jimy Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 I'm chasing door a big passenger door rattle in my KC and noticed something I don't understand about the doors. My first picture shows the top of the door. It sure looks like something is supposed to mount there. Perhaps a plate or piece of rubber? The second picture shows the corresponding location on the cab. Basically a fixed wedge. This is the second series 35 cab without suicide doors - 36+ doors may be exactly the same or perhaps had minor changes. My main question is just what is this and is something missing? As far as my rattle, the door that doesn't rattle has perfect paint in this area - no wearing down. With the rattling door almost closed, I can lift the far (door handle) edge of the door up perhaps 1/16" (maybe less) and I believe that is the source of the rattle. I do not have this movement on the quiet door. It seemed like the movement was at the lower hinge so I put a new pin on that hinge with no change. (When my wife is back in town she can move the door while I check the movement out better). I was able to adjust the latch striker plate on the cab IN to more firmly hold the door closed - I will take it out for a spin and see if that helps... I am curious what might be missing from my pictures and if perhaps something is meant to "wedge" the door firmly into position when closed. thanks, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 It looks like it is contacting (bouncing onto) two screws or bolts in the cab door opening? If it were closing across them, there would be a scrape mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 It is missing the door wedge... https://dcmclassics.com/body-panels-repair-panels-mountsbolt-kits/429-b-765-door-alinement-wedges-pair.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimy Posted August 21, 2018 Author Share Posted August 21, 2018 Thanks! I ordered the part (plus the related shim kit). I'm very excited to (hopefully) eliminate/reduce my clunk. Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Sure, be sure to let Frank/Todd know I sent you.....GLTY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 On 8/21/2018 at 1:58 PM, jimy said: Thanks! I ordered the part (plus the related shim kit). I'm very excited to (hopefully) eliminate/reduce my clunk. Jim Just be prepared to adjust your hinge alignments, and be sure you have some bottom skid plates under the door, otherwise you will then rub on the bottom and rattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimy Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 Thanks again Surf City. 90% of the rattles and clunks are gone - the truck is a pleasure to drive now! Just a minor window rattle on the big bumps. I ended up using one shim with the new door wedge at the top. Using clay to measure, things appear to just contact at the top and bottom. Any advice on adjusting my drivers side door? No rattles there, but the bottom lip of the door sticks out about 1/4" from the body. Top of door sits in just a tad. Both edges seem pretty square with the cab. If I loosen the hinge bolts at the cab can the door be slid in? (and then adjust the latch at the other side to match. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 (edited) Hey Jim, glad the wedge and shim worked....so to get the drivers side to align....you get very little adjustment at the hinge side and its usually only horizontal (left and right gap) not the up and down gaps....sure try to loosen the hinges, but I am not sure if you will have enough play to get it to align, I assume you had these doors off to get painted? Then if so, I'd say you have a good chance of re-aligning it.... However, if they have not been taken off, then it sounds to me the best fix for your drivers door, is the "heave ho" method, it must be warped....grab a hold of the top and bottom of the door and apply the opposite pressure to get the door to align..I know that sounds "shade tree", but the reality is that is how they did it back in the day, warped doors were common from Budd. Old man Ed Parrish (the guy that taught me, had to be in his 70's in the early 1980's) would show us the tricks the old shop guys would do this was one of them, and he could not stand body guys, he would say they were too creative to find their way out of a wet paper sack...he also showed us how to mount a tire using WD-40 and a lighter....and the time he would knock off the carbon deposits in valves by forcing backfires through the intake manifold. Edited August 28, 2018 by Surf City '38 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimy Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 Well, I took a bolt out of each hinge and it appeared there was room to slide the hinge back toward the cab a bit. However, as I looked closer it became clear that the hinge was not going to slide. The bottom hinge on both doors appears to be one with the cab. It looks to be filled with body filler at the inner edge of the hinge plate - I would have to guess there is a weld under that. So, for now I think I will live with the door as it is... Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 3 hours ago, jimy said: Well, I took a bolt out of each hinge and it appeared there was room to slide the hinge back toward the cab a bit. However, as I looked closer it became clear that the hinge was not going to slide. The bottom hinge on both doors appears to be one with the cab. It looks to be filled with body filler at the inner edge of the hinge plate - I would have to guess there is a weld under that. So, for now I think I will live with the door as it is... Jim If it is finished and painted, probably best not mess with it.... Some folks call that "history" or "character", some folks over-restore these trucks to the point that it's better than what the assembly line put out... None of these trucks had perfect gaps on the body lines, and sometimes like on mine, I found parts from different years....so being perfect or period correct sometimes is not always authentic. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Just removed the cab and running boards from my Series 2 1935 KCL truck. I'm new to the board and have started to look for parts. I know rear fenders are hard to find. Any suggestions as where to look? Dave Mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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