Jacking a door ???

[1976gmc20]

On another website I was advised that the way to fix a sagging door was to open it slightly and then jack it up just a little to "adjust" the hinges. Rinse and repeat until it closes properly.

I replaced the hinge pins and bushings a few years ago and it didn't help much at all. The door won't latch completely resulting in a lot of wind noise (Huh ????? ) on the highway.

So is this an okay idea to try?

[Palf70Step]

Factory hinges for these trucks do not have an adjustment for door sag. Hinges were weled, not bolted like on older trucks where you could adjust them. There are replacement/aftermarket hinge kits to give you bolt on hinges for adjustments, but I think they are pretty $$$.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Factory hinges for these trucks do not have an adjustment for door sag. Hinges were weled, not bolted like on older trucks where you could adjust them. There are replacement/aftermarket hinge kits to give you bolt on hinges for adjustments, but I think they are pretty $$$.

So should I try the careful jacking method ???

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

So should I try the careful jacking method ???

For these year trucks I have NEVER seen that work. Normally it makes more damage to the sheet metal where the hinges are welded to than helping the droop..

I have see all kind of things done on older styles where the hinges bolt on. The board trick I have used , but not for doors that droop. Normally we use that where the top or bottom are too close. It sorta pushes out the window frame so the door is straight. That was a common p[problem then from people leaning on the open doors. The hinges would hold up, but the window frame would slightly bend in.

[Stormin08]

What indicates the PROPER way to do it ????

Before jacks and other devices, moving metal was just that...whatever moved it.

i have adjusted the upper window structure by hand before, just give it a good yank...

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by Stormin08

What indicates the PROPER way to do it ????

Before jacks and other devices, moving metal was just that...whatever moved it.

i have adjusted the upper window structure by hand before, just give it a good yank...

That's what I'm trying to figure out.

The pickup probably isn't worth cutting off the factory hinges and drilling and bolting new hinges. But it would be a lot nicer pickup if I could get the door to latch completely.

[cashforclunkers]

I know an old school body guy, he's 61. The door on dad's 50 olds didn't shut good. He walked over to the wood pile and grabbed a piece of peavey wood (2x2" ash) and put it below the lower hinge and proceeded to slam the door!

Guess what it worked and I've done it a few times since, it does help. Not the right way, just a way

[special-K]

I'd go ahead and try jacking the door. I've done it before a few times on the '92 I had and it helped pick the door up. I put a 2x4 under the inner door bottom, not the lip of the skin, and using a floor jack have brought the sagged door up

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by special-K

I'd go ahead and try jacking the door. I've done it before a few times on the '92 I had and it helped pick the door up. I put a 2x4 under the inner door bottom, not the lip of the skin, and using a floor jack have brought the sagged door up

Thanks, I will give it a very careful try.

It's pretty much do or die for this pickup. It runs great and I've got the bigger mechanical problems fixed for now, but it's always going to be a junker if the door won't close tight.

[mountie]

A large truck started to back up, as my door was opened, & their plastic fender pressed against my open door, until I SCREAMED at the idiot to stop.

The GM body shop did the "2x4" trick so I could close my door. It worked.
( Then my insurance paid to get my door fixed)

2 other issues to get the door to close nice.... (1) - Check the condition of the lock/latch on the door.

2) - Confirm the pin on door frame is straight & no cracks on body at base of pin. ( I had mine welded at body around base of pin)

[1976gmc20]

Well, finally got around to it and it seemed to work.

It took several tries and a lot more jacking than I expected, but I didn't quite turn the truck over - LOL

[mountie]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

Well, finally got around to it and it seemed to work.

It took several tries and a lot more jacking than I expected, but I didn't quite turn the truck over - LOL

Cool...... Now, take a careful inspection of your door latch/lock. ( An uneven door can tweak the latch metal )

If the door does not close as it was new, it will continue to be a problem later.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by mountie

Cool...... Now, take a careful inspection of your door latch/lock. ( An uneven door can tweak the latch metal )

If the door does not close as it was new, it will continue to be a problem later.

Well I didn't exactly get this pickup New

I bought it from a neighbor for $800 after a divorce; it had no rear brakes and 4wd not working, bed was full of greasy crap, cab was full of dog hair, and of course the door didn't close all the way. Later I discovered it was missing a motor mount bolt! And oh yeah, one headlight was missing the adjusting bolts and it was just hard screwed into the sheet metal and pointing at a crazy angle.

