Fix dragging doors. Shims

[Grit dog]

Maybe I’m just the only dummy who’s been listening to the doors scrape on the striker for, oh, years now….
@bucket solved that issue for me. I never considered shimming the bottom door hinge to pick it back up.
Scamazon brought me a 237 piece body shim kit for like $10.
Shimmed out the door on the bottom hinge.
Took about 20 min to do 3 out of the 4 doors on both trucks.
Now they really close like butter. Not sure why I never thought of that.
Thanks @bucket !

 

[DoubleDingo]

Maybe I’m just the only dummy who’s been listening to the doors scrape on the striker for, oh, years now….
@bucket solved that issue for me. I never considered shimming the bottom door hinge to pick it back up.
Scamazon brought me a 237 piece body shim kit for like $10.
Shimmed out the door on the bottom hinge.
Took about 20 min to do 3 out of the 4 doors on both trucks.
Now they really close like butter. Not sure why I never thought of that.
Thanks @bucket !

I'm guilty. My strikers won't bust loose, I like this shim idea.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Did you have to loosen the top bolts at all? Or just the lowers with a jack under the door(s) to them lifted to the correct height?

 

[Derick C.]

I'm going to have to look into this.

 

[bucket]

Did you have to loosen the top bolts at all? Or just the lowers with a jack under the door(s) to them lifted to the correct height?

You shouldn't have to mess with the top bolts at all. Just loosen the bottom bolts, lift up on the door a bit and slide the shims in. Really the only thing you need to watch out for is not to change the in-out adjustment at the bottom of the door when you have the bolts loose.

 

[DoubleDingo]

You shouldn't have to mess with the top bolts at all. Just loosen the bottom bolts, lift up on the door a bit and slide the shims in. Really the only thing you need to watch out for is not to change the in-out adjustment at the bottom of the door when you have the bolts loose.

That is how I envisioned the process in my head. Straight forward and with a desired result.

 

[Grit dog]

Did you have to loosen the top bolts at all? Or just the lowers with a jack under the door(s) to them lifted to the correct height?

No, just loosened bottom bolts, wiggled some shims in and tightened back up. And in-out alignment of course.
It’s not a life changing improvement but it does make the doors close easier and not grind on the striker

 

[squaredeal91]

That's it. I'm ordering shims lol

 

[idahovette]

@Grit dog ,just horse shoe slotted shims, correct? Do you remember what thickness you started with and finished with?

 

[squaredeal91]

Got Pics? Or did it just happen so fast they all came out blury?

 

[Grit dog]

Got Pics? Or did it just happen so fast they all came out blury?

Hahaha, I’ll take a pic later.

 

[Grit dog]

@Grit dog ,just horse shoe slotted shims, correct? Do you remember what thickness you started with and finished with?

Yes just standard horseshoe shims.
Started with 1/16” on a passenger door. That worked fine.
Drivers door on the 77 was hanging a bit more. Used 3/32.
Put 1/16 in the drivers door of the 86.
Wasn’t trying to change the alignment much. Just pick it up a smidge so it doesn’t drag on the top of the striker.

 

[idahovette]

Thanks , Todd. Just trying to figure out what works. I have a ton of old Nova, Camaro, Chevelle alignment shims so just gotta sort through and find some clean ones!

 

[bucket]

I had the door open on my Suburban yesterday and remembered to take a picture of the shims.

You must be registered for see images attach

After years of dirt and debris, they blend right in, lol.

 

[kkgp81]

@Grit dog ,just horse shoe slotted shims, correct? Do you remember what thickness you started with and finished with?

Those shims are a pita. I did all my shimming on my current project with 1/16th stainless washers. I picked up some 1-1/2” and 2” ones off the jungle website. At one point my shop had the horse shoes everywhere but with washers you can adjust and tighten without them falling out. Is it original? No but in my case my truck started with a frame and a stripped cab so it’s okay.