Door striker issue

[jdl71]

I'll be the first to admit I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to door adjusting. I've looked at the factory assy manual and read some previous threads on here but I'm still at a loss. I have to really, really slam this door to get it shut. From the looks of things it appears to me it's too high in back:



When it is shut though, it doesn't appear to be that misaligned:



I suppose that could be due to the striker forcing it down. I've taken all the striker bolts loose and tried to move it up/down but it only seems to want to go in/out. If I leave the bolts loose the door will close properly, but as soon as I open it to tighten them I'm back where I started. The cab support and floor is not overly rusty on this side so I don't really think it's sagging in the front. If I need to use the hinges to adjust this, which one's should I loosen and move around?

[Hx16457]

Your striker is "pulling the door into alignment!"
The hinges need adjusting.
First, remove the striker, and push the door shut by hand, this will present the misalignment you are facing. Caution don't **** fast, ease it shut, looking to see if your door gaps are good (after you remove the striker). If the door is way out you might hit the door edges on the rocker, rain edge, or bind up to close in an area.
Close the door slow watching for this.
Next, the door hinge bolts "on the door" adjust the door in and out, or a better way to say it is, flush to the body, to deeper inside the "door area" to sticking out beyond the body.
Looking at your " damage" I would the that you need to adjust the hinge bolts that are mounted to the cab(not the door), get a jack and a board to help support the door from the bottom. Then loosen the cab hinge mounting bolts. Adjust the top one first, I would think that the striker latch (in the door) is to low, so lift this edge up just a tad at a time.
Tighten the bolts snug and then slowly close the door, again looking at your gaps.
This adjust ing will take some time and patients. Once you get it looking good with out the striker, put the striker back in and try adjusting those to your liking.
Good luck, take time...you'll get it but it will not be a quick fix!
Posted via Mobile Device

[jdl71]

Originally Posted by Hx16457

Your striker is "pulling the door into alignment!"
The hinges need adjusting.
First, remove the striker, and push the door shut by hand, this will present the misalignment you are facing. Caution don't **** fast, ease it shut, looking to see if your door gaps are good (after you remove the striker). If the door is way out you might hit the door edges on the rocker, rain edge, or bind up to close in an area.
Close the door slow watching for this.
Next, the door hinge bolts "on the door" adjust the door in and out, or a better way to say it is, flush to the body, to deeper inside the "door area" to sticking out beyond the body.
Looking at your " damage" I would the that you need to adjust the hinge bolts that are mounted to the cab(not the door), get a jack and a board to help support the door from the bottom. Then loosen the cab hinge mounting bolts. Adjust the top one first, I would think that the striker latch (in the door) is to low, so lift this edge up just a tad at a time.
Tighten the bolts snug and then slowly close the door, again looking at your gaps.
This adjust ing will take some time and patients. Once you get it looking good with out the striker, put the striker back in and try adjusting those to your liking.
Good luck, take time...you'll get it but it will not be a quick fix!
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks, that's just what I was looking for. I figured the striker was forcing the door down, but don't know why I didn't think of taking it off to see how the door fit without it. I'll give it a shot.

[Indian113]

Hx16457,Thanks for the class on fixing the door problem. I have lived with that same problem for 3 years and never could fiqure it out. Ray