Door latching-is my car needing adjustment?

by clanceman427 Fri Jul 22, 2016 10:08 pm

I noticed on both my doors on my 73 Chevelle SS, that when you close the doors, they bounce a little. So, what I mean is, the latch it seems still works properly, i.e., it still latches twice, once first which is a loose setting, then a 2nd that results in it being completely closed, and the door skin is flush with the quarter panel. BUT, if you push on the door, it moves in some more. Both doors still have their rubber bumpers attached, in place, and in good shape (the bumpers that would come in contact with the area inside the quarter panel opening.

The striker does not appear to have shifted at all, on either door. Is this play by design? It's annoying when you shut the doors because it has that extra little bounce.

by clanceman427 Fri Jul 22, 2016 10:10 pm

forgot to mention, I've sprayed liberal amounts of white lithium grease all inside the doors' latch mechanisms and on the door strikers, and worked the doors and the locks with the grease, but still does the annoying bounce upon closing.

by Joe73 Sat Jul 23, 2016 5:55 am

Hows the weatherstrip around the doors? Maybe not as firm as it should be. Also, with the door half way open, lift up on the end of the door. Any play? That would be the hinge pin bushings need replacing. Dorman 38375 would fix that.

by 73ss Sat Jul 23, 2016 9:45 am

Do you have the plastic door striker bushings? They help alot with rattle and the bounce you describe. Does anyone know if these cars came with the bushings from the factory?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rnb-38424/overview/

by Mcarlo77 Sat Jul 23, 2016 10:40 am

73ss wrote:Do you have the plastic door striker bushings? They help alot with rattle and the bounce you describe. Does anyone know if these cars came with the bushings from the factory?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rnb-38424/overview/

Yup.

Door latching-is my car needing adjustment? Doorst10

by Hs1973 Sat Jul 23, 2016 11:52 am

I would look closely at the wetherstrip. If the doors close Nice without any clonking sounds and hit the stroker dead on i would say they dont need adjusting but new wetherstrip. Also new strikers with silencers could make it better. I would go that route first anyway.

by 73ss Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:00 pm

thanks for the info. I've seen them with & without. I guess they break and fall off over the years.

by clanceman427 Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:15 pm

Thanks gotta investigate! Not with the car right now

by Joe73 Sat Jul 23, 2016 1:54 pm

My car came with the bushings

by clanceman427 Sat Jul 23, 2016 4:14 pm

Well, my Chevelle has no bushings. And I did the door test Joe, and yes they are both due for the Dorman rebuild. I bet the worn hinge pins helped to take out the striker bushings. The hinge job will be quite a project, gotta pull the bumper,hood and fenders I presume.

by Joe73 Sat Jul 23, 2016 4:45 pm

I've seen a "C" clamp type of tool that allows you to put it on the hinge, tighten it, and it pushes the pin out. Just have to put a jack under the outside edge of the door to hold it up.

by Hs1973 Sun Jul 24, 2016 4:15 am

I dont need to bee that hard. Just remove the doors, make an outline round each hinge. So you no where it sat before. Then take the doors of ( 2 guys is preferable cause they are heavy. ) i have a wooden Block that i shaped to fit the bottom of the door, and my floorjack. With the doors out the Way. Unbolting the hinges is a snap. There is plenty room to unbolt. So no need to pull fenders etc. Outline the hinges placement on the Cowl so you know where they sat. Then it is just a matter of rebuilding the hinges and bolt it all back together. Its really not that hard just takes a little time.

by clanceman427 Sun Jul 24, 2016 6:05 am

Very good Hs1973, glad it can be done like you describe! Thanks for the info.

by Joe73 Sun Jul 24, 2016 6:55 am

Even easier would be to take an 1/8" drill bit, drill through the hinge into the body. Do the same on the door side (might have to remove fender for the door side). That way when you put the hinge back on you just put the drill bit in the hole and your lined up.
Eastwood sells a kit to do this same thing. But most high end restoration shops use a drill bit. Makes reassembly a snap. Especially when trial fitting panels and painting a car in pieces. Less chance of chipping paint.
Painting in pieces is not a great idea for metallic paint colors but it can be done.

by Joe73 Sun Jul 24, 2016 7:02 am

Or get this and leave the door on. https://www.amazon.com/Steck-Manufacturing-21825-Bushing-Tool/dp/B000O3PI3C or https://www.summitracing.com/parts/skg-21825

http://www.hingekits.com/

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/door-hinge-bushing-tool

Google "door hinge bushing replacement". Lots of good info how to do it.

by 1975 S3 Sun Jul 24, 2016 1:30 pm

Just logged on to ask the whether the 75 came with striker bushings. Yesterday was the first day this summer with the passenger window down and the door was rattling like crazy. When I got home i was able to push the door inward about 1/4 inch, I had the hinge pins and bushings replaced this spring. No striker bushings on either door.

by Mcarlo77 Sun Jul 24, 2016 1:47 pm

They all came with striker bushings. It wasn't an option item. Just that most have since fallen apart and dropped off by now.

by clanceman427 Tue Jul 26, 2016 3:24 pm

Joe73 wrote:Hows the weatherstrip around the doors? Maybe not as firm as it should be. Also, with the door half way open, lift up on the end of the door. Any play? That would be the hinge pin bushings need replacing. Dorman 38375 would fix that.

So, I'm going to order all these cool tools, and the Dorman 38375 hinge pin bushings. The pin bushings come in packs of 2, so am I to assume that my car would need 4 pairs of bushings, since there is an upper pin and a lower pin on both doors? Did the factory put pin bushings in? I know on some car models you have to drill out the original hole before you can add the bushing. Maybe by 1973 they thought ahead on this one?

by Joe73 Tue Jul 26, 2016 4:24 pm

I bought new hinges from g m in 1988 and they have bushings. The Dorman bushings go right in, no drilling. Take a look at yours with a flashlight. You should be able to see the lip of the bushing in yours.

by 1975 S3 Sat Jul 30, 2016 2:40 pm

replaced striker bolts today with dorman part #38420, solved the inward movement of the door problem and the ride is as quiet as can be!

by clanceman427 Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:49 pm

Looks like there is room to unbolt the door from the hinges without taking anything else off. I''ll scribe around the hinge to mark the door for reassembly. Then with the door off I should be able to get those pins out and replace the bushings. Just gotta deal with that coil spring somehow.

by Joe73 Mon Aug 08, 2016 2:01 pm

Tool rentals are free at auto zone and advance auto parts. Door spring compressor. I have one but never used it.

http://www.autozone.com/sandpaper-and-body-repair-tools/body-repair-and-accessories/oem-door-spring-tool/447118_0_0/

by clanceman427 Sat Sep 24, 2016 10:46 am

Well my NAPA didn't have the Dorman striker bushing but cross referenced to their number which was the whole bolt. Incorrect shape and drive recess for 1973 so I will return this and order Dorman online parts. It was nice to feel that solid secure clunk of shutting the door! But I still get door droop on passenger side so I will service both hinges and strikers this winter.

Door latching-is my car needing adjustment? Imag1612

Door latching-is my car needing adjustment? Imag1612

by Joe73 Sat Sep 24, 2016 10:57 am

Is that a pic of the Dorman? I put Dorman strickers in my car last week and they look just like those.

by clanceman427 Sat Sep 24, 2016 11:23 am

No it was a NAPA part.
The NAPA part will work but it contains a hex recess instead of the factory torx recess. Also, factory striker has 2 flats on the o.d. where the recess is.

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