Door alignment and body shims - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**bigdon-70blazer** · 10-29-2008, 10:39 PM

I am putting on the doors and while putting on the pass door, I am having alittle (understatment) problem. Seems like I am having grief lining it all up, but that is same for all guys who have done this kind of resto. I seem to be fine at the bottom edge and back seam is pretty good, front ok, close but ok. Having problems with the back edge at the top, seems to be off of the rubber rest about 3/8 inch but i can push it closed but I am thinking that I will have to slam the door shut, IOW it won't fall togather easily. Also the ridge at the lower part of the door is not strait. Now when I took the body off, I braced it and replaced the old worn out body mounts with new rubber ones from LMC and I replaced the shims EXACTLY as I removed them. I thought that would be adequate. Any advice???

Big J · 10-29-2008, 11:39 PM

When you unbolt and put new in, it all goes to crap, lol.... Your basically gonna have to put a shim here and pull one there till it all lines up. Don't loose hope its just gonna take some time. You may even have to loosen up the hinges and adjust your doors some. Not a big deal either. Just try and have some help it'll make things go smoother having another set of hands. Pics will help too.

vtblazer · 10-30-2008, 08:01 AM

...don't remember the extent of the body work that was preformed on your blazer, so I'll ask here.

Were the doors in-place and in alignment when the rockers were done?

Did you take good measurements of the door openings prior to tear-down?
Are they the same as they were?

It's a "multi-axis" event, be patient with it.

I generally try to start with the door/windshield frame alignment because it's a non-adjustable dimension. (unless you tweak the W/S frame by force)

Line that up decent, then move onto working the rear of the door parallel with the 'B' pillar, from there you can raise or lower using body shims.

Easier if you give us some pics of your current situation too.

Are all your body mounts bolted and torqued already?
Should be, otherwise your just chasing your tail.

LUV2XCLR8 · 10-30-2008, 08:50 AM

Is the top on? (It will help keep the windshield frame square)
Even a perfect body can have a tweaked windshield frame, I
had this problem also, it had allot to do w/ using new hinges.

**bigdon-70blazer** · 10-30-2008, 09:22 AM

I had to only replace the outer rockers and the very end or tip of the a-pillar and a segment of the floor on both sides and my body guy did that. He has 50+ years experience so I am confident in his knowledge. I used th original hinges but rebuilt them. Body was off, and braced. Did not measure all of this, wish I would have but did not. Got too excited in the work! Gonna have to touch up some paint on the rocker, did you all have to touch up pain as well? Probably would have been better to put doors on, tweak then paint. Oh well, no redo at this point, gotta drive on!

**bigdon-70blazer** · 10-30-2008, 09:29 AM

Here are some pics of the metal work which really looks to be not so much compared to others I have seen here. The tub was on the frame, new mounts and torqued for this procedure and haven't been removed since.

**bigdon-70blazer** · 10-30-2008, 09:30 AM

Oh the cowl panel is not attached now so the pic of it's alignment is bogus...

Big J · 10-31-2008, 01:27 AM

Try some green painters masking tape to save all your edges. Mask all the places you can think of that might make contact so its tape to tape contact instead of new paint to new paint contact. Looks like you need to do some door alignment. Try adjusting your hinges at both mounting points. Might help get it in.

tcb-1 · 10-31-2008, 07:27 PM

Thanks for the advice about the tape but the tape was removed after I could not see the edges. You guys are the greatest. Any more suggestions?

Huck · 11-02-2008, 08:21 PM

Having done several blazer/Jimmy's I would not try to hang doors without the benefit of the hardtop to use as a alignment JIG. It align's the windshield frame--firewall--A pillar to the bedsides. Hanging the fenders will also change the firewall-windshield alginment so you have multiple areas to alignment on a Blazer. The bad news is that when you take the hardtop off and drive it a while, the door seam alignment often shifts~~. New body mounts, shims, will all help the final setup. Huck

10-29-2008, 10:39 PM	#1
bigdon-70blazer Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Poplar Bluff, MO Posts: 1,501	Door alignment and body shims I am putting on the doors and while putting on the pass door, I am having alittle (understatment) problem. Seems like I am having grief lining it all up, but that is same for all guys who have done this kind of resto. I seem to be fine at the bottom edge and back seam is pretty good, front ok, close but ok. Having problems with the back edge at the top, seems to be off of the rubber rest about 3/8 inch but i can push it closed but I am thinking that I will have to slam the door shut, IOW it won't fall togather easily. Also the ridge at the lower part of the door is not strait. Now when I took the body off, I braced it and replaced the old worn out body mounts with new rubber ones from LMC and I replaced the shims EXACTLY as I removed them. I thought that would be adequate. Any advice???

