-26-2008, 02:00 AM	#12
19673ontree CAN'T FIX NOTHIN Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: SOUTHRUST VIRGINIA !!! Posts: 2,112	Re: door closing alignment issues.. I'd like to see some pictures of what you have going on , but I can say this , 67's seem to me to be a little more out of line and hard to get good looking gap's than the 68 to 72's for some reason , maybe where it's the first year , I LIKE TO HAVE NEVER got my door gap's to suite me when I was doing my 67 here is some old photos of my 67 under construction , it take's a lot of metalwork and bondo to get U'M to look right at home on your own !!! you can see the door to cab fit in these pic's pretty good , this last one is just to make you work harder !!! __________________ 1967 C10 Shortbed Fleetside Small back glass 6 cyl 3spd on the tree 3.08 gears underdash AC Last edited by 19673ontree; 03-26-2008 at 02:02 AM.

03-26-2008, 03:14 AM	#13
gmc67swb Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Mesquite, Tx Posts: 396	Re: door closing alignment issues.. A lot of people make the mistake of trying to adjust the door to the striker.Been doing body work for 30 years, pull your striker out align your door with the fender,cab corner,and rocker, get it in the hole where you want it then put the striker back in and adjust it to the latch. You do have plenty of play with the striker to move it up ,down ,in and out. Hope this helps.... __________________ GM 330HP/350, Magnuson 122HH, Tremec TKO 5spd Last edited by gmc67swb; 03-26-2008 at 03:17 AM.

03-26-2008, 04:00 AM	#15
Green Machine Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Estherville, Iowa Posts: 3,371	Re: door closing alignment issues.. Yes - absolutlely, remove the strikers from the cab, then adjust the doors, If possible have all of the glass and door regulators and other parts in the door, the extra weight will make the door hang just a little lower. If you are doing these on the frame, always intall new cab mounts and make sure the frame is in level spot. The top window frames can be bent in or out and even tweaked front to back a little if you need some fine tuning. __________________ 1968 C10 307 3spd Long Fleet ------ http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=201103 1970 C10 305 Super T10 Long Fleet --- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=202285 1971 C20 383 TH350 Dana Posi ----- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=206894 2001 GMC Sierra 1500 C3 6.0

03-26-2008, 05:39 PM	#16
bguild Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: kansas city mo Posts: 898	Re: door closing alignment issues.. yeah I plan to align some tonight... I cant do new frame mounts..i just want to make sure my cab is F'd up before I decide to sell it or repair it.. There is a part of me that say buy a welder and go for it and then a part of me that says why waste the time when I cna get one done.. I am in no hurry so I am starting to lean towards just fixing what I have.. question.. When replacing the floor whats the order of putting the pieces in.. do I work on the cab mounts under neath first then the floor pans and then work my way out?



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08-20-2008, 01:23 PM	#17
67mater Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mundelein, IL Posts: 862	Re: door closing alignment issues.. ttt __________________ time is inversely proportional to money; that's why it takes me so long 1967 K10 1967 Camaro

08-20-2008, 01:28 PM	#18
Ol'Rover Project: years too late. Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Almonte,ON,Canada Posts: 550	Re: door closing alignment issues.. is the cab floor rotted so bad that the rockers are no longer connected if it is, (would be exactly like mine) i have to push on the back of the cab to get the door to close. __________________ 1971 C10 Stepper LSX 5.3/4L60E 3.73 12bolt posi. Father Son Project. In Memory of Bruce C. Shorten. Rest easy Dad. Ill take it fryom here.

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