Anyone got any suggestions on installing the doors and resetting the door gaps on a 56 f100? Right now my cab is off the frame and sitting on a wooden cart I fabbed up so it could be rolled in and out of my shop while I repaired rusted floors and other body work. I was wanting to paint my cab before installing it but I think it might be easier if the cab didnt move around with me. Thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

I would set the cab on the frame and bolt it down while either bare metal or primed and then install the doors and adjust for gap. When they are where you want them drill two 1/8" holes near each connection location, both on the doors and the cab door frame. This will index the doors so that after you have painted them you can put 1/8"x 3" rod in the holes to get them back to where you set your gaps. Don't forget to remove the 1/8" rods before trying to close the door . Look at Randy Jacks gallery for some photos of this method.

 

Setting the gaps for best fit in the first place is the hard part. Most of us agree that it is best done as a two man job. The Shop Manual shows where to adjust for each direction (jamb or door) and even how to reshape a door that doesn't quite fit for contour. Very informative. Get a Shop Manual, if you don't have one.

I wanted very tight and consistent gaps on my 56, so I adjusted the doors for a close gap at the forward and upper edges. Gaps (pics 11, 12): https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displayalbum.php?&userid=201514&albumid=27698

I then added weld bead to the rear edges and ground that into the same gap width. Worked out very well. Adding weld to tighten gaps (pics 16, 17): https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displayalbum.php?&userid=201514&albumid=27696

The gallery Larry referred to shows what I did to repeat those gaps when I reinstalled the doors later. The job is so tough to do, you'll only want to hassle it out once. The cleco and hang pin idea makes reindexing them later a snap. Reindexing the doors: https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displayalbum.php?&userid=201514&albumid=27817

Also, do all the work with the guts stripped out of them (no windows or mechanisms). They are a lot lighter and easier to handle that way.

 

Hey Randy the links didn't work for me??

 

On my 56 after I had installed my front clip and set the engine in and made all of my mods, I put the cab back on the frame and totally mocked up the truck to made sure that everything was going to fit up and clear before painting. That also included installing the doors and checking for fit. They fit beautifully from top to botton after a little tweaking. But remember when you put the new rubber on, you may have to adjust them twice. I found that when I installed the new rubber after the truck was painted that the doors were very hard to close so I had to leave the adjustment a little loose and the door stuck out a little more than I wanted. After a couple of months the rubber relaxed and I then readjusted the doors a little tighter and now they fit like they are supposed to.

Michelle

 

Funny. They didn't work for me either. Here they are again.

Gaps: https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=27698

Adding weld (pics 16,17): https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=27696

Indexing Doors: https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=27817