Door Stuck On Opening

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jonn6464

jonn6464

1970 Duster
Joined
Mar 29, 2017
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Location
Weatherford, TX
All right y'all...

I've spent 3 days trying to figure this out. I've done a bunch of searching on FABO and Google but can't find an answer.

I put the doors back on my 1970 Duster. New door stikers too. Alignment is good. Up/down, in/out is good, body lines are matching.

My issue is with opening the door after it's been closed. It requires a medium-hard pull to get it open. I am outside of the car, reaching through the window to the inner door handle.
I feel like it should easily fall open when I pull the handle. On my E body, the door pops right open with a pull of the handle.

I have de-greased the latch mechanism inside the door, I have lubed the moving parts. I also placed an extra washer behind the door striker to move it further in towards the door to make sure the rotating catch wasn't binding on the collar.

When the door is open, and I use my finger to push the rotating catch (the piece that closes on the striker), it clicks into both positions easily. Then I pull the inside door handle, the catch releases easily. The outer door handle isn't attached yet.

The door closes easily, with a good seal. If I only close the door to the first "click" the door opens easily. If it closes to 2 "clicks", it requires some force.
I do not have the weatherstripping in yet. Maybe that will provide some outward force when the door is released?

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 
check to see is the striker is too far out, do you have washers under the striker?
 
Yes, there is a washer under the striker. To move the striker in towards the door latch.
To avoid the catch from binding on the collar. The part circled below...
upload_2021-4-14_16-50-53.png


The rotating catch contacts this part... So, it should release easily (I think)
upload_2021-4-14_16-51-43.png
 
Well, the new door striker. Is the sleeve free to rotate? My new ones don't, but that's not it. My guess is that you do not have the weather strip in place.
 
If you hold the inside door handle in the open position, can you open and close the door without effort?
 
Dana67Dart said:
If you hold the inside door handle in the open position, can you open and close the door without effort?
Click to expand...
No, not completely free travel. Holding the inner handle in the open position, still has needs some force to open. Not as much force as needed when I just close the door and then pull the handle, maybe half as much.
 
If you do the same thing but lift up or push down on the door do you get the same thing.

My 67 has worn hinges on the driver's side. The door closes smoothly if I lift up on the door. But drags otherwise. Can even see wear on the strike from decades of daily use.
 
Last edited:
I think the face of the strike (where you put the star bit) is rubbing on the inside of the latch. Try taking the extra washer out and see if that helps. I think Dana67Dart is on target - the door has to close with no interference without the latch in the mix.
 
Dana67Dart said:
If you do the same thing but lift up or push down on the door do you get the same thing.

My 67 has worn hinges on the driver's side. The door closes smoothly if I lift up on the door. But drags otherwise. Can even see wear on the strike from decades of daily use.
Click to expand...

I should have included this in my first post, but I also rebuilt the hinges. New bushings, springs, star washers. All of that is new.
Here is what I had before rebuilding... the door has no sag or movement if I lift on it when it's open.
upload_2021-4-14_21-45-56.png
 
str12-340 said:
I think the face of the strike (where you put the star bit) is rubbing on the inside of the latch. Try taking the extra washer out and see if that helps. I think Dana67Dart is on target - the door has to close with no interference without the latch in the mix.
Click to expand...

I put the washer behind the door strike because, without it, the latch was hitting the "collar" of the strike post. Not the smooth post part.
upload_2021-4-14_21-49-25.png

If I take the strike post out, the door closes to the body with no interference. I think that is what you are talking about.
 
4spdragtop said:
I think weight of door is catching on post. Door needs adjustment at hinges?
Click to expand...

I guess that could be. I'll play with that adjustment tomorrow.

Here is the door closed. Top body line matches the quarter panel pretty well, so I'm assuming the door is at the right height. And with the hinge rebuilt, I wouldn't think the weight would fall downward onto the strike post.
IMG_20210414_235035391.jpg
 
"Looks good", but when it nèeds forced, it's usually a sign of misalignment.
Rebuilt hinges doesn't mean there isnt misalignment either but all "looks good"
jonn6464 said:
I guess that could be. I'll play with that adjustment tomorrow.

Here is the door closed. Top body line matches the quarter panel pretty well, so I'm assuming the door is at the right height. And with the hinge rebuilt, I wouldn't think the weight would fall downward onto the strike post.
View attachment 1715723664
Click to expand...
 
jonn6464 said:
I guess that could be. I'll play with that adjustment tomorrow.

