So my list of fixer-uppers continues. I installed a lock cylinder in the driver's side door, and now I see why the previous owner didn't have one in there. The door is a little loose, it closes and everything if you pull it hard, but when you unlock the lock, you have to twist hard with the key at the same time you press the handle to get it to open.

How do you "tighten" the door to frame fit ?

Is it as simple as tightening the various bolts that hold the hinges to the door and frame ?

TIA.

 

My door was like this.

First, check your door stike pin. See if the lock and the strike are lined up. My lock was rubbing a groove into the pin and it needed to be moved in to make the door close tight and not rattle.

If you loosen the strike and take it out of the way, you can see if the door is out of alignment. Close the door a couple times slowly from the inside and outside and watch how the door lines up with the weather stripping. When opening the door, if you feel the door drop down after the first 4 or 6 inches and you hear a groan or creak from the hinges you probably need to replace your hinge bushings.

If the strike and the hinges bushings are good, the door may just be out of alignment. The door is adjustable by loosening the bolts that hold the hinges to the body. It helps to have two people. One to turn the bolts and another to stabilize/adjust the door.

If none of this helps with the sticking lock, your mechanism in the door may be dirty or rusty. I took the door panel off and unscrewed the lock, sprayed with brake cleaner, scrubbed with a tooth brush, greased it and put it back in. The key now turns like brand new.


There's links to some helpful stuff in the sticky and if you have to take all the locking mechanisms in the door apart, take a picture. Otherwise you might have to open up the other door up just to look at how it goes back
together.

Door hinge pin and bushing replacement
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...t=door+bushing

An insider's view of the doors courtesy of Jim Lane:
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/d...d.php?t=218946

Door latch/handle repairs:
http://ramchargercentral.com/index.p...owtoshow;id=60