Door hard to close

[Jess]

Maybe I'm blind but I can't figure this out - I just installed new seals on both of my 89 MJs doors. My driver side now takes considerable force to fully shut and when I open it from the outside you can feel it pop back at you.

 

Do I adjust this at the latch or do I need to mess with the hinge side? My searches haven't turned up much and I'm afraid to mess up my doors alignment or break my latch if one or the other isn't necessary lol. 

[HOrnbrod]

Which seals did you install? The later model ones? If so, they are a bit thicker than the older ones and take some time to get settled in. Like a few months. Mine were the same way when I first replaced them.

[Jess]

Same year ones. My old ones just had 260k miles so they where pretty flat lol. 

[Jeep Driver]

Where did you get your seals?

[Jess]

5 hours ago, Jeep Driver said:

Where did you get your seals?

http://teamcherokee.com

I got the window wipes/whiskers and channel runs for the back and dividers too. All fit great and I can actually hear myself think while I'm driving now. 

[carnuck]

Lots of interesting stuff in the close outs!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dpoly]

possibly the hinge bushings? i know that i have to lift up on my doors in order to close them, otherwise id say new seals need a little time to flatten out

 

[HOrnbrod]

14 minutes ago, dpoly said:

possibly the hinge bushings? i know that i have to lift up on my doors in order to close them, otherwise id say new seals need a little time to flatten out

 

There are no bushings on the door hinge assemblies.

[dpoly]

5 hours ago, HOrnbrod said:

 

There are no bushings on the door hinge assemblies.

Yes you are right, what i was trying to get at is possibly the door hinge and/or other mount components may be sagging

[sdougwilliams]

My 86 suffers from the same door closing challenge on the Drivers Side.  Any tips on best place to source the replacement hinges?

[HOrnbrod]

7 hours ago, dpoly said:

Yes you are right, what i was trying to get at is possibly the door hinge and/or other mount components may be sagging

 

If memory serves, a stainless 1/4" bolt trimmed to the appropriate length that replaces the worn out hinge pin is a good fix.

[Strokermjcomanche]

You can try to adjust the striker bolt outward some .That will help the door latch , but too much and the door/cab won't line up . After time when the seal collapses you can adjust the stroker bolt back in . 

[johnj92131]

Key thing here is lining up the door seam gaps.  If the issue starts with bad hinge pins, that needs to be fixed first.

But that may not be the problem.  I spent many hours trying to adjust the door latch on my Passat with no good results.  Finally took it to a shop.  They told me to give them $50 and come back after lunch.  So I grabbed lunch and the door fit like a glove.

 

Sometimes it is just both smart and cheap to pay a pro.

[Jeep Driver]

5 hours ago, johnj92131 said:

Key thing here is lining up the door seam gaps.  If the issue starts with bad hinge pins, that needs to be fixed first.

But that may not be the problem.  I spent many hours trying to adjust the door latch on my Passat with no good results.  Finally took it to a shop.  They told me to give them $50 and come back after lunch.  So I grabbed lunch and the door fit like a glove.

 

Sometimes it is just both smart and cheap to pay a pro.

2x4 on the rocker and pry the door up from underneath..........that's what they did. 

[Strokermjcomanche]

2x4 is a cavemans way to do it . They make several different styles of these , and they don't put the dent/crease in the bottom of the door . 

 

https://www.ebay.com/i/140680685537?chn=ps&ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F711-117182-37290-0%2F2%3Fmpre%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.com%252Fi%252F140680685537%253Fchn%253Dps%26itemid%3D140680685537%26targetid%3D376697416705%26device%3Dm%26adtype%3Dpla%26googleloc%3D9015465%26poi%3D%26campaignid%3D962146729%26adgroupid%3D46733577494%26rlsatarget%3Daud-384261918427%3Apla-376697416705%26abcId%3D1129816%26merchantid%3D101501455%26gclid%3DEAIaIQobChMIvOLto8381wIVXbnACh3bwAnVEAQYAiABEgK_MvD_BwE%26srcrot%3D711-117182-37290-0%26rvr_id%3D1387701328573

 

this tool will do nothing to solve the OPs problem though .. 

[Jeep Driver]

Cavemen still exist. 

[HOrnbrod]

They're everywhere. 

[Strokermjcomanche]

I'm sure they do , but I wasn't there to say they used a 2x4 or a tool , just prefer to do it with a tool designed for the job . 

[HOrnbrod]

This company has lots of good stuff on their SITE.

[Strokermjcomanche]

7 minutes ago, HOrnbrod said:

This company has lots of good stuff on their SITE.

Sure does , we ordered off of them and TIP tools when our paint suppliers couldn't get what we wanted .