Door — removal, installation and adjustment
Caution: The door is heavy and somewhat awkward to remove and install. For your personal safety, at least two people should perform this procedure if a door dolly that is specifically made for this procedure is not available.
Removal and installation
1. Lower the window completely in the door, then disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal (see Engine electrical systems).
2. Open the door all the way and support it on jacks or blocks covered with rags to prevent damaging the paint.
3. Remove the kick panel Interior trim components — removal and installation and disconnect the electrical leads running to the door.
4. Detach the rubber conduit between the body and the door. Then pull the wiring harness from the body side into the door jamb area.
5. Remove the door stop strut (see illustration).
i.5 Remove the door strut retaining bolt
6. Mark around the door hinges with a pen or a scribe to facilitate realignment during reassembly.
7. With an assistant supporting the door, remove the hinge-to-door bolts (see illustration) and remove the door.
i.7 Remove the door hinge bolts
8. Installation is the reverse of removal.
Adjustment
9. Having proper door-to-body alignment is a critical part of a well-functioning door assembly. First check the door hinge pins for excessive play. Fully open the door and lift up and down on the door without lifting the body. If a door has 1/16-inch or more excessive play, the hinges should be replaced.
10. Door-to-body alignment adjustments are made by loosening the hinge-to-body bolts (see illustration) or hinge-to-door bolts and moving the door. Proper body alignment is achieved when the top of the doors is parallel with the roof section, the front door is flush with the fender, the rear door is flush with the rear quarter panel and the bottom of the doors are aligned with the lower rocker panel. If these goals can’t be reached by adjusting the hinge-to-body or hinge-to-door bolts, body alignment shims may have to be purchased and inserted behind the hinges to achieve correct alignment.
11. To adjust the door closed position, scribe a line or mark around the striker plate to provide a reference point, then check that the door latch is contacting the center of the latch striker. If not, adjust the up-and-down position first.
12. Finally adjust the latch striker sideways position, so that the door panel is flush with the center pillar or rear quarter panel and provides positive engagement with the latch mechanism (see illustration).
i.12 Adjust the door lock striker by loosening the mounting screws and gently tapping the striker in the desired direction
