So the FSM for my 65 Polara specifies that before adjusting the door striker it should be lubricated with a "stainless stick lubricant". Anyone got any ideas of a currently available product to use for this?
Door Striker Adjustment?
- Thread starter Polara_500
- Start date
traintech55
Senior Member
I use a little white lithium grease, but it has been my experience that the strikers should not need to be adjusted. If you have a binding check your door hinges for wear first, even a slight amount at the hinge will be a lot at the striker end of the door.
When I bought the car the door was stuck shut, I had to pull out the seats and door panels to get at the lock mechanism to jimmy it open. After replacing the latch it still doesn't operate smoothly - oh, and I did have to replace the two missing bolts from the bottom hinge once I got it open. Now I will clean, lube and adjust everything around there before I put it back together.
traintech55
Senior Member
Which door is it? The drivers door for obvious reasons get the most wear on the hinges, and 2 dr. cars are worse than 4 dr. (they use the same hinge). The best way to check for wear is to open the door just enough to clear the body and try to lift the door by hand, any movement is a worn hinge, (upper and lower, but the lower normally goes first),and you will never get the door set right if they are worn. Best to replace or rebuild first.
Passenger door on a convertible - worst of all, huh?
traintech55
Senior Member
Check for play like I suggested and let me know.
No appreciable movement noted, checked that first, guess I should have stated that up front. I will say that it's apparently been an issue for some time as once I finally got it open there was an amazing amount of dried and caked on grease/dirt around both the latch and striker, so for some years someone had been oiling it to try free it up, takes a lot of years for that stuff to build and dry out like it was.
traintech55
Senior Member
What I like to do is mark and then remove the striker, to check the alignment of the door. This way the striker does not pull it into a wrong spot. After the alignment is correct, then reinstall the striker and adjust. You may also have to remove the latch and clean it in solvent and re lube it.
Latch replaced due to wear allowing movement of the roller, fully cleaned and lubed with white lithium (spray) before installation, and it operates nicely and easily. Striker adjustment has yet to yield a satisfactory door operation, this is why I'm trying to identify a currently available lubricant for the striker as called out in the FSM.
traintech55
Senior Member
Free it up with some penatrant and then lube with the white lithium and wipe off the excess.
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
Finally got that open? Maybe I'll get a ride come hunting season! Get that ragtop rocking and bring it to the Park!
Yeah, finally quit just fiddling with it from time to time and yanked the seats and door panels so I could get some access to the latch and finally got that door open.
I'm hoping to have it ready for the Park next year, no way on God's green earth it'll be anywhere near ready for this year, you'll have to look at the red beast again.
Ummm, free up what?? There's not much in the way of moving parts on the striker.
Once I got it removed and cleaned up though, I did see marks indicating that the latch was binding on the forward lip of the striker, so I dug up another shim and added that to the original to move it a bit further out from the door post and towards the latch. Thankfully, the local parts store knew exactly what the FSM was calling for......
Once the striker was re-installed with an extra shim and lubed up, I proceeded to adjust it a wee bit and was happy it only took me 4 tries to get the door to operate nice and smooth. Especially since I'd tried about 20 times before I started looking for the proper lube and actually fully removing it where I was able to determine the problem. I believe it was set a bit too tight from the factory and had been an issue for the previous owners for years, based on the oil/dirt residue on the door and post.
traintech55
Senior Member
Glad you got it.
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
I'll look at the red beast anytime! Next year you can have a "His & Her's" set at the show! CTM
Am going to jump onto this post since I seem to be having some similar issues adjusting my doors.
I think like @Polara_500 said a few posts up, my drivers latch roller has some wear which probably is not helping my battle and I should probably replace. I will have to try the passenger side tonight as it has much less wear and free play.
The second question or observation on mine is that my door bumpers may be a little too thick or wrong which is really making it difficult to close the door all the way. If I push the door closed with out the latch and lean into it, the door still sticks out about 1/4 -3/8 of an inch or more. without the bumpers I can get perfect alignment ( with out the latch)
I did get it adjusted where if I slammed the door really hard it lined up perfectly at the top, but seemed to stick out a little at the bottom. I think the rubber bumper down there was holding it out whereas the latch was super compressing the upper bumper. And when I pushed the button it was difficult to release because of the bind.
I think I will remove the bumpers for the time being just to be sure. I got the bumpers years ago, and they were probably labeled as will fit. I did have to make them shorter as they were too long to fit in my slots. That should have been my first clue.
I think like @Polara_500 said a few posts up, my drivers latch roller has some wear which probably is not helping my battle and I should probably replace. I will have to try the passenger side tonight as it has much less wear and free play.
The second question or observation on mine is that my door bumpers may be a little too thick or wrong which is really making it difficult to close the door all the way. If I push the door closed with out the latch and lean into it, the door still sticks out about 1/4 -3/8 of an inch or more. without the bumpers I can get perfect alignment ( with out the latch)
I did get it adjusted where if I slammed the door really hard it lined up perfectly at the top, but seemed to stick out a little at the bottom. I think the rubber bumper down there was holding it out whereas the latch was super compressing the upper bumper. And when I pushed the button it was difficult to release because of the bind.
I think I will remove the bumpers for the time being just to be sure. I got the bumpers years ago, and they were probably labeled as will fit. I did have to make them shorter as they were too long to fit in my slots. That should have been my first clue.
Does anyone know the difference between the door latches used prior to January 1968 (2862752-3) and after January 1968 (2935004-5). I am guessing something safety related. And are the later one's a direct replacement for the earlier ones?
It seems this is a one year only latch (68) , but was also used on Belvedere,
Satellite, Cornet,& Charger along with C- bodies (no Imperials)
It seems this is a one year only latch (68) , but was also used on Belvedere,
Satellite, Cornet,& Charger along with C- bodies (no Imperials)
Last edited:
Clover
Well-Known Member
I will guess that the difference is a federally mandated safety update, going by the calendar year change. Perhaps an override so that the door opens from inside, when locked? The two styles should be interchangeable.
Thanks, I know there were a lot of safety mandates and emissions changes starting in 68. Mine is an August 67 build so I have the old latches. Also I don't have the padded horn button in mine, but do have the collapsible steering column.
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