Will door shims fix this?

Hi guys,

These doors have never shut right (I know I know, it's a defender). I've buggered about with the striker plates and door rubbers but only just a bit better.

Will door/hinge shims fix this or is a length of 4x2 needed to help?

Ta

looks almost like the hinges are not fitted right and the door is not hanging square to the body.

Is the front of the door square with the bulkhead?

Where's that vid of the last Fender coming off the line?

With all the cameras and dignitaries watching the chap fitting the drivers door tries it, opens it, grabs it top and bottom and gives it a massive twist.....

The door swings shut nicely

blue beasty said:

Where's that vid of the last Fender coming off the line?

With all the cameras and dignitaries watching the chap fitting the drivers door tries it, opens it, grabs it top and bottom and gives it a massive twist.....

The door swings shut nicely

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I'd wind the window down first

I've just put new doors on mine and the drivers door is just like that. I haven't mucked about with it yet. Your passenger side one looks low as the first bend down from window height doesn't match the bend in the seal. The drivers door protruding at the top corner might get corrected by a shim in the bottom hinge on the door pillar. That should lift the bottom right hand corner of the door out and pivot the diagonally opposite corner in over. The theory sounds great.

huffhuff said:

Hi guys,

These doors have never shut right (I know I know, it's a defender). I've buggered about with the striker plates and door rubbers but only just a bit better.

Will door/hinge shims fix this or is a length of 4x2 needed to help?

Ta

View attachment 99777

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i often find side panel needs pulling out a little ,slacken the roof /side panel bolts and retighten one with panel pulled out usually takes a few attempts to get spot on

jamesmartin said:

i often find side panel needs pulling out a little ,slacken the roof /side panel bolts and retighten one with panel pulled out usually takes a few attempts to get spot on

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That sounds like a top tip, James. Bloody hell, I've fitted the roof lining back in! Not to worry, it can come out again.

Al2O3 said:

That sounds like a top tip, James. Bloody hell, I've fitted the roof lining back in! Not to worry, it can come out again.

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theres usually quite a bit of movement on the top bolts,

It sounds very promising. It would explain why my door looks like a banana. I could probably move the body to fit. The back door is similar and so I'll probably be able to move the body there too. Cracking!

neilly said:

looks almost like the hinges are not fitted right and the door is not hanging square to the body.

Is the front of the door square with the bulkhead?

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Yep, all square (seemingly). The hinges are just that, no spacers or shims of any sort...

I don't know if it's right to revive an old thread, but did you ever solve this issue huffhuff? My Defender 90 doors look similar with some visible air/water gaps between the seals!

Grizzled Skipper said:

I don't know if it's right to revive an old thread, but did you ever solve this issue huffhuff? My Defender 90 doors look similar with some visible air/water gaps between the seals!

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Have you tried James’s tip and pulled the panel out from under the roof?

bluedog333 said:

Have you tried James’s tip and pulled the panel out from under the roof?

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Not yet bluedog but thanks for the assurance. In fact until reading this thread I had no idea there were so many ‘adjustment options’! There is no obvious sign that the roof/side panels have ever been disturbed, so I plan to progress through adjusting (1) strikers (2) hinges (3) a bit of judicious bending pressure(!) before trying anything more technical. I think it possible that the hinges have been replaced in the recent past.

I’ve already given the offside striker a tweak which has improved the seal and I‘m hoping I can get a tad more adjustment on it. Initially I only barely loosened the striker for fear of worsening the closure, but I’m guessing it just sits on some slightly elongated bolt holes? In my case the backing plate behind it also limits the overall movement, but such things are adaptable!

Bending the top of the frame can help too, make sure to wind the window down first!