How to stop my door catching?

[Austin-Rover]

My drivers side front door hangs slightly lower than the rest and consequently strikes the pillar when I shut it. what do I need to adjust to get it to close like the others with a nice 'clunk' instead of a loud slam? Not only is it annoying me, but as i have to really force it to shut - its nocking out the pin that attaches to my door handle - so more often than not i have to climb in from the other side to get the door open!

:(

[G51 NAV]

If adjusting the striker-pin doesn't help, Maestro front doors are held on by bolts secured behind the dashboard. They are a b:censored:d to get at, but they do permit minor adjustment. Perhaps they weren't securely tightened in the first place, allowing the door to drop. Does the door move if you open it and try to lift it vertically? This would indicate worn hinges, but these shouldn't be worn on an R-reg car!

I had assumed that the virtually-hand-built Ledbury cars would be screwed together far better than the factory ones. Seems I was wrong :(

[D87 SMW]

GGT is 14 years old, and has covered 91,000 miles. None of the doors actualy drop when you open them...
It must just be that those at Ledbury didn't bolt it together as well as the factory... :eek:

;)

[Austin-Rover]

Yes you can lift the door virtically, but its odd such a new car has this problem. The last Maestro suffered this problem too - but that was understanable with its condition and mileage.

:(

[H48HPE]

have you tried to slaken the striker pin and move it down a bit yet?

[Austin-Rover]

Originally posted by H48HPE
have you tried to slaken the striker pin and move it down a bit yet?

That wont solve the problem of the door still hitting the pillar tho. is there a easy way of bringing the door back to level with the striker pin?

[H48HPE]

In that case, as has already been said, I think your only permanent answer is to adjust the door where it bolts onto the body, I think that this is a dash board off job to access the top bolt but the lower one i think can be got to without dash removal so that may save you?


*just been out to look*

Yes the botom one is adjustable without removal of the dash but top one, no chance.
Andy

[MGTurbo]

Originally posted by RDGelder
Yes you can lift the door virtically, but its odd such a new car has this problem. The last Maestro suffered this problem too - but that was understanable with its condition and mileage.

:(

It's quite likely that the problem may have stemmed from lack of grease which will soon wear out door hinges. Forget the striker pin for the time being, as mentioned, remove the lower sill trim, slacken off the 13mm nuts from the bottom hinge, and tilt the door up, there should be enough slack in the top pin for adjustment.

Gareth

[Austin-Rover]

Thanks for all your help - i shall see what i can do....

[Rich]

You must have parked to near to my car at the Xmas do! Dont even mention doors (or tailgates) to me with my crate, i mean, car!

[John S]

It 'strikes' me that someone has been leaning on the door whilst it was open! I cured mine by lifting it up with reasonable force so as to bend the hinges back into place. I'd try lifting the door - it worked for me anyway. :eek:

[Mat_C]

I heard of one bodyshop fixing a mis-aglined door by jacking the car up using the open door (and a plank) :laugh:

Can't say I would reccomend it ;)

[talkingcars]

You can access the top bolts on both front doors through the dash board, it isn't easy.

Watch out for a peice of foam in the hole (heat or sound insulation), trace the cables that go into the void for the door switches (and other stuff on drivers side) as access to the bolts is through there.

I used a long 13mm socket and a combination of extended and flexible bars on my car, with my head under the dash and on my back for the driver side!

The first time I replaced a door I adjusted it using the jack/plank method, just be carful not to bend the door.

James