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Striker Bushing fix- Cheap

WJACKSON11X

WJACKSON11X

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Mar 12, 2007
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Location
Madison,GA
After searching for a fix to my doors not closing easily and latching properly, I realized that the striker bushing was missing. The bushing is what the latch grabs and allows the doors to easily catch on the striker. I found the replacement striker, washers, and bushing in a kit at my local autoparts store, but at almost $10 a piece I decided to figure something else out. I needed 4 of them on the Suburban.

I bought a 5 ft stick of 1/2" PEX tubing from the hardware store for $3.20.
Cut the Pex into small lengths to cover the striker bolt and split them longways to stretch over the bolt. Worked like a charm! :waytogo: The good news is that you don't even have to remove the striker bolt and worry about losing the retaining nut on the back side. I have enough PEX to do 50 Suburbans probably:eek1:

Ill put some pics up when I get home. Visual aid is always better. Hoping somebody will find this helpful. Hell, after all of these years I never knew there was supposed to be a bushing there.
 
I highly doubt you'd need to replace all four strike bolts, they wear from excessive use, obviously, so unless you have someone at each door, getting in and out as much as you are at the driver, those others shouldn't be worn out.

Mine is an '89, all other doors are fine except for the drivers, I bought the new striker kit several years ago, just never gotten around to dealing with it yet. :doah:

Same goes with the steering brace too... :doah::doah:
 
The bolts will hardly wear out. It's the bushings that don't last long, especially the driver door. The problem was I couldn't locate just the bushings locally. You havery to buy the whole kit, which I didnt need.
 
That really depends on how long it takes you to replace the bolt too though,, :D

Like mine, it's been several years of slamming the door to get it to close right, the door bolt itself is starting to wear out some too. :doah:

All I was referring to though, you mentioned you needed all four,, I was just saying I highly doubted that, unless those doors saw the same use as the drivers. As far as the pvc stuff, I'd be wondering how long it's really going to last especially a slit cut into it to get it to fit. If I remember, the kit you buy is a solid piece.

$10? eh, I don't see that as a horrible expense for this type of situation. :D
 
I guess I'll post back after some abuse. I'll just cut a fwe extras and keep them in the glovebox. All 4 of the bushings were missing. If I had bought the kits, it wold have cost me $40
 
cpvc works too...that's what's on mine. :waytogo:
 
I did the PEX thing on several of my trucks a few years ago, it's all still holding up just fine.

And FWIW, a Burb and my crew cab had bushings missing from all 4 doors.
 
I wonder if I'm supposed to have bushings on my '72. Seems like it would make the doors less rattly too.
 
I'm using cardboard and electrical tape, It's been about 3 years now and they still shut perfect with no effort.
 
i did this to my suburban's front doors a few months ago. works well, the latches are stiff now, almost too stiff but they might need to be lubed a little.
 
Back from the dead. This cheap fix is amazing! Finally did it on my doors

Found a how to video
 
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