VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Door adjustment

When I put new wood in my 36 1/2 ton I never got the passenger door to align correctly. I knew that I would need to fine tune it, but never had the time. Now that it is pinstripped it is very evident I need to adjust it. All bolts, hinges etc are very tight, so no sag. The raised area of the door and cab where the pinstripping meet is low by 1/4 inch on the door side. I assume the best way to correct this is take out some of the wood where the hinge bolts to the wood thus pulling the door up. If there is a better way can anyone tell me?
Thanks,
Richard

What is the gap between the rest of the door edges to the body is it even all the way around? Is the whole door low? Sounds like maybe the door hinge mounting are too low or the door post is not fully inserted high enough in the cowl.

If by "on the door side" you mean the rear edge of the door opposite the hinges (the edge closest to the door handle) you should be able to shim the lower hinge to raise the door.

If things line up at the the hinges but the opposite side (at the door handle) is low, you can experiment with different thickness shims placed between the lower door hinge and the jamb to get things to line up. No need to remove any wood. A thin sheet(s) of brass should close the small gap you have.

For more severe sagging the passenger car body manual shows how to correct various body deformities by shimming the body in various locations where it mounts to the frame. This technique may also apply to the 1/2 ton. If the hinge shims don't work you may need to visit the body mounts and try shims at those locations.

After reading everyones comments,which I appreciate, I spent some time working on the door. The gaps around the door appear reletively even and the bottom does not appear low. Since the front of the door aligns with the cab I wouldn't be able to go any higher with the wood in the cab. That would cure the back edge alignment problem, but create the same problem with the front edge. It would seem that by shimming under the lower hinge that it would pivot the back of the door to match the cab. It doesn't! no matter how much I shim. It acts like the top hinge is too secure to allow any pivot. I was very careful to be sure that the cab was level with the frame when I installed it, but maybe it is tweaked a bit and is causing this? I don't have any shims where the cab meets the frame to pull that would lower the cab to meet the rear door edge. I need to think about this before I try anything else. Any thoughts??
Richard

Did you try shimming the lower hinge and middle hinge to get the rear of the door up? Also if the gap is even at the front and rear of the door you can by shimming under the front two cowl mounts raise the front of the door/cowl to match the rear. You will find it will get difficult to match perfectly: the factory assembly was all jig built. My low mileage 35 truck with it's original door /cab installation and excellent wood is off by about 3/16" in one door and within an 1//8" on the other. Some of the pictures I have of new trucks also show some mis-alignment.

35, yes I did shim under the lower hinge, it's a low cab so no middle hinge. It didn't help. Maybe I am missing something, but if I shim under the cowl won't everything just rise including the door ? Maybe I am too much of a perfectionist and am trying to restore it beyond what the factory could do at the time. Thanks for the hints.
Richard

I'm sorry my comments were for the high cab I'm in that rut of 34-35 and can't always remember to get out. Shimming at the cowl to frame bolt might help a little as the 36 with the wood door post does have some give and it doesn't take much. Did you check your door hinges to see if one is bent?

No problem. I should of stated it was a low cab. Yes, the hinges are straight. I will look at additional shimming. Thanks,
Richard

If shimming hinges doesn't move the door at the latch/striker it's likely that the latch/striker relationship is your problem. If the door is low then lower the latch or raise the striker or a little of both. Does the door want to be in the right place before the latch/striker engage? Sorry to be so late to the party, been away.