Doors not fully closing
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Joined: Nov 2010
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Doors not fully closing
I have a 1979 Ranger F-250 4x4. The passenger door has never closed all the way. Yesterday I finally got to actually looking at it. Each hinge has 3 or 4 bolts holding it to the door and half of them are gone and the ones that are there are worked half way out. Are these doors adjustable? I think what has happened is that seems as how 1/2 the bolts are gone and/or loose the door is way out of adjustment. If you look at it from the outside you can see the gap between the cab and door is nowhere near consistent. My idea was to take the door completely off so I clean it all up and then put it back on. Is there something I should know before attempting this? I will have a second person to help so I don't have try and hold the door and bolt at the same time!!
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,674
Likes: 16
From: Ideeho
Yes the doors are adjustable. It is possible that the welded on nuts on the inside of the door have twisted off. They can be replaced with regular nuts and washers but it makes it a real PITA to adjust the door. A 2nd person is definitely a plus when removing them. Also if you have a floor jack you can use it under the door to help support it. Just use some wooden blocks to keep from damaging the lip on the bottom of the door. Good luck!
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,514
Likes: 398
From: W. Central FL.
If the mounting bolts are loose, the door is not going to fit and close correctly. Sounds like you're on tract to fix it. The doors have some adjustment at the mounting plates. Check your hinge pins for wear. Good luck.
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,170
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Since you are going to have the doors off, make sure and ck the hinge pins (like raystasch said) and especially the mounts holes for the pins too, that's a good time to replace them or the whole hinge if they are worn out.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 259
Likes: 28
56 f100, I used a floor jack with a 2” / 4” board along the bottom of the door and jacked it into place with the running boards off. I then crawled into the cab and tightened all the bolts in the door, lined up perfectly. Installed the striker plate, one man job.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,796
Likes: 2,599
From: The Shenandoah Valley
I used a "ATV/Lawn mower" jack, also used for motorcycles. Piece of 3/4 plywood on top of lift arms, a strip of 2x4 wood to cradle the door bottom, it helped.
I was thinking the inside of the door had steel plates with tapped holes for the 5/16 NC bolts, the plate was captured in a cage of sorts for adjusting ... but now I wonder?
I was thinking the inside of the door had steel plates with tapped holes for the 5/16 NC bolts, the plate was captured in a cage of sorts for adjusting ... but now I wonder?
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