Door sagging, but can't drive in new pins!

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Schurkey

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I learned on my '68 'Camino: If the body bushings are rotted, NOTHING will make the doors/fenders fit properly.

I suspect that things are not so dire on the GMT400 vehicles; there's fewer body/frame bushings, the frame is stronger, and the body (cab) is much shorter. However, I'd be looking at the bushings to see if they--or the steel mounts they attach to--have croaked. That could put undue stress on the cab, leading to poorly-fitting doors.

GM and all the others figured out years ago that if everything is welded together (properly) at the factory, not only do they save time bolting brackets to the body, but there's no time wasted "adjusting" things. Whether it's serviceable later is not a priority; hopefully the vehicle is off-warranty before problems crop up. Thus the move towards non-adjustable doors, non-adjustable front-end alignment, etc.
 

JOHNGAAA1

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You do realize the bushings are different sizes right???? The bushing by the head of the pin is bigger than the one at the end ?? The pins should go in seamlessly with little effort. If you have the bushings reversed, you will never, ever, get the pin in !!!
 

Stringer

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Man, that door alignment tool worked great. I waited until son got home from school so we can both do it (mainly so it wouldn't be entirely my fault if i jacked something up) :dogpile:

only takes about a minute and i got them laser level, they shut fantastic now. don't know that i'll ever use this tool again, i could see how it would be useful if i owned a used car lot or body shop.

if you've correctly done the pins and bushings and not seeing results, you need to try the lisle 65800
 

Stringer

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You do realize the bushings are different sizes right???? The bushing by the head of the pin is bigger than the one at the end ?? The pins should go in seamlessly with little effort. If you have the bushings reversed, you will never, ever, get the pin in !!!
yes bushings are different sizes which correlates to the orientation of the tapered pin. Don't want to mess this part up i know.
 

Erik the Awful

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GM and all the others figured out years ago that if everything is welded together (properly) at the factory, not only do they save time bolting brackets to the body, but there's no time wasted "adjusting" things. Whether it's serviceable later is not a priority; hopefully the vehicle is off-warranty before problems crop up. Thus the move towards non-adjustable doors, non-adjustable front-end alignment, etc.
To me, this is why the GMT400 is so much more desireable than the squarebodies. I hate the old GM way that required you to fiddle with everything to get parts to fit. The downside is that when the door sheetmetal wears out, you can't get the doors to close properly.

only takes about a minute and i got them laser level, they shut fantastic now. don't know that i'll ever use this tool again, i could see how it would be useful if i owned a used car lot or body shop.
It works for a few months, then your door will sag again. Keep that tool handy, and expect that at some point in the future you'll have to weld the cracks in your door.
 

Stringer

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Y'all are telling me to stick a 2x4 in the jam, jack up the door with a floor jack ... then i get the correct tool and u tell me my hinge will crack :321:

If i do have any trouble in future i'll revisit this thread.



























maybe :evillol:
 

F4U-1A

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I know my limits, payed my professional Mechanic up the road for the pin job. (Man oh Man) He drives by our snow bound Chevy every day, and wants to buy it off me so badly.
 
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