Here is the door closed. Top body line matches the quarter panel pretty well, so I'm assuming the door is at the right height. And with the hinge rebuilt, I wouldn't think the weight would fall downward onto the strike post.
View attachment 1715723664
Click to expand...
Looks like you have quite a gap there, like the door needs to go rearward to close the gap. If the door is too far forward the latch will drag on the striker causing a bind. (just from what I can see from here)
 
toolmanmike said:
Looks like you have quite a gap there, like the door needs to go rearward to close the gap. If the door is too far forward the latch will drag on the striker causing a bind. (just from what I can see from here)
Click to expand...

The gap at the quarter panel is about the same as it is at the fender. But, I'll try moving the door rearward a bit and see if that helps to free it up. Thanks for the input.
 
Can you see exactly where on the striker the latch is contacting - smear it with grease or something that the latch will leave a mark in. If one washer made a difference, and that door is too far forward, then try adding another washer and see if that makes any difference.
 
DJC said:
Can you see exactly where on the striker the latch is contacting - smear it with grease or something that the latch will leave a mark in. If one washer made a difference, and that door is too far forward, then try adding another washer and see if that makes any difference.
Click to expand...
I had that thought last night. I added an extra washer just to see, and no change. I'm starting to think the weight of the door coming down on the strike post is something to look at.
For some reason, the rotating catch just isn't rotating back around enough to come off the strike post. So, there must be some downward force restricting it.

Like I said earlier, just when the door is open, the rotating catch in the door mechanism opens easily when I pull the door handle. So, I know it moves freely and completely. The strike post must be stopping it from rotating all the way back open.
 
Just for reference, here are the gaps. The door jambs are cut in with dark paint, which does create an illusion of a large gap, due to the contrast in color to the light grey primer.

upload_2021-4-15_11-22-8.png
 
jonn6464 said:
I had that thought last night. I added an extra washer just to see, and no change. I'm starting to think the weight of the door coming down on the strike post is something to look at.
For some reason, the rotating catch just isn't rotating back around enough to come off the strike post. So, there must be some downward force restricting it.

Like I said earlier, just when the door is open, the rotating catch in the door mechanism opens easily when I pull the door handle. So, I know it moves freely and completely. The strike post must be stopping it from rotating all the way back open.
Click to expand...

New strikers... old latches? Is there a possibility the striker is too thick/binding in the latch channel?
 
DJC said:
New strikers... old latches? Is there a possibility the striker is too thick/binding in the latch channel?
Click to expand...

I only eyeballed the new striker vs the original. Looks close, but I could mic it to be sure.

Any idea if the middle part of the striker is supposed to spin? Or is it fixed? I was wondering if I had the striker torqued into the door jamb too tight, it wouldn't spin.
upload_2021-4-15_12-23-16.png
 
jonn6464 said:
I only eyeballed the new striker vs the original. Looks close, but I could mic it to be sure.

Any idea if the middle part of the striker is supposed to spin? Or is it fixed? I was wondering if I had the striker torqued into the door jamb too tight, it wouldn't spin.
View attachment 1715723819
Click to expand...

I think some spin, but I'm not %100 on that. Tightening it down shouldn't inhibit that anyway. Do you still have the old strikers? Swap one in and see if there's a difference?
 
I am in the same stage with my dart, I seem to recall the fenders have to be "lined up with the cowl" then you would ajust door gap. In other words the front door gap same as rear gap doesnt come into pay if the fenders and cowl, hood isnt where they need to be. there is a curved part of the fenders that lines up with the curved part of the cowl, but I am sure you would know this it would be obvious if it was off . I suppose my point is the doors still could be too far forward etc. and to the best of my knowledge the collar does spin,but my strikers arent new. also, the weight of the door is mentioned, are all the bolts for the hinges tightened? Its easy to forget some of them and there is 5 on the top and 6 on the bottom hinge.
 
It may be that the latch isn't releasing all the way. Does the door hang up the same with both the inside release and outside handle? I can't remember if your year has it, but, some later cars have an adjustable link to the latch release. It could be that some of the linkage inside the door is worn/bent or the latch is. You said you installed another washer under the striker and it didn't help? Try adding 2-3 washers and try again. The head on the striker can hang up in the latch if it doesn't hit in the right spot. By holding the button in while closing the door, it should close and open without hanging up on anything.
 
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