Has anyone fashioned interior door panels out of luan or similar material? Can the panels be flat, or do they have to have arm rests etc. Not going for a full resto, just want to get as much rattles out as I can...panels in truck now are falling apart, and stock replacements are way too much $$$$ Thx for the replies...

 

You are only limited by your imagination here I think. I believe there is a bracket on the door for the arm rest, maybe able to remove it. I'll check, my panels are off right now. But yeah, you could make and upholster some really nice ones. I've seen some gorgeous ones done in leather.
*edit*
You can remove that 90* bracket in the door for the arm rest so you could do without it if you wanted.

 

Cool beans....not wantin g anything fancy, just some panels to cover up the inner workings, and a pull handle to shut the door with...hell, a piece of rope will do. Truck will be something like a rat rod...cosmetically dull, but in good working order. Oh, on the striker post where the latch mechanism on the door engages with the door frame...do they wear out, or can the loose latched door be adjusted somehow? Latch seems to be fully engaged, but door is not tight against door frame....has some play there... Thx!!

 

Yeah, you can take a t55 or t45 bit, one or the other and loosen it just a bit and reposition it. But they should have bushings and they wear out. Weren't available individually, had to replace the whole strike. But you can take a piece of 1/2" pex about 3/4" long and split it and slip it over the shaft and it's a great replacement bushing.

 

The bushings are available

https://www.ebay.com/itm/79-93-Ford-...-/142523912738
https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-156...origin=keyword

 

I believe there's no way to get the bushings on this style, big torqx head on one end and an even bigger washer on the other end.

 

You have to drive the washer off then you can replace the bushing.

 

Now I have to test that. I know we had a big discussion about it way back and think Bill said one style of them couldn't be replaced, whole assembly had to be swapped. That's how the pex thing got started I believe.

 

I personally always just cut the bushing but if you can drive the washer off without destroying the threads I would probably do that cause I get about 7 months of use before the cut bushing starts to fall apart. I thought of getting a new striker assembly but they have that stupid triangle that I don't like I want to keep the standard peg that I have now without the triangle.

 

Post a spoiler tag next time, I haven't looked at mine yet.

 

Are you using a pex bushing? What kind of material are you using that you only get 7 months use out of it?

My original nylon bushing is shattered, but before it came apart I wrapped it a few time with black electrical tape. When the tape end came loose I contact cemented it back down. I've been like that for about a year now...and the black tape has held up to the abuse of the latch jaws very well so far. I wish I would have superglued the shattered pieces together before wrapping the tape. But hindsight is 20-20.

 

Bet the strike is off center. Hitting it hard and pulling the door up or down. Causing early wear on the bushings.

 

I was at PNP yesterday looking for the center seat belt, the short end would not click into the buckle.
went through several trucks to find one could remove. Wow some real nasty ones under the seats.

Any way, with my 3/8 drive HF impact gun I removed about 10 striker bolts, and removed the plastic
bushings. Some of the bolts, the big washer will just unscrew, and on some they will not.. I don`t
know if it is a year specific or not, or 150 vs 250 I didn`t pay much attention. They unscrewed or
they didn`t.

The large metal piece that was added to the striker bolt I believe was to keep from the bolt catching
a persons coat or pants etc... getting in or out. of the truck.
My 86 F250 didn`t have this piece, but does now thanks to PNP auto parts.
I first went with using the PEX tubing, but when I swapped on the newer style bolt with a Ford bushing
it was night and day different in the door closing.

Also on some of (I think) explorers with the rear hatch, you can also get these bushings, and some of
the vans.

You will need the T50 Torx bit.

If the door hinge pin bushings are worn and lets the door sag, this will wear the bushing as the door get
lifted up to latch each time.

Charlie

 

Still tied I think. @NumberDummy care to cast the tie breaking vote as to whether some years/models had replaceable bushing and others didn't?

 

True story, the hinges were worn out at about 250,000 and were replaced about then...so yes the bushing took a beating for a while. It lasted another 150,000 with the new hinges which haven't sagged any yet. I think the replacements were a bit beefier than the originals.