the vinyl sleeves you refer to are sold at Autozone in packets of 4 in the Dorman Help line of parts.

if you don't have Autozone near, go to AutoZone | Auto Parts & Accessories | Repair Guides & More and order online. (the link above has a 1996 Aerostar default, so just type Striker Sleeve in the search box).

they make the entire Striker with the vinyl sleeve, or the packet of sleeves.
they also sell the roller and pin for the slider door.

 

I have many Autozones near me. I will visit one of them. But oddly enough, my online search on their site found nothing. I tried a 97 and 96, still no sleeves. All I found was the whole striker for the front door, but not rear sliding door.

 

here you go:

Dorman Products - Door Striker Bolts & Kits

I think they are the same sleeve for Ford and GM. The problem with that sleeve is that it hardens and cracks in no time. I'm looking for an alternative tubing that doesn't deteriorate so quickly. It has to be soft enough and hard enough. The purpose is to eliminate the striker noise when you close the door. With the sleeve, the sound is more like a "thuck" as opposed to a "crash" without the sleeve.

 

I haven't responded because I have been waiting to see if my next fix works. I replaced the bottom roller and the door rolls smoothly and shuts perfectly but still rattles loudly over every bump. Out of desperation I crawled around in the back while my wife drove back and forth down our bumpy road. I tried pushing and holding the door in numerous places to see if the rattle stopped but nothing made any difference. I really started listening close and the rattle also sounded like it was coming from under the rear seat. when I put my head down to the floor the noise was defiantly coming from under the rear seat. I am thinking now that the upper bushing on the Y support for the rear axle which upon inspection appears to be worn is rattling and it just echos in the foot well making it sound like the door is rattling. My problem has been finding a new bushing because of course Ford doesn't sell them anymore. I finally found one and I am waiting for it to arrive so I can get it changed. If that works I will post up about it. In the mean time I will look closer at the plastic sleeves on the posts.

 

You can also get them at O'reillys, Advance, ect.

Dorman Help! 38424 - Striker Bolt Bushing | O'Reilly Auto Parts

The Doorman part # is 38424.

 

How do you replace just the bushings? I have to admit I did not try very hard. All the striker bolts I've seen have captive washers, and they aren't threaded so it's nearly impossible to remove them to replace the bushing without damaging the threads on the bolt. I ended up slicing a spiral through one of the new ones so I can peel it apart enough to wrap it around the bolt.

 

you used a T30 (or whichever) bit to remove the stricker assembly, right?

then there is a very thin plastic washer and a 1/8" thick steel spacer?, the washer actually unscrews from the bolt, then you slide the bolt out, insert the bushing, re-screw the plastic washer, and slide the spacer, reinstall the stricker. All of them are like that, including the slider door and rear hatch.

any 1/8" thick flexible/rubbery tubing of 5/8" inside diameter will work as a bushing. There must be a better material.

 

OK, I'll have to admit, the striker I rebuilt was for the hatch of my Mustang, not any door. Its captive washer was definitely not threaded; I tried very hard to force it off, and ruined the top threads, so I stopped. Fortunately, that part did not affect how it was attached to the trunk.

I first tried a short section of heater hose; slit down its length and wrapped it around the bolt. But it was too soft, and kept getting pulled off by the latch. So I went with a generic plastic bushing, which I slit spirally to install onto the bolt. It's been working for about 10years so far, so I'll leave it until it wears out.

 

I got mine shipped from RockAuto. Click HERE to see what they look like.

The short bushings are to be discarded as they don't work with an Aerostar.

 

the 2 short bushings in the Dorman HELP Ford package are one each for the two front doors, and the two longer bushings are one for the rear hatch/tailgate catch and one for the sliding door catch or stricker, whatever you call the parts that use the bushing or "sleeve".

Maybe you bought the package for GM?

 

Look again HERE and the same below:

Dorman Help! 38424 - Striker Bolt Bushing | O'Reilly Auto Parts

The short bushings are good fer nothins. They are too short for an Aerostar anything or anywhere.

The long bushings, yes, use them for the rear and the side.

 

It is a universal kit that happens to work for the Aerostar.

 

The back of the made in Taiwan package says:

Bronco 69-83
Bronco II 90-84
Explorer 90-84

Yup, it's a universal kit, indeed.

 

well if it doesn't work for the Aerostar, let's all send e-mails to Dorman telling them we need a bushing/sleeve packet for the Aerostar strikers, and we keep sending them e-mails every week until they capitulate

if you go to their website, they have a link called "Customer Suggestions".

 

Fictional Dorman reply:

Dear Jose, thank you for your customer suggestions!

As you are well aware, as the Obama administration implemented the Cash for Clunkers program, we have therefore shifted our product line to the survivors of this government initiative. Unfortunately, the Ford Aerostar, for all intensive purposes, seems to have been the main target for whatever reason.

Thank you for your input!

Dorman Product Customer Relations.