How do I adjust my door striker plate properly?

[Brad]

I may be proven wrong but this isn't as simple as it appears.
I think I know very well how to adjust my striker plate for the door. However, no matter where or how I adjust the striker plate on the cab, I always have to push the door in hard with my knee- just a nudge, but I do have to use a small amount of force in order to lock the door. I have replaced my weatherstripping but I think it's from an older minivan and got it from a jy. Oh, btw I've currently got 2 shims on both the upper and lower set of bolts and I did have 3 sets on each.
What am I doing wrong?

[stllookn]

Brad, The door can be lifted and tilted using the front hinges, which, if it is having to ride up on the door latch, will need adjusting. Are the hinges loose? Open the door try pulling it up and down from the rear edge. If loose, don't mess with adjusting it until you get a couple of new hinges. How does the door fit into the opening...how are the gaps?

Where the hinge bolts to the cab (under the fender) it can be moved up/down (vertical slots) and can actually be used to slightly rotate/pivot about an axis through the center of the door perpendicular to the outer surface. Where the opposite end of the hinge connects to the door it is slotted horizontally so allows you to slide the door into and out of the cab parrallel to the door sill. These also allow you to tilt the top of the door in or out and the bottom in or out. Now...if these don't completely get the job done...you can shim between the door or cab and the hinge. The shims allow slightly more adjustment to what the other side of the hinge with its slots are doing.

Confused yet...I thought so...LOL!

Now...the latch can also be adjusted and shimmed but I like to do all my ajustment without the latch so the door fits perfectly into the opening and then install the latch to accomodate the difference between the latch on the door and back edge of the cab/ striker plate.

To do the job right I start by fitting the door (and panel gaps) at the lower corner of the door and cab. I then fit the back of the top of the door and then the front. The last thing I fit is the inner/outer fit of the door to make it parallel with the surface of the rocker and outer surface of the cab. There is room to play with under the drip rails since there is no surface to match there...you are only working with the gap. I let all tolerances run toward the front clip since it will be the last thing you adjust...the gap between the fender and the leading edge of the door.

At the end of the day you should be able to let go of the door and it will close under gravity into the latch without the fat weather strip/door seal in place. It is a very satisfying sound and feel when done properly.

We should have done this at Monroe...it is a fun process and sometimes easier to teach in person than to explain.

BTW...when are you heading to Iraq and how long will you be gone?

[jlaird]

This is great info but the original question was not answered. I too am having a hell of a time getting the striker to hold the door in. When the door is shut, I can pull on the door handle and the door will pull out. All my gaps are perfect and I have new hinges. I just need to be schooled on how to adjust the striker plate. Help!!

[Andy4639]

I also have lived with this problem on the drivers side only for ever. The passenger side is perfect. I can just swing the door shut and lock it with the key. The drivers door I have to put my shoulder into it just to get it to lock. Then when I unlock it I have to push in for the door to open.

[LONGHAIR]

Most of the time it's a weatherstripping issue. If it is too thick (especially near the hinge side) it will try to hold the door open more than it should.
Many times the door is only closed to the "first catch", which does not appear to be closed, so most guys move the pin inward...which actually makes it worse.
What you really need to do is move the pin outward, so it can close to the second catch. If you go too far, and the door sits proud of the jamb, move it back in slightly. If, when you get to that point, the door will not catch w/o extreme slamming.....it's the gasket, and it will never be right w/o replacing that.

[fastwillie 696969]

slam it its a truck door

[slikside]

Another great thread that, at some point in the future, will be valuable to....anyone who owns one of these trucks!!

[LockDoc]

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Use some PB Blaster or similar on the door lock and latch first. You can get to it through the window channel with the window rolled down. If it still doesn't want to cooperate try moving the striker plate out a bit. Be sure and mark around it with a fine felt tip marker first so you can tell how far you have moved it. Only go about 1/16" at a time and don't let it move up or down, just out. It shouldn't take much if that's the problem.

Read this thread and see if it helps...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=365553

LockDoc

[Markedz]

Brad, did you ever get this problem worked out? I am experiencing the same problem and looking to see if you got yours resolved. If so, how'd you do it?