Door to rear cab gap

[Jcfcamaro]

Can anyone tell me what the gap should be all the way around the door. Back of cab to door. Rocker to door. Didn't know if it's all the same all the way around or if the measurement changes on different areas.

[randy500]

I think there is a spec in the factory assembly manual...I don't use a ruler, I fit it with a nice even gap all the way around, mosty ignoring the window hoop. You can move the widow hoop with a large hammer and wood block after you fit the door at the back and bottom.

Ignore the window hoop, fit it last
Ignore the window hoop, fit it last

Did I stress ignoring the window hoop enough?

[randy500]

Do be aware though that even factory fitted rockers and rear of cab can be off front to back and in and out side to side. Rocker placement is important when replacing them and sometimes even factory ones aren't placed right.

[Jcfcamaro]

I was looking for a number. I have the rear cab corner post loose as I replaced the floor pan piece under it. So I can move it in or out for a gap. Neither cab corner or rocker are in yet. Just put my door back on so I have a guide to go by. The hinges where never taken off the cab so the top body line seems to be right on with the door and cab. around the top part of the door and vent glass gap looks good also. Just wondering the actual gaps I should be shooting for

[randy500]

Dimentions with pictures of gap posted in my crew cab preview thread....

[GASoline71]

I don't have a factory assembly manual... but considering these rigs were built from the factory to just be trucks, gaps weren't a "huge" priority. Considering they used lots of shims and hunks of wood for leverage to set gaps before final assembly. Most trucks had gaps that were not consistent. But I think if you just shoot for a certain gap measurement you're lookin' for (say 3/8") and stick with it... it'll all come together in the long run.

Gary

[randy500]

Gap numbers are now posted with pictures. I have restored and customized dozens of cars and did panel replacements, fixed wrecked cars hundreds of times, I am happy with the gaps I have now. That being said these trucks are very inconsistent in door gaps and how the doors fit the rear of the cab (in and out) along with contour of door to contour of cab.

On my crew cab I will address the cab to door fit by cutting the rear of cab spot welds at the "B" pillar and moving the rear of the cab in at places and out at others to fit the cab to the contour of the door.
I will also be cutting off the passenger side lower cab corner to patch a small hole in it and when I re-install it I will lower it down about a 1/4" so it fits the lower edge of rocker panel better. Many factory fitted trucks the lower edge of the rocker is lower than the cab corner. GMCpaul just posted on this cab corner fitment and said he has never seen a good fit in this location on hundred he has inspected, I have a couple cabs here that fit well in that location and a couple that the corner is too high, I am fixing it on this one...

[Jcfcamaro]

Ok. I think I'm going in the right direction now. Just wanted to make sure I didn't screw anything up. Randy500 that's one heck of a build. Thanks for all the info guys.

[Jcfcamaro]

Oh, one more question. Since I have the cab corner and rocker out at the same time do I put the cab corner back in first then worry about the rocker last? Or vise versa .

[randy500]

Originally Posted by Jcfcamaro

Oh, one more question. Since I have the cab corner and rocker out at the same time do I put the cab corner back in first then worry about the rocker last? Or vise versa .

I would lightly tack weld or screw the cab corner first and then do the same to the rocker where you think they should be, then when your have verified you like the fit with the doors on weld it all up.
If you can, get the cab into natural light where you can look it over from a distance. If possible and the cab is mounted to the frame I would put the nose back on too so you know for sure how it will all fit together.

I made the mistake of not checking one side of my crew before final weld and now I have to remove one of the rockers and move it out about 1/4". I didn't notice the problem until I got it outside and could stand back and look at it from a distance.

[Jcfcamaro]

Crap. I have my cab sitting on a homemade roller stand I made from square tubing. It's sitting nice and flat.

[Jcfcamaro]

Here's where I'm at right now.

[randy500]

Nice cab stand, if you can roll it ouside to check the fit.

Remember too that the door fit at the front edge of the rocker is important. The door should be close to flush in length at the rocker. The fender can only go back to the rocker so if the door sits further back from the rocker the fender gap could be too large.

You could also mount your fender to the cab on that cart to check the fender to door gap.

[randy500]

Do you know your tubing sizes and wall thickness on the cab cart? I might buy some material and make me one like that.
Takes some calculating to find tubing that nests well without too much clearance.

[randy500]

Wondering why you removed the back of the cab all the way across?

[Jcfcamaro]

Tubing is 1 1/4 and 1in. They slide inside each other. And I made it so the legs extend out and also the whole thing front to back with extend out twice as far as it is now for future projects. Bought the steel new from our local dealer. Back of cab was rusted out from sitting outside with no windows.

[Jcfcamaro]

1in is about .075 thick and the 1 1/4 is .085 thick. They make thicker steel but he said it won't slide inside each other like this size. The wall size doesn't sound very good but it's strong.

[Jcfcamaro]

One more pic

[randy500]

Thanks for the pics and wall size, last time I asked at the steel yard they didn't know which size would nest properly. I'm gonna check prices of that stuff right now.

I have a bunch of 2" square tube but that's just too big for most needs.