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'88 K5 Door Lock Striker Replacement

Dirsuper

Dirsuper

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I feel dumber than usual asking this, but how do you hold the inside nut when changing the door lock striker? I started to remove it and realized.......there is no access to the nut which was turning and would have fallen....inside the body? and then I'd be driving to work holding the door closed with one hand. I took the interior vinyl/cardboard panel off, climbed underneath, even tried some of my welding magnets to hold the nut....no luck.
 
They are captured in a cage same as all the bolts that hold the top in place.

Pretty sure if that cage breaks, you have to cut into the body to hold it. Might be other ideas, I can't recall any.
 
Front door of a blazer? Should be a captured nut.

Front door of a suburban isn't captured, but you can get to it through an access hole if you remove the interior panels. Rear door of the burb is captured.
 
Update in case anyone else ever has this question. Yesterday I found that using a flashlight shining into one hole and peeking through a screw hole I could see most of the cage around the nut. I took an angle pick (90 degree angle at bottom, about 1/2" out) and felt to make sure the bottom of the cage was enclosed/the cage was attached to the frame well. Then (being a bit.....cautious with my daily driver), I pulled the striker out half way and stuck the same pick down under the nut. I held it in place while I changed out the striker. Door closed perfectly about 10 times in my shop, then I get to work today and it does the same thing it was doing (the reason I changed the striker to start with), 'closes' about an inch open.......Anyway, point of the story is that you can change the striker without worrying about the nut, and you can be even more careful by using an angled pick.

Appreciate the help with this one.
 
You have the plastic-y piece on the striker? That missing causes all sorts of issues. I assume being new it should, but just checking. If the striker hasn't moved, then something in the door latch mechanism obviously. Amazing how well these things can work when lubed properly.
 
If you don't need to replace the strike bolt, and just need the bushing, they sell tailgate pin bushings in the HELP section of most autopart stores. A few of the bushings will fit. I used to cut them open, put them around the strike, and then wrap with tape. Kinda ghetto, but keeps you from having to remove the strike and realign things.
 
Yes, the reason I replaced the striker is because the plastic was jacked up. I actually stopped at a body shop and asked the dude what the hell was wrong with my door. He told me to replace that and I would be good. Well, I am a lot better off than I was - close, open, slam, open, slam, open, slam, good enough - go. Now I just have to like 'hold' the door until it closes and it is fine. When I went to the gym at lunch I screwed around with it. Seems like as long as I keep my hand on it the whole way, it seats just fine. It must get lonely......
 
LOL For future reference, you can buy just that plastic piece. Or make it. I think it was PEX someone used?

So it's kind of like it bounces if you go to shut the door without trying to caress it?
 
Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

It does not bounce, it 'closes'(latches I guess I should say), but is still open about an inch. I've gotten used to just keeping my hand on it the whole way now....it just needs to be caressed, must be a female door!
 
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