Author Topic: challenger door adjust  (Read 4807 times)

Offline noschevys

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 174
challenger door adjust
« on: September 27, 2009 - 04:30:50 PM »
What moves what with the door and hinge.  If I need to raise the handle end of the door a little, what do I adjust.  And if I need to roll the bottom of the door in what do I adjust?




Offline dodj

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 6197
Re: challenger door adjust
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2009 - 08:56:35 PM »
As far as I'm concerned, adjusting doors is the most frustrating job. If you need to raise the back end of the door, you need to look at the spacing between your front fender and the door. The gap is probably a little tighter at the top or bottom. You can raise the back of the door two ways. Loosen the upper hinge bolts that attach to the cowl and move it slightly forward, or loosen the lower hinge bolts that go into the cowl and move it slightly rearward. Both ways will raise the back of the door but have different effects on the parallelism of the panel gaps.
As far as moving in the bottom of the door, loosen the lower hinge bolts that go into the door and nudge the door in.
Scott
1973 Challenger  440 4 spd 
2007.5 3500 6.7 Cummins Diesel, Anarchy tuned.
Good friends don't let friends do stupid things. ........alone.

Offline dutch

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 6944
Re: challenger door adjust
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2009 - 08:06:06 AM »
make sure the hinges are in good shape before you start.  If there`s a lot of play, repin them first...  :2cents:
*** Bart ***

Offline Bluemonster71RT

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 510
Re: challenger door adjust
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2009 - 12:56:26 PM »
I'm having issues with mine as well.  My bottem edge is in to far but the top is right.  I have adjusted the striker and all the hinge bolts.  I can get it correct at the second click of the latch but if I push it just a hair more it goes in to far. I even put the weather strip back in.  But I dont have my bumpers. That may help a bit more.  But ther has got to be a trick to this.   I suppose that at last resort I will unblod the door, set it correct and put shims on the hinges where needed :banghead:
1971 Challenger RT 383 4spd

Offline DMZ73

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1482
    • http://www.pbase.com/dmz73/
Re: challenger door adjust
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2009 - 09:10:21 PM »
Door adjustment is a little time consuming, but well worth the time.

Grab a Jack, some blocks of wood, a small pry bar, a Terry cloth towel and a few different types of open end wrenches.
An assistant is always good to have too.
If your fenders are on the car, yank the splash shields, it'll give you access to the hinges.
Mark your hinges with tape or marker as best you can. This will provide a baseline for
adjustment.
1.) loosen the bolts by opening the doors. I am pretty sure it's a 9/16" socket/open end in the fenderwell.
2.)What I usually do is to start with the rear door gap, trying to close that one down to the minimal 1/4-1/2" or less. I pull thedoor as far rearward as possible.
3.) slowly Jack the end of the car door closest to the striker up so that the door is supported.
4.) slowly loosen the bolts on the top and lower pillar, untill the you feel the door move slightly.
5.) once you have the bottom hinge where you want it, tighten the bolts, not to full torque.
6.) repeat this process using the Jack to get the desired gap.
Dan
6.) retighten the top hinge bolts.
One E body saved, 7 years and counting.

Offline Chlngrcrzy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1410
Re: challenger door adjust
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2009 - 11:25:26 PM »
Don't want to hijack the thread, but this kind of goes along with it i think. I pulled doors and front fenders off to sand and repair. Now i want to go back on and get everything lined up the best i can before i start any filler and primer work. So the question is; do you put the doors on first and get them close and then put front fenders on? Should i get some door bumpers installed before i try to get things lined up? :clueless:

Offline dutch

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 6944
Re: challenger door adjust
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2009 - 11:57:12 AM »
I put in the doors first ,roughly in the correct position ,space between door and quarter- door and rocker -door and a-pillar. then fenders, headerpanel (cuda) and hood... you do need the hood... it`s your guide for all adjustments, and it is a big + if the hoodhinges are not worn.  Once you have all panels on the car it`s moving the parts till either perfection, or till you`re sick of it...  :biggrin: 
*** Bart ***

Offline E-Body Products

  • E-Body Products
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1016
  • American Jobs Are Our Children's Future!
    • E-BODY PRODUCTS
Re: challenger door adjust
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2009 - 01:39:07 PM »
It took 4 hours to line the doors up on my cuda.  Well worth the effort.  Aftermarket fenders fit good also.  I did as DMZ73 said and used a jack with blocks and a cloth for raising the door.

Make sure you have new bushings in your hinges before starting (That is if your hinges are worn).

Also, make sure to raise the door about 1/2" above the quarter line.  When you let the jack down the door should drop in place and line up with the quarter.

Also, the gap at the bottom of the door will be larger than all others, or was the case with my car.

Offline dutch

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 6944
Re: challenger door adjust
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2009 - 02:19:41 PM »
It took 4 hours to line the doors up on my cuda.  Well worth the effort.  Aftermarket fenders fit good also.  I did as DMZ73 said and used a jack with blocks and a cloth for raising the door.

Make sure you have new bushings in your hinges before starting (That is if your hinges are worn).

Also, make sure to raise the door about 1/2" above the quarter line.  When you let the jack down the door should drop in place and line up with the quarter.

Also, the gap at the bottom of the door will be larger than all others, or was the case with my car.


 :iagree:
*** Bart ***