Door adjustment issue

[71c10longbed]

I've researched a bunch on aligning doors, but I am still having some difficulty.

I just replaced the innner/outer rocker on the drivers side. The door was very rusted so I bought a replacement along with replacement hinges.

My fender is off, so I have great access to hinge bolts for adjusting.

My issue is I can't get the door far enough to the rear of the cab. I have about a 1/4 inch gap to maybe a bit more. And when I mount the striker it is extremely tight to close because the door is not far enough back.

I used some washers between the hinge and the door and that seems to be moving it in the right direction. I think I will need close to a 1/4 of washers to get it right. Does this seem ok?

[Grumpy old man]

Did you brace the door opening before you removed the rocker ? Was the door installed when you tack everything in place ? How does the other door close ? Do the door opening measurements match driver's and passengers ? Post a few pictures .

[snipescastle2]

I learned the hard way about bracing the door opening to the hinge pillars before cutting anything. These trucks were never close on gaps, but I did take a carbide burr bit and elongate ( extend the length of the slots) in my hinges for both the door bolts and the hinge pillar bots to give me a little more "fudge" room to move the doors in and out, back to front movement. Might help in your situation too.
Ben

[71c10longbed]

I did brace the door before cutting out anything. I used some square steel between the A pillars about half way up the door.

My passenger side door fit is well...just ok. The gaps between the door and cab rear are about 2/8 of an inch.

The door gap on the drivers side and rear of cab is currently 3/8 but that is using 1/8 of washers between door and hinge and all hinge adjustment rearward.

I measured the door gap in two places between my drivers side and passenger side and they are within an 1/8 at both measurements with the drivers side having a larger gap.


I attached some pictures of the gaps. I can add more washers, which is my next step I think.

[67ChevyRedneck]

The gap tolerances on these trucks were terrible from the factory, up to 1/4" was acceptable.

Do you have the old door? Have you tried to throw it back on just to see how it fits? Measure the width compared to the new door?

I once measured factory GM doors on the same truck and one side was almost 1/8" wider than the other.

Have you compared the old hinges to the new? Tried the old hinges for the heck of it?

[Grumpy old man]

Sounds like the B pillar moved , I'd tear it back apart and fix it just adding washers is going to lead to more problems down the road like the hinge mount cracking . The door cracking ,the door striker becoming loose all the time and a bad seal on the door gaskets .

[Trevor]

More important is; how does it fit up top ? As-in, do you have an equal gap around the top part of the door/window frame at the front/a-pillar and back of door to cab corner ?

I agree with everybody else, these trucks never did have tight gaps so shimming (and/or filing holes) is definitely not unexpected if you're trying to get it better than what you have already.

If it were me I'd make a shim plate out of a piece of 1/8" or even 3/16" plate, it would provide a better/full mounting surface than washers would and it would look better. Use the hinge as a pattern, make it like it GM would have and if you're really fussy ? Put a bead of seam sealer around it after it is painted and all adjusted perfectly and then only a nitpicking concours judge would notice.

[67ChevyRedneck]

What does the door look like at the front of the rocker? The front of the door should be close to lining up with the front of the rocker.

Also put a fender on to see what you have there.

[71c10longbed]

I do have the old door and hinges, I will try those next.

I will say the window frame of the door is closer to the rear of the cab than the door shell so now I am worried.

If I have to tear it back apart, how will I pull the b pillar in?

[snipescastle2]

Some guys just weld in some filler rod to close the gap,either on the door edge or the b pillar. that might save you the grief of having to cut it apart only to re weld it back.
Ben

[71c10longbed]

Update: Old door and old hinges fit like a glove. I just slapped them on and didn't even do much adjusting and they fit.

Next step is trying new door with old hinges..I hope this gets me closer.

I feel better that the 1000's of measurements I took before cutting and welding paid off. But now I am somewhat concerned about my $400 repop door.

[71c10longbed]

Ok- the issue must be with the new door. I took my washer spacers off and mounted it with the old hinges. It is no where near close to the rear of the cab.

I am thinking about going back and using the washer spacers/shims to get it close and then let the body guy worry about it.

It is a tri plus door which most of the vendors sell. Just doing some basic measures on it vs the old door and it is off 1/8 everywhere....

[67ChevyRedneck]

How bad is the original? They make bottoms, outer skin patches, and full outer skins.

[71c10longbed]

The original is really bad. It would take lots of work to reskin and replace the bottom half. I thought buying the replacement would save me tons of time. But it just doesn't fit well - both at the top and bottom where it meets the rear of the cab. I don't have my fender on, so who knows how bad that will be.

I have measured the old and new door at many different places, and I can't figure where it is really off.

Should I shim it or go and look for an original door at a pick a part place?

[57taskforce]

Original doors are the only way to go in my opinion. They are still around in useable condition. It just takes some time and money to get them to your door.

[71c10longbed]

Here is an update on my issue.
I exchanged an email with GMC Paul, as I have heard they have good quality doors. They explained to me the difference between tri plus and their doors. I went out and measured and they were spot on.

I really don't see how I could ever get my new door to fit correctly, as the glass frame measurements are off as well. The lip at the front of the door is about 1/4 longer than the original, so shimming it back should not impact the fender to door gap, but the glass frame prevents shimming it back far enough to work.

Anyway, I ordered a door from GMC Paul, fingers crossed.

[69-72]

I had the opposite problem on the aftermarket doors I bought, they overlapped the body trying to close them. Ditch the repros and go original.

[69-72]

And the original

[everettelane]

I had some major mods to my new doors also had to lower the top window hoop on one door also elongated the hinge mounts on both doors to close the gaps it was best for me to do it this way that way the gap all the way around was 3/16"

[snipescastle2]

I originally was going to "Re-skin" my original doors, but when I got the aftermarket door skin home, one day I leaned it up againt a wall, and it fell over, dented the crap out of it. I figured that skin would not survive a kids biicycle or or door ding. So I searched for good set of factory doors.
Ben

[snipescastle2]

I originally was going to "Re-skin" my original doors, but when I got the aftermarket door skin home, one day I leaned it up againt a wall, and it fell over, dented the crap out of it. I figured that skin would not survive a kids biicycle or or door ding. So I searched for good set of factory doors.
Ben

[69chevytrucker]

hate to say but i bought doors for my 69 and had the same prob i just set the door back as far as i could then i put a little filler in the jam to make it look better and it also smoothed out the spot weld in the jam . wish i would have repaired the factory doors.

[clemsonteg]

Repop doors are hit or miss. One of mine fits great, the other, not so much.