Hello, I am having trouble aligning the driver side door on my '54 truck. The top is pushing in and the bottom is gapping out about 3/4". This was just annoying to look at before, but now that I have installed new weatherstripping, it is making the door hard to close, even with the striker adjusted out. The hinges are held onto the cab with 4 bolts each. There appears to be no adjustment at this connection. Am I missing something? Are they rusted to the cab and I just need to soak/BFH to get them loose? Where the hinges attach to the doors, it appears that you could only use those bolts to align the doors forward and back or up and down, not in and out. Are you supposed to shim behind the hinges? Mine have no shims now, but maybe that's what you're supposed to do? Anyway, I'd appreciate any guidance. Thanks, Ed
I'm trying to remember on my 52, but i think the hinge at the truck side does have adjustment in and out. My doors are suicided, but used the original hinges and i had a bitch of a time lining them up, and remember moving the truck side...a lot. I thought they had a caged threaded plate on the cab side that moved allowing adjustment. What i can't remember is if i slotted the hinge too or not..too long ago already. I'm getting old. Maybe they are rusted like you said..stuck in place. One thing i KNOW for sure is i absolutely used shim's on mine. 1/16" so not much, but i know i didn't have enough without em. Tony
That link threw my Norton into coniption fits. I think this link will work better - http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/doors/alignment.htm One thing to remember is that these trucks were pretty crude off the assembly line. There were guys on the line with big hammers for alignment. They will never be as nice as a new car. Another point is that almost everyone has problems with new door weatherstripping on these trucks.
I've had to bend quite a few doors to get them to align correctly. That dang Lexus commercial with ball bearing ruined hot rods as we now try to make all the gaps perfect. Also remember it may not be the door. Check and make sure all the cab mounts are solid and that the cab is not sagging to one side or other. Another trick is get the door as close as you can, loosen the cab/body bolts and shim each mount a little at a time to see if the gaps change. 50 plus years of use and the frame/mounts may not be in the same place as they were from the factory.
If it's like a TF truck, there should be a little bit of adjustment where the hinge bolts to the body. As others have mentioned, more than once I have had to make final adjustments by bending the door with a 2x4. It's hard to get them just right and most of them were never that way from the factory.
The bolts that hold the hinge to the door jamb can be loosened so that the door can be adjusted up or down and where the hinge bolts to the door is where you do the front/back adjustment. Keep in mind it's a 60 year old truck so you will have to manhandle it a little.
Hey, As some have mentioned, the fit on 50's era trucks wasn't " picture purfect "! Even after new/rebuilt hinges have been fitted, you may have to split open the trailing edge of the fenders @ the door gaps & add/subtract metal. Too, it's not uncommon for the alignment of the A and or the B Posts to be off from the factory to say nothing of fifty-sixty+ years of service. I'd remove the striker post, loosen the hinge bolts and see if you can get a passable gap before you start tweeking/cutting anything. With the hinges tightened, and a 2x4 block held between the Cant rail & door frame, close the door on the block and with firm pressure force the door top outward. For the lower hinge area, you may wanna try hooking a good come-along hook in the lower hinge pocket, and cranking the lower post/hinge pocket inboard a click or two-go slow! You may also try a block of wood & a BFH @ the edge area of the lower door gap. Be careful to not damage the door skin using this method! " Meanwhyle, back aboard The Tainted Pork "
The hinges can be moved up and down,the door moved foward or back ,really not in or out.You probably have a twisted door and or bent hinge.Messing with the hinges can do wonders. I have bent the hinges ,off the door torch bent. The hinges need to have no slop for the best fit.
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