I have a 66 F100 with a drivers door that won't shut straight. I know doors are a pain, but is there a trick to getting these aligned. Years ago the door was open and it rolledback into the hill jamming the door (kindof like jamming your finger) and the door hasn't shut right since. I have seen replacement hinges for other trucks but not for mine.
any ideas??:

 

Ouch!! I had the same thing happen to mine years ago, except a car backed into the open door!
I was able to straighten the hinges back to the proper shape with a large hammer and anvil. I just compared the shape to the unbent ones on the other side. They were bent so bad the door wouldn't even close at all. The trick is to make sure not to twist the hinge as you correct the bend.

Good luck!!!

 

Plenty of hinges around. Junk yard item.

 

You may also find that the door jamb is bent outwards. And, you may also find the hinges are NOT bent, but that the door jamb is.
I discovered this when it happened to me. Replacing the hinges didn't work, because they were not bent. The hinges are much stronger than the door jamb.
First, though, you need to take the door off the hinges. Leave the hinges on the truck. Close the hinges, and look down from the top onto the hinges. You are looking to see if they still line up - they probably won't. They need to line up with each other, and they should be parallel with the cab frame below.
Usually the upper hinge is bent back further than the lower one. Here is what I did to pull the door jamb back close enough to make it work:
1. I took the offending door off first. In my case, it was the driver's door.
2. Open the other (in this case, passenger) door.
3. Back the passenger side up right next to a sturdy pole, such as a light pole, a telephone pole, or large tree, with the pole next to the passenger side opening. You shouldn't be able to close the door with the pole in the way.
4. Attach a come-along at the end of the upper driver's side hinge (if that one is bent out more). Be sure to use a bolt at the end to secure it. Be sure the come-along is around the tree or pole. Use a chain if necessary. DON'T use rope.
5. Use the come-along to bend the hinge - and doorjamb - back into position.
Keep in mind that you may have to pull it a bit more under tension to get it to line up without the tension applied.
This worked well for me. Hope it works OK for you.

 

I'd suggest you check your cab mounts and radiator support mounts first. When these rot out they compress and get everything out of alignment. Once these are replaced, either the door will close properly or you can make minor adjustments that were designed intot he system.

 

Brian66,

I suggest you ask an older, more experienced body person for some suggestions. I could explain how using blocking forces and pressure so door is twisted, wracked, bent or sprung back into very close to original position. Explaining it without demonstrating to someone who's not experienced in body & metal forming could be next to impossible though.

1st, damage must be established & evaluated. Next a plan to reverse or undo the damage devised. Positions & sequences for blocking figured out before being executed. There is also how pressures get applied, how much how little pressure and so forth.

What Banjopicker says about relative hinge alignment, and "A" Pillar, or Hinge pillar alignment is very true and where to start. If both sides are equally the same, damage is in door or hinges or both. If both sides aren't same, or very very close to same, re-establishing that basic "A" Pillar equality comes 1st.

From what you describe, door bottom has been tweaked out & slightly upward. I'd guess 80% or more of twist is in door itself. Here's what I would do, don't forget I've done this many times, and after being taught, then learning how, then getting fairly good at it. Based on the notion rear edge of door should follow exactly, part of "B" Pillar where door fits/ sits with door closed. 1st get a piece of 2X4 about 8" or 10" long.

Prop door open slightly using a piece of 2x4 laid flat on sill. Shut door slowly to contact 2x4. holding slight pressure against door measure how far edge of door is away from place it sets & seals. I bet you find distance @ bottom rear edge/corner is more than mid @ point or top, It should be equal though. This would indicate to me door is culprit because it has most damage.


If I determine door does have most of damage, hinge has less damage I'd want to straighten door 1st. Place 2x4 flat, in front, lower corner, but back enough along door sill & door bottom, from "A pillar, to be more than end of hinge strap, so as to prop door open slightly.

Placing block off / away from hinge will force door to respond to correcting force by twisting or wracking. Placing block within hinge causes hinge to react to correcting forces. Since I believe you will find damage is more door than hinge, in your case, I'd place block where I could spring door, not hinge!

Shut door slowly to contact 2x4. Holding door against block, take your tape & measure again. Note difference between bottom & top corners. That's how much bottom must come back in. Next I'd spring my weight against door at lower rear edge, sort of like the way you do on a diving board. Use a series of pushes or shoves, do not apply one massive force. I want to tease or coax metal back not mash it back in 1 shot. As I do this I check with my tape until I get top, mid point & bottom the same, or very close to the same.


If you could see where/ how blocks are placed, and where/ how pressure is applied, and if it's push, or pull pressure it would become clear to you. but words alone probably make no sense.
It might be worth your while to pay a competent body person to Wrack door back into position just to see how it's done. Or bring your truck to my shop & I'll show you how it's done.

I can usually get the doors so close to original position using this method, that all I usually adjust is strikers. Seldom if ever do I adjust hinges. Speaking of hinges, your hinges must be in goos shape, Not a lot of pin play or slop in them. Hinge Pins are ground zero 1/16th inch of play at hinge pin can = 3/4 inch of play at far point on door.

If hinges are sloppy & you replace them without "tweaking" the door back 1st, you'll still have to tweak door, only it's tougher to do once things've been removed, moved around,& replaced etc.

Last point. . . . when metalworking it takes patience, tolerance, finesse, and temperment. Getting in a hurry or getting greedy is absolutely wrong approach. Overworking, and reforming metal beyond what's necessary is just another form of damage!. . . .

Good Luck . . . . . . . .

FBp

 

thanks FORDBOYpete and others for the ideas. I will give it a shot.