Door Binding with the top off - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

NW_Ryker · 07-12-2010, 12:42 AM

I just pulled the top off of my 71 Blazer and the doors are binding on the striker plate and the sheet of metal that surrounds the door latch. I didn't have this problem before I pulled it. Is this common? Any advice would be appreciated.

CHEVY_DUDE · 07-12-2010, 12:48 AM

yea same thing happend to me last weekend. Figured it was nomal, since there is less support with the top removed. Went away after i put it back on. Whats the condition of your torsion boxes and rockers?

NuBomb · 07-12-2010, 09:31 AM

Check out your body bushings as well. I you adjust the doors by shimming the body bushings.

**jaros44sr** · 07-12-2010, 03:29 PM

^^^^Gotta agree! You can move things around with shims

NW_Ryker · 07-12-2010, 06:19 PM

Both the rockers have been replaced. Boxes are spotless. The only rust on it is body rust.

NuBomb · 07-12-2010, 07:30 PM

Do a search for blazer door gaps. You can change a lot of gap with some shims.

BLUE THUNDER · 07-12-2010, 09:24 PM

body mounts dude.

pound41 · 07-12-2010, 09:34 PM

if it works good with the top on don't start shimming and changing things with the top off. Check your body mounts, then look at rust in A and B pillar and rocker boxes.

trz1000 · 07-14-2010, 12:50 AM

I ran into the same problem when I pulled the top. Pillars are solid, new inner, outer rockers by previous owner. New torsion boxes by me.

Way before pulling the top I changed the body mounts and ran into all sorts of issues. Very long story short, I had to do a bunch of shimming just to get all of the mounts to make contact. I used Energy Suspension poly mounts and some speculate that may have been part of the problem. They are thinner than the stock rubbers but the difference is consistent on all mounts but I suppose anything is possible.

After I got the body mounts shimmed and the doors working good I put in new torsion boxes. I was able to get the passenger door working awesome, drivers door was good but not as good as the other.

When I pulled the top the drivers door began to bind a bit. I didn't notice any difference on the passenger side. I started messing around with shimming the driver side tonight. Getting better but I still got a bit to go to get it right.

I am not an expert on these trucks by any stretch so take what I say with a grain of salt but with a solid tub and new body mounts, I ran into the same issue. I'm sure I'll get it sorted out with some more time shimming and adjusting. Of course there is a rub, since I didn't put in the inner and outer rockers I haven't a clue if they were done right so my issues may be due to that. The cab and bed floor are straight as an arrow so I'm pretty sure that the tub isn't twisted too bad if at all.

07-12-2010, 12:42 AM	#1
NW_Ryker Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Carnation Wa Posts: 199	Door Binding with the top off I just pulled the top off of my 71 Blazer and the doors are binding on the striker plate and the sheet of metal that surrounds the door latch. I didn't have this problem before I pulled it. Is this common? Any advice would be appreciated.

07-12-2010, 12:48 AM	#2
CHEVY_DUDE Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: So Cal Posts: 71	Re: Door Binding with the top off yea same thing happend to me last weekend. Figured it was nomal, since there is less support with the top removed. Went away after i put it back on. Whats the condition of your torsion boxes and rockers?

07-12-2010, 09:31 AM	#3
NuBomb Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canton, Georgia, USA Posts: 1,119	Re: Door Binding with the top off Check out your body bushings as well. I you adjust the doors by shimming the body bushings. __________________ Jeremy (NUBOMB) 72K5 CST 350/350/205 1951 Chevy 1/2 ton North Georgia Group "... And the first rule to being a man is you gotta spend your life doing crap you don't wanna do." Red Forman.

07-12-2010, 03:29 PM	#4
jaros44sr Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Philadelphia, Pa. 19454 Posts: 9,761	Re: Door Binding with the top off ^^^^Gotta agree! You can move things around with shims __________________ Semper Fi...Uncle Sam, you da man All parts offered to help are free, unless otherwise noted Dont try this stuff in my build thread, unless you have 55 years of mechanical OTJ training SAFETY FIRST AS usual, off topic They say your mind goes second, can't remember the first Jim Last edited by jaros44sr; 07-12-2010 at 03:29 PM.

07-12-2010, 06:19 PM	#5
NW_Ryker Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Carnation Wa Posts: 199	Re: Door Binding with the top off Both the rockers have been replaced. Boxes are spotless. The only rust on it is body rust.

07-12-2010, 07:30 PM	#6
NuBomb Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canton, Georgia, USA Posts: 1,119	Re: Door Binding with the top off Do a search for blazer door gaps. You can change a lot of gap with some shims. __________________ Jeremy (NUBOMB) 72K5 CST 350/350/205 1951 Chevy 1/2 ton North Georgia Group "... And the first rule to being a man is you gotta spend your life doing crap you don't wanna do." Red Forman.

07-12-2010, 09:24 PM	#7
BLUE THUNDER Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Antonio Posts: 993	Re: Door Binding with the top off body mounts dude.

07-12-2010, 09:34 PM	#8
pound41 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,268	Re: Door Binding with the top off if it works good with the top on don't start shimming and changing things with the top off. Check your body mounts, then look at rust in A and B pillar and rocker boxes.

07-14-2010, 12:50 AM	#9
trz1000 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 95	Re: Door Binding with the top off I ran into the same problem when I pulled the top. Pillars are solid, new inner, outer rockers by previous owner. New torsion boxes by me. Way before pulling the top I changed the body mounts and ran into all sorts of issues. Very long story short, I had to do a bunch of shimming just to get all of the mounts to make contact. I used Energy Suspension poly mounts and some speculate that may have been part of the problem. They are thinner than the stock rubbers but the difference is consistent on all mounts but I suppose anything is possible. After I got the body mounts shimmed and the doors working good I put in new torsion boxes. I was able to get the passenger door working awesome, drivers door was good but not as good as the other. When I pulled the top the drivers door began to bind a bit. I didn't notice any difference on the passenger side. I started messing around with shimming the driver side tonight. Getting better but I still got a bit to go to get it right. I am not an expert on these trucks by any stretch so take what I say with a grain of salt but with a solid tub and new body mounts, I ran into the same issue. I'm sure I'll get it sorted out with some more time shimming and adjusting. Of course there is a rub, since I didn't put in the inner and outer rockers I haven't a clue if they were done right so my issues may be due to that. The cab and bed floor are straight as an arrow so I'm pretty sure that the tub isn't twisted too bad if at all.



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