I'm sure the latch and striker need replacing. It's a work in progress

Mostly I use it to haul firewood, and trash to the dump.

[mountie]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

Well I didn't exactly get this pickup New

I bought it from a neighbor for $800 after a divorce; it had no rear brakes and 4wd not working, bed was full of greasy crap, cab was full of dog hair, and of course the door didn't close all the way. Later I discovered it was missing a motor mount bolt! And oh yeah, one headlight was missing the adjusting bolts and it was just hard screwed into the sheet metal and pointing at a crazy angle.

I'm sure the latch and striker need replacing. It's a work in progress

Mostly I use it to haul firewood, and trash to the dump.

Man-o-man.... I wish I had property & a worn truck like that, I could stitch back together. .... paint it up nice with some Porch & Deck paint!!!

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by mountie

Man-o-man.... I wish I had property & a worn truck like that, I could stitch back together. .... paint it up nice with some Porch & Deck paint!!!

Well, it's never going to be a show truck, that's for sure

As soon as we get some decent weather, I'm going to rattle can gray primer the hood and the top of the cab.

You should see the fire trail that I cut up on the hill behind the house. That x-cab long bed IFS pickup should never be able to handle that, but with careful driving it does okay. It sure keeps you awake trying to wind between the trees!

[Palf70Step]

Glad it worked for you. MMy friends that tried it always failed, Metal cracked around hinges. I guess theirs were more gone or they gorilla'd it too much. Glad to worked.

[61_FL_Apache]

I had taken my daughters 2000 Camaro to a body shop for this issue. The doors are fiberglass and the steel hinge was pushing into the glass causing the door to sag. The body shop guy comes out with this straight piece of steel. it had a hook on the end which fit on the striker pin and several inches back there was a bolt or something sticking out that fit into the latch. The door was about 8" from being closed and he lifted up on the lever lifting the door far past where it should be and then let go. The door came back down where it was where he started.

He said on metal doors that tool works great, but on the Camaro, the fiberglass was already damaged. I made a big metal shim that fit between the hinge and the door which gave the hinge a larger surface area on the door and it worked perfect. The door was level and closed like new.

Glad you got your door issue resolved!

[1976gmc20]

Thanks, everyone!

I'm looking forward to going to town in a couple days, and seeing how much quieter it is on the highway without all that wind noise from the door not being closed tightly.

I guess if I just keep pecking away at things, it will eventually be a somewhat nice pickup

[mountie]

1976gmc20,

Your welcome !! We like projects as this. Keep us up-dated!!

[1976gmc20]

One problem: now I have all these "new" rattles that I couldn't hear before with the door going clunk-clunk-clunk-clunk down the gravel road

[Grumpy old man]

This tool hooks into the door latch and you rest the end on the door frame latch and lift . They work .

https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/cha...r-p-11508.aspx

This is another type but the picture gives you an idea how it works .

https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/ste...5-p-11726.aspx

[1976gmc20]

Interesting!

So the principle of bending the hinges is sound. I just used a bottle jack and some blocks of wood.

[mountie]

The body style before my '88. had bolted hinges. Ours are welded on.

I did a photo-story / magazine article for the install of the new-style, LMC Truck replacement hinges, using my '88 C2500 Sierra. We discovered I had to split the door / body-edge open at the spot welds, to install the bolt on hinge bolts, inside. We sorta faked the install, and showed the bushing/pin replacement. ( Remember, the pair of brass bushings are different on a single hinge - so watch for that!)

So, using the 2x4 trick is better for the first attempt.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by mountie

The body style before my '88. had bolted hinges. Ours are welded on.
...

Yeah, I know I have a 1976 GMC sitting out here. Doors are just fine but it burns oil like crazy so needs a new engine. But it's 2wd so I don't know yet what I'm going to do with it. That's why I bought this 1989 real cheap a few years ago so I would have a 4wd pickup to get into rough spots in the woods to get firewood.

Also the dirt roads out here turn into bogs when it rains or the snow is melting. The county has done a dang fine job of scraping all the gravel off into the ditch