My drivers side door doesn't close tightly and rattles when I drive. I looked at the latching mechanism and it is already as far back as it can go. So then I looked at the locking post. It has to be adjusted from the inside, but when I took the inside panel off, there is no access to make adjustments. Any suggestions?

 

I have noticed my '96 does not close very tightly either. So far I have not tried to adjust it though. Even when it is closed and latched, I can see daylight through it by leaning forward slightly and lookin at the rear edge of the door.

According to the Haynes, you would adjust the door to flush with the body by opening and supporting it, then loosening the hinge bolts and maneuvering them by the estimated amount, then retightning them. The book says you may need a padded pry bar to move it. Carefully close the door, checking for binding... repeat if needed. Then adjust the latch and strike seperately. The access panel/kick panel is probably for the electrical connections only.
According to the drawing, the door side of the hinge is primarily in/out, and the body side of the hinge is up/down forward/back. You should be able to see the slots match that on the hinges.

Remember to look at the overall spacing of the door in the opening, if you move to far in any direction it will pinch and mangle some sheet metal.

I realigned a sliding door once, and it took about two hours, so plan on being there a while if you want it dialed in. I would plan on wasting some time figuring out the effects of moving different pieces, sometimes its obvious,l sometimes its not. Unless you are a experienced in body work.
I would have killed for an extra set of hands too. All I had was a block of wood.

 

Thanks, but you're talkin about the wrong end of the door. That side is fine. I need to align the side that actually swings out.

 

Does ANYONE have any idea how to adjust the door striker post that the latch clamps on to?

 

Are you talking about the round thing that is attached to the door jamb? It's the part that actually holds the door closed? Don't you just use a torx bit and loosen it then move it where you want then tighten it?

-Matt

 

[QUOTE=clstrfbc]I have noticed my '96 does not close very tightly either. So far I have not tried to adjust it though. Even when it is closed and latched, I can see daylight through it by leaning forward slightly and lookin at the rear edge of the door.

According to the Haynes, you would adjust the door to flush with the body by opening and supporting it, then loosening the hinge bolts and maneuvering them by the estimated amount, then retightning them.

I have a 96 and have the same problem I can see light out the back side of the door, and the wind noise is getting to me. I never tried adjusting it yet(been thinking about it for a while) The outside of the door is flush and the seams line up, and the whether stripping looks good.

 

Check to see if there is a plastic bushing on the striker bolt. If it is gone you can adjust things till the cows come home and still have a problem. By the way , the bushing is available from many local parts houses that carry the "Help" line.

 

my bushing was gone on my door latch post, so i used electrical tape and that worked for about a year but my door is starting to rattle again so ill just keep doingthat. i have an 89 but im sure its not too much different.

 

Just bought a set today for my '88 bronc. 5 dollars I think at autozone.


Tom T