Front door adjustment - BF hammertime to the hinge?

buses 'n bikes

Hello all,

A much more skilled bus technician and I were adjusting my front doors last weekend - drivers side went beautifully but the passenger side is giving us fits and just seeking some input here.

We have all the screws loose and all the upward torquing we can muster with the wide open will not give us the results we need towards the rear of the door. I've tried to capture the gap issue in the picture.

Is it time we took a BFH to the lower hinge?

Thank you for any input.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
Sam
1960 Kombi
374 013
UC 231 L345 628068

quartermilecamel · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:18 pm Post subject:

Is the door saging down? I made shims for my upper hinge to drop the door downwards cause it was too high. Cant tell cause your door is not closed enough. Is it sagging or too high?
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buses 'n bikes · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:20 pm Post subject:

Sagging down.
_________________
Sam
1960 Kombi
374 013
UC 231 L345 628068

quartermilecamel · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:20 pm Post subject:

Will the door close? Could try taking off the striker and just close it with screws on hinges tight. Its hard to tell with loose screws and not closed.
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quartermilecamel · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:22 pm Post subject:

Put metal shims in lower hinge? I do know theres threads on the bfh thing but I just couldnt whack my bus. Many have done so. I made metal shims with holes to go inbetween my upper hinge to body because my door was sagging only upwards.
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quartermilecamel · Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 11:43 pm Post subject:

I got more questions along with More pictures? I did notice that the bottom of the door is touching the bumper. Was the door always like this or did something happen?
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buses 'n bikes · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:19 am Post subject:

Door has always been this way since I've owned the bus. It isn't scraping the bumper but barely clears. Mostly cause I bent the bumper downward.

Interesting about the striker and I'll get some better pics!

Door does close but you really gotta slam it and then the latch kinda gets bound up under the pressure. Not ideal.
_________________
Sam
1960 Kombi
374 013
UC 231 L345 628068

dubstar · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:36 am Post subject:

I may have read something about people using a jack under the door?
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olliehank47 · Samba Member Joined: May 04, 2011 Posts: 1198

Try to post some pics, after you remove the striker plate, with the door closed that will show the gaps all around the door. That will help to determine how far off the alignment may be. If possible, at least one picture from a distance that shows all gaps at once, and maybe even remove the rubber seal around the top window frame to make clear the gap along the upper frame.

Eric&Barb · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 12:19 pm Post subject:

Is the lower hinge bent forward??

Can you post an image looking more downward on the hinge showing the top of the body half of the hinge?
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earlywesty · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 2:27 pm Post subject:

Are the rivets that hold the hinge to the door on the top hinge working loose? I had a door that the sheet metal split around the hinge rivets on the inside and you couldn't see it from the outside. You also have to remove the top door/window frame half to see for sure. You can also look at the gap between the hinge and the door itself on the outside to see if it appears too wide, indicating the above.

quartermilecamel · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 9:17 pm Post subject:

So if you bent the bumper downwards just to clear the door, its now not bolted to the dogleg tab or did you just bend it attached to the dogleg tab. I already welded my lower hinge on drivers side on the inside. Crappy job but its holding. Just how much upwards does the latch part of the door need to come up to have the door be square? Wondering if your upper hinge area was whacked in an accident at one time and not pulled back out. This is assuming your lower door hinge isnt failing at the rivets inside.
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Waiting for santa to drop off funky green. I can wish can't I????

buses 'n bikes · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:07 pm Post subject:

Well dang, this picture really doesn't show anything profound. I was away painting the bus all day so I didn't see these posts in time.

The bumper was missing the dogleg bracket so that's why it was so easy to bend down. I didn't get the striker off (forgot to give it a whirl.)

I'll try to make it back over to the bus this week.

Thanks again!

_________________
Sam
1960 Kombi
374 013
UC 231 L345 628068

flemcadiddlehopper · Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 11:33 pm Post subject:

One day I was looking at a door that nearly would not close, when the owner of a body shop that we do business with drove up. He simply placed a long 2X4 under the door (while it was nearly closed) and over a jack stand. One or two bounces on the board and the door was perfect, with no signs of adjustment anywhere.

I've even done it a few times since and it works.

gordo.
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BulletBus · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 4:11 am Post subject:

EDragnDean · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 5:30 am Post subject:

Stocknazi · Samba Member Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 5150

if your hinges are bent don't be afraid to use a sledge hammer to straighten them
have a helper hold a 2x4 against the hinge and give it a few wacks and see where your at.
i believe every icepick handle bus i've had has required some adjustment to the hinge. if the hinge closes before the door the hinge is bent,; they are usually bent foward into the nose.
break out that sledge, just be careful and don't hammer the nose of your bus
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SkooobaSteve · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:39 am Post subject:

I had a panel that I couldn't get lined up to save my life after working with the hinges for a few days I got it as close as I could. Then I got a 2x4 put it on the upper dogleg, or seat base metal. Then shut the door as far as I could onto the 2x4. Then picked up on the 2x4 a few times till the door was perfect. Didn't take a lot of force and door shut really well.
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flemcadiddlehopper · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:47 am Post subject:

quartermilecamel · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 12:03 pm Post subject:

Seen the jackstand method also. Only the guy suggesting just lift the door was a friggen bohemith. Came out grabbed hold of the door and lifted the shit out of it. Closed perfectly after that. That was on a rabbit but still same principle.
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Waiting for santa to drop off funky green. I can wish can't I????


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Front door adjustment - BF hammertime to the hinge?
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