Any tricks to getting your SB doors to close easier?

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Edelbrock

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Alright - just spend an hour or so working on it. Passenger side: installed 1/2 PCV (all i had on hand).
Result: A-mazing difference! Welp, that side is fixed! Sweet!

Driver side: added PCV, lots of hinge adjustments, several shims, several striker adjustments, hammer, etc.
Result: About 50% better than it was. A definite improvement, but not as good as the other side.

The PCV helped a lot for sure. Drivers side wont get any better than it is because of my new door seals. The door seals dont "squish" easily and are not molded to the door shape, like the OEM ones on the passenger side. Striker wont move out far enough to solve this. ideas?


Overall: PEX idea: Awesome! Made a huge difference all around. Thanks to you all!
 

Ricko1966

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Alright - just spend an hour or so working on it. Passenger side: installed 1/2 PCV (all i had on hand).
Result: A-mazing difference! Welp, that side is fixed! Sweet!
Positive crankcase door strikers,Hmmm
 

HotWheelsBurban

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My drivers door has always been a PITA to close all the way. I hate slamming doors or anything else for that matter, but that’s what it took to close it all the way. Then I found the thread here about using 1/2” PEX to make new sleeves for the door catch. Some of my original sleeve was still there but not much.

Bought a stick of 1/2” PEX and made and installed a new sleeve. HUGE improvement!! Door shuts normally again!

Plus I have enough left over material to make replacement sleeves for the next 1268 years.

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Yup, Dad used something similar on our Burbs. 20 doors, on old trucks, ya gotta figure something out....
 

Edelbrock

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Hmm. I think the plastic allows the door latch to "shim" its way further out. Allows it to "click" the latch earlier in its rotation. Can anyone corroborate this?
 

RanchWelder

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Was about to tac weld the new pins because they keep riding up from the new bushings and slipping out the bottom stake.

3-4 door closes and they move up and rack the door again.

I'm going to try this.
Very cool!
 

AuroraGirl

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the latch on the door is probably worn or needs lubricant (not a petroleum kind... something long term and shot into the innerds with a very small hose , maybe even done off the door.. something specific. OEMs use specific lubricants like these nowadays , they help keep noise down too and dont migrate out

If the door was slammed a lot into the striker, there is very likely damage from hammering the latch all those years, so thats why i say maybe a new one. the door alignment was discovered by you to be a big deal. are the door seals new? Worn out? Is the door equipped with the secondary weather strip on the door?

is the pressure relief valve operating? I think original ones sometimes stick closed and then the flaps themselves will break over time too
 

AuroraGirl

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Hmm. I think the plastic allows the door latch to "shim" its way further out. Allows it to "click" the latch earlier in its rotation. Can anyone corroborate this?
it also opens the latch when you open the door, if you ever had the latch need to be flicked down while holding the button on the handle youll know what i mean
 

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