Door Alignment

[Smokingcobra2]

If you have an early model Backdraft like mine you probably had problems with your door adjustment. I tried numerous ways to fix it but none ever worked. Tonight i tried tighening up the bolt that holds it in position and
to my amazement i was able to fix the problem with vise grips and a ratchet
joeg

[Steve Gallegos]

I have a newer Backdraft #595, I tried to realign my doors, one is to far forward and the other one to far back. Reg told me to loosen up the 4 bolts on the hinge on the door. Doesn't work, the door moves up and down but not back and forth. Anyone have any ideas?

[Smokingcobra2]

mine was up and down also, doesn't yours have the new latch system on it?
check with jay at Vintage, he had a fix for some of the models
joeg

[uncltodd]

Steve, what is your build number? That frustrates my when I try to make helpful post. I am #139. I had some door issues back in '04.

UT

[Rwillia4]

Steve,

I had the same problem. I fixed it by making the holes a little bigger (oval) on the steel hinge plate with a roto-zip tool. This allowed me to get some front to back adjustment. I did find the door hole threads were all "screwed-up" sorry for the pun. I ended up running a tap thru all the holes before I put the door back on. One hole was not recoverable so I opened it up a little and put a heli-coil in place, which has worked out perfect. Also the screws themselves were chewed up so I replaced those also with some SS screws.

Two things that caught my eye were. I think they factory created the door threads with a tap and powerdrill method, not the best for good threads. The tap they used was old a worn causing the screws threads to round a little and not a very strong hole.

Rob

[Nor Cal Al]

I have #128 and I put very thin, large diameter washers on both sides of the door latch pin. Keeps it from trying to re-center itself in an ovesized hole. I also had problems with the door hinge screw holes and also had to enlarge some and rethread. They were metric......The doors will still move with time. BDR still has not, to my knowledge, came up with a fix for the older cars (alignment wedge like on the newer ones).
AL

[Tday]

AL---do you mean the washers on the latch pins are like a thin sleeve, making the pin a larger OD? I'm currently using some electrical tape (sound deadens, but looks a little hokey) How do you keep *them* from rattling? Thanks, Tom

[Smokingcobra2]

I also thought about taking the pin out and using thin washers to keep it aligned, but was afraid it might not go back in. Next time i wil ltry that.
joeg

[Nor Cal Al]

My door latch pin also has some elec tape on it to tighten things up but where that pin passes through the jamb it used to move after I tightened it and try to center itself which would make the door loose again. You have to move the panel to the rear of the jamb and reach in where the nut is and loosen it and remove it and add a thin washer on the outside and on the back side. Makes a big difference on setting the latch pin so the door is tight. Clamps down better on both sides of the body/jamb.
AL

[Rwillia4]

heat shrink tubing works well on the pins and looks a bit nicer than elec tape.