So my weatherstripping arrived today and I started removing it from around the doors and will take the windsheild out when my wife gets home from work to help. My problem is that my hands are too big or the space is too small along the lead edge of the door to get the remaining old stuff out. I also was dry fitting the new stuff and had a hard time getting it even into the space because of how tight it is. Now I am wondering how others got into this space for removal and for install because my hands are not really that big and it shouldnt be this hard? Would it be better to mark the hing location and take the doors off to install the strips and then just put them right back on?
You all are the best, I read every post I can and have learned so much.

 

The only way I would consider doing it is with the doors off.

 

What he said. Take the doors off.

HOWEVER, getting them back on with the gaps correct is a PIA. I came up with a method of indexing them first so the gaps always come back to what they were. I have had my doors on and off the truck at least 6 times and they alwys come back to perfect gaps. Read thru my gallery album on it. You may want to do the same.

1956 Ford F100 4x2 - Door Install

Good luck!

 

Thanks guys, I guess the doors are coming off.
Jack, can I do your method of door alignment with just the pin? In other words can I leave out the cleacos and rivets, I dont have those things and dont really understand what they do if the pin centers the two plates?

 

You probably could do the job with just the big pin. The rivets freeze the thread plate so it is easy for the bolts to find. You may have to fish the bolt around to find the first threaded hole is all. Once you get one bolt in, the other will be aligned.

Do plan on someone helping hold the weight of the door, though. You won't have enough hands to hold the weight and fish the bolt around.

BTW, clecoes are the bomb!!! McCaster Carr and Grainger carry them as well as Eastwood. They aren't expensive and are very handy. They are useless without the cleco pliers, though. I indexed all my front sheet metal for the same reason as the doors and have had no problem taking sheet metal on and off the truck.

 

Nice idea Randy, I'll be saving that one

 

Since you are only removing the doors, the hinges stay mounted properly in the jamb. Marking the location of the bolts on the door side of the hinge should be sufficient to allow reinstallation in the exact same location. All this is predicated on the assumption that your doors are properly aligned now. Whatever the case, the doors should be removed to replace the weatherstripping.

 

Thanks guys, doors come off tomorrow. Wish me luck.