Door not fully latching

[mbolin05]

I am installing my door today. I replaced the bushings in the hinges and the striker is new. I have the door and striker adjusted about where I want them but the door doesn't fully latch when I close it. It's just a shell no molding trim or glass. Here is a vid of it

 

[moparleo]

Hi. Does your door have up and down play when opened and you lift on the door from the handle side ?
Installing bushings in the lower hinges usually ruins those hinges ,. They were never designed to take a bushing and the bushings sold are for the tops only.

 

[70chall440]

Well I have installed bushings in a lot of hinges (top and bottom) and never had an issue other than the door operating vastly better afterward.

What the video shows is that the secondary latch is not catching meaning that the striker needs to be moved probably outward by a small amount (to confirm this you open the door and using a bar or screwdriver to close the latch and seeing if the secondary latch is engaging).

All this said, you need to adjust the door with weight in it, specifically 52lbs to simulate the regulator and glass. Once you have it adjusted and remove the weight the door will "rise" some but once you get all of the stuff inside it will be good. Some people adjust a gutted door so that it is high maybe 1/8-1/4 in the back estimating that the regulators and glass will bring it down (which it will) but its a guessing game whereas the 52# is not; Cody is the one who gave me this advice when I did my Cuda and it works perfectly.

 

[mbolin05]

Well I have installed bushings in a lot of hinges (top and bottom) and never had an issue other than the door operating vastly better afterward.

What the video shows is that the secondary latch is not catching meaning that the striker needs to be moved probably outward by a small amount (to confirm this you open the door and using a bar or screwdriver to close the latch and seeing if the secondary latch is engaging).

All this said, you need to adjust the door with weight in it, specifically 52lbs to simulate the regulator and glass. Once you have it adjusted and remove the weight the door will "rise" some but once you get all of the stuff inside it will be good. Some people adjust a gutted door so that it is high maybe 1/8-1/4 in the back estimating that the regulators and glass will bring it down (which it will) but its a guessing game whereas the 52# is not; Cody is the one who gave me this advice when I did my Cuda and it works perfectly.

That was it. It was not engaging the secondary latch. I might try to raise it just a bit as you mentioned to make up for the door beeing stripped out.

I am doing the passenger door tomorrow and it's fully loaded.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Chryco Psycho]

The pin can be moved outward to fully engage in the latch .

 

[moparleo]

The link that I posted is the page from the Factory Service Manual on door hinge and striker adjusting. Incase anyone wants to read it. I include this page with every hinge service that we do.

 

[1972CudaV21]

The link that I posted is the page from the Factory Service Manual on door hinged and striker adjusting. Incase anyone wants to read it. I include this page with every hinge service that we do.

Nice

 

[mbolin05]

Hi. Does your door have up and down play when opened and you lift on the door from the handle side ?
Installing bushings in the lower hinges usually ruins those hinges ,. They were never designed to take a bushing and the bushings sold are for the tops only.

My issue now is that the bottom of the door closest to the hinge sticks out about a quarter of an inch past the rocker panel. I don't think I can adjust anything to move the lower corner of the door inwards.

 

[70chall440]

My issue now is that the bottom of the door closest to the hinge sticks out about a quarter of an inch past the rocker panel. I don't think I can adjust anything to move the lower corner of the door inwards.

The door has to "twist" in the hinges to bring the bottom corner in. As you are discovering, adjusting the doors on these cars is an exercise in patience, those of us who have done it know the frustration of making small adjustments to achieve alignment in one area only to have it out in another.

As much as I hate to say this the FSM is your friend here along with repeated adjustments until you get it where you want.