10-29-2008, 11:39 PM	#2
Big J Its lookin' like a Blazer! Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Gods Country, KY Posts: 1,773	Re: Door alignment and body shims When you unbolt and put new in, it all goes to crap, lol.... Your basically gonna have to put a shim here and pull one there till it all lines up. Don't loose hope its just gonna take some time. You may even have to loosen up the hinges and adjust your doors some. Not a big deal either. Just try and have some help it'll make things go smoother having another set of hands. Pics will help too. __________________ BAZINGA! My Build

10-30-2008, 08:01 AM	#3
vtblazer Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Central Vermont Posts: 8,538	Re: Door alignment and body shims ...don't remember the extent of the body work that was preformed on your blazer, so I'll ask here. Were the doors in-place and in alignment when the rockers were done? Did you take good measurements of the door openings prior to tear-down? Are they the same as they were? It's a "multi-axis" event, be patient with it. I generally try to start with the door/windshield frame alignment because it's a non-adjustable dimension. (unless you tweak the W/S frame by force) Line that up decent, then move onto working the rear of the door parallel with the 'B' pillar, from there you can raise or lower using body shims. Easier if you give us some pics of your current situation too. Are all your body mounts bolted and torqued already? Should be, otherwise your just chasing your tail. Attached Images Last edited by vtblazer; 10-30-2008 at 08:04 AM.

10-30-2008, 08:50 AM	#4
LUV2XCLR8 The LuvShack Garage Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Maple Grove, TN (West Side) Posts: 30,475	Re: Door alignment and body shims Is the top on? (It will help keep the windshield frame square) Even a perfect body can have a tweaked windshield frame, I had this problem also, it had allot to do w/ using new hinges. __________________ Owner/Op: "TN Classic Transport Carriers" The Toy: "Square Vette" 72 Hybrid Blazer Toy Barn: "LuvShack" 40 x 60 x 20 Shop Big Piggy: "Goliath" 07 Kodiak C4500 Lil Piggy:"Maddy" 88 Silverado 3500 Hauler: "Feathers" 14 Aluma 8218T

10-30-2008, 09:22 AM	#5
bigdon-70blazer Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Poplar Bluff, MO Posts: 1,501	Re: Door alignment and body shims I had to only replace the outer rockers and the very end or tip of the a-pillar and a segment of the floor on both sides and my body guy did that. He has 50+ years experience so I am confident in his knowledge. I used th original hinges but rebuilt them. Body was off, and braced. Did not measure all of this, wish I would have but did not. Got too excited in the work! Gonna have to touch up some paint on the rocker, did you all have to touch up pain as well? Probably would have been better to put doors on, tweak then paint. Oh well, no redo at this point, gotta drive on! Attached Images

10-30-2008, 09:29 AM	#6
bigdon-70blazer Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Poplar Bluff, MO Posts: 1,501	Re: Door alignment and body shims Here are some pics of the metal work which really looks to be not so much compared to others I have seen here. The tub was on the frame, new mounts and torqued for this procedure and haven't been removed since. Attached Images

10-30-2008, 09:30 AM	#7
bigdon-70blazer Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Poplar Bluff, MO Posts: 1,501	Re: Door alignment and body shims Oh the cowl panel is not attached now so the pic of it's alignment is bogus...

10-31-2008, 01:27 AM	#8
Big J Its lookin' like a Blazer! Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Gods Country, KY Posts: 1,773	Re: Door alignment and body shims Try some green painters masking tape to save all your edges. Mask all the places you can think of that might make contact so its tape to tape contact instead of new paint to new paint contact. Looks like you need to do some door alignment. Try adjusting your hinges at both mounting points. Might help get it in. __________________ BAZINGA! My Build

10-31-2008, 07:27 PM	#9
tcb-1 Nothing to see here..... Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 4,625	Re: Door alignment and body shims Thanks for the advice about the tape but the tape was removed after I could not see the edges. You guys are the greatest. Any more suggestions? __________________ Doug THANK YOU to our American Soldiers & Veterans - POW MIA "You will NEVER be forgotten". The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. Thomas Jefferson

11-02-2008, 08:21 PM	#10
Huck Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Shelbyville, KY Posts: 3,269	Re: Door alignment and body shims Having done several blazer/Jimmy's I would not try to hang doors without the benefit of the hardtop to use as a alignment JIG. It align's the windshield frame--firewall--A pillar to the bedsides. Hanging the fenders will also change the firewall-windshield alginment so you have multiple areas to alignment on a Blazer. The bad news is that when you take the hardtop off and drive it a while, the door seam alignment often shifts~~. New body mounts, shims, will all help the final setup. Huck



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