I've had this problem for years on my 53 Caddy. When I shut the door, it doesn't latch fully. I have spent time adjusting the stryker, and it will close an latch fully for a couple days, and then it goes back. I've tightened the screws, and the heads are not stripped yet, but if I keep playing this "adjustment" game, they will be be. What's the proper way to get these doors to close without any special tool? (or with a tool that I can find @ home Depot/auto parts store?) Is there a trick? Help Charles
But is there a trick to even aligning it? It takes 10-15 trys to get the door to close fully when adjusting it. If I move it after that to add thread lock, them it may be get out of place. Oddly enough, the screws don't seem to come loose.
some gm cars had thin shim plates under the striker plates w/tiny bumps to get them to "bite" when tightened -do you have these?
Try replacing the hinge pin bushing first. Do you have new dor rubbers ? Be sure your using an old phillips tip. The newer ones are for a metric screw head. Two cents worth..
I'm not familiar with that style of Caddy, but it sounds like you may have some worn parts. Do the doors sag? If you lift up on them while closing does that help? If so your hinges are worn...You will have to fix/ adjust the hinges first, then work on the latches. I'll bet the doors on that car are REALLY heavy.....
What condition are the body mounts in? Are the pads worn away? Bolts missing? Door alignment is ultimately impacted by body alignment, so if the body is shifting on the frame due to aged / missing / etc body mounts, you'll always be chasing a moving target.
Yeah, sounds like a worn latch (the part in the door). If the latch is worn it just won't work as it should and it will be hard to adjust because of the play in the worn part. It probably will need a new part. Drivers door will wear out first, then the passenger front, followed by rear doors. Finding good used parts might be tough, as all the drivers' door latches will have wear. You might be able to find NOS. Also, those doors have 2 "clicks" to full latch. The door will shut partially on the first "click" and the second "click" will keep it tight. If you adjust it tight on the first "click" it won't stay adjusted. Close the door slowly and watch and listen for both 1st and 2nd clicks to engage. Adjust the striker (part on the post) to be tight on the second "click". New or old weatherstripping will have a different adjustment. Old weatherstrip will be flat causing the door to be loose and rattle on the second "click". New weatherstrip will make it hard to shut because of the added thickness causing pressure on closure. After the new weatherstrip compresses, you might have to tighten it slightly again. If you move the striker too far inward it will only close on the first "click". The striker too far outward will leave the door loose and will rattle or move in and out slightly (when closed) even on the second "click". overspray
This might help. I'm assuming the latch is the same type used in a chevy.Take the latch striker(the piece that sticks out of the door) in your fingers and see if it wiggles back and forth (interior to exterior), it probably will. Now try it with the passenger door, it will probably not have as much wiggle to it. Take the latch out of the door and wiggle it and you'll be able to see where the striker part is worn where it comes through the slot in the latch. Both the striker and the slot will be worn. I took a hammer and carefully closed the gap there so that most of the wiggle was gone. Grease it to keep the wear to a minimum. The door closes pretty good now, and has much less rattle in it when closed. You could probably build up the worn area on the striker with weld, but it would require taking the latch apart.
This could be a number of things. The first step is remove the striker and make sure the door fits the opening properly. Good gaps all around. If the door binds then check the weatherstrips and make sure there not to tight and holding the door away from the jam. If this is all good then check the latch for wear and make sure it's mounted tightly in the door. Put a 5/16 bolt into the latch and lock it. Is it tight or is it sloppy. Release the bolt and make sure the latch is working. If all is good then lubricate that latch. Install the striker loosely and get it centred in the latch all of the way out. Now close the door and see were you are. Then you can adjust the latch in or out or forward with shims if need be. Also watch the angle of the striker it should be level and square. From here it's just adjustment. To set a door sometime takes 3 -4 hours. When everything is good, Put in New bolts!!! One at a time. The Old TInbasher
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