Having a Major door issue!

[RED MONSTER 4X4]

hey guys,

I have a 91 Burban, and my driver side door will not fully shut. From as far as i can tell, the door hinges on the body side have become loose making the door hang lower than normal(all before i got it) this combined with what i am sure have been years of hard slamming have totally worn away the top guide on the door latch(where the knob on the door frame connects to the door itself) and when i say worn away i mean that steel is pretty much gone!Just some flakes of totally obliterated steel. the door would shut a week or so ago,it would be loose,but a firm latch, now i can only get it to close and latch as if i gently closed the door. I hope this makes sense, I can take photos if needed.

How hard is it to replace the actual door latch? I see 3 big screws on the door, but this being my first ck5 have no idea where to begin or what to expect. Anyone help me with this? is this a common issue? Should i take it to a pro? Replace the entire door?

Thanks in advance for your advise!

 

[tRustyK5]

You shouldn't need to replace the door. The door itself has a rotary latch mechanism, as you close it the upper and lower "claws" rotate around the striker which is bolted to the door jamb.

I'd say step one is carefully try to unbolt the mangled striker. Be gentle, and be lucky...there is a caged nut on the backside. If you go caveman on it the sides of the cage holding the nut may spread and the nut will just spin. Once you get eh old striker off you want to firm up the hinges themselves. Most auto parts places sell new hinge pins and bushings. The bushings are serrated, so you gotta tap them in to seat them. Again, be somewhat gentle. At this point the slop should be gone from the hinges.

Push the door closed with no striker and note any areas that rub. Check body gaps all around the door. Check if the top of the door is more closed than the bottom, or vice versa. If it closes and the gaps look decent it's time to bolt up a new door striker. Should be able to get the striker and the nylon roller that goes on the striker from www.lmctruck.com for pretty cheap.

Bolt it up snug, but not stupid tight. Close the door very gently while watching the latch on the door side. Try to get the striker at a height where the rotary latch is hitting it dead center. Snug it up and close the door. Check if the door is closing really deep, or not deep enough. Open the door, and using a sharpie marker make a mark on the inside or the outside of the striker estimating the corrective distance. Before loosening the striker mark the height if that was good. Adjust the striker in or out as needed and try the door again. Shouldn't take more than two or three adjustments to get it really good. The new striker, and specifically the nylon roller on the striker should make a world of difference. These doors never shut right once the nylon roller is gone.

 

[RED MONSTER 4X4]

My plan was to get to the Junk yard and experiment with a junker,and pull the rotary latch and striker when done. as you said neither the striker or the rotary latch(which is where the metal has been worn down) neither have any nylon left! the striker is in good shape, but i would replace that also, it has some wear at the top where it repeatedly hit the top of the rotary latch guide.

Thank you for the very thorough post! it will really help I appreciate it!

 

[tRustyK5]

My plan was to get to the Junk yard and experiment with a junker,and pull the rotary latch and striker when done. as you said neither the striker or the rotary latch(which is where the metal has been worn down) neither have any nylon left! the striker is in good shape, but i would replace that also, it has some wear at the top where it repeatedly hit the top of the rotary latch guide.

Thank you for the very thorough post! it will really help I appreciate it!

No worries, and good idea on grabbing a new latch.

 

[4xcrazy]

I noticed when mine started to not close all the way without slamming it, that the replacement striker pin had a plastic type of sleeve on it, I looked at other doors and they all have it as well except for the door that won't close without slamming.

check it out.