93 Caravan chapter 2
#1
93 Caravan chapter 2
I have another thread on this vech. about the water pump. I still havn't gotten to that yet because something else is more pressing. My wife calls me at work and tells me the front passenger door will not close, so I look at it when I get home.
I hope the pictures work, if they don't here is what happened.
The door had saged and needed adjusting and the latch got all
boogered up from the misalinment. Now the door will not close.
I went and got a used latch assembly and I want to adjust the door. How do I do that and any other advice you all can give me
I would be grateful.
I hope the pictures work, if they don't here is what happened.
The door had saged and needed adjusting and the latch got all
boogered up from the misalinment. Now the door will not close.
I went and got a used latch assembly and I want to adjust the door. How do I do that and any other advice you all can give me
I would be grateful.
#2
#3
Make sure the bolts that hold the hinge on (if they are bolted..some Chryslers are welded) are tight. If they are, throw the hinges out and order two new ones from Chrysler and get new bolts.
The new service latch you buy from Chrysler should come with new bolts. If not, the bolts are available as a separate part to my knowledge.
I saw the picture, someone must have slammed that door or th hinges have been wiped for a while!
The new service latch you buy from Chrysler should come with new bolts. If not, the bolts are available as a separate part to my knowledge.
I saw the picture, someone must have slammed that door or th hinges have been wiped for a while!
#4
Thanks for the quick reply Joe! They are bolted to the frame but welded to the door. The 2 sides are joined with a hinge pin. I would take pictures but it is storming
outside. Do I just replace the frame side of the hinge and replace the pins, or have all new ones welded on?
outside. Do I just replace the frame side of the hinge and replace the pins, or have all new ones welded on?
#6
Re: 93 Caravan chapter 2
Originally posted by BuzzKutts-Revenge
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On a '93 Caravan, the door striker (attached to the b-post) is used to adjust the door to sliding door flushness and to align the striker to the latch for proper closing. Loosening the 2 bolts on the striker will allow you to move the striker (and thus the door itself) up, down, in and out.
If the door has sagged more than what the striker can compensate for, there will be what's called a "V-gap" at the front door to fender gap and should be very pronounced. A V-gap is indicated by a wide gap near the top with a narrow gap near the bottom.
If a V-gap is the problem and the striker can't compensate for that move, the door will have to be adjusted.
To adjust the hinge (from the pic, it looks like the upper hinge may need to be moved forward), remove the door by removing the 3 hinge bolts from the A-post (not the door) on both upper and lower hinges. You will also have to disconnect the door stop (two 10 mil nuts) and wire harness (quick disconnect at the a-post).
After the door is removed, look at the A-post hinge area. There is more than likely a small "nubbin" protruding in each hinge area. That nubbin was made at the factory and is part of the factory computerized alignment system.
If you have a V-gap problem (which it looks like you do), grind the upper hinge nubbin down until it is flush. Reinstall the door, but leave the hinge bolts only lightly snugged so that it is possible to move the door. Center the striker and snug it. Close the door just far enough to see how the latch aligns with the striker and lift/lower the door to center it on the striker. Now go back and torque down the hinge bolts and then properly align the door using the striker and then torque the striker down.
Easy as pie. (-:
>
On a '93 Caravan, the door striker (attached to the b-post) is used to adjust the door to sliding door flushness and to align the striker to the latch for proper closing. Loosening the 2 bolts on the striker will allow you to move the striker (and thus the door itself) up, down, in and out.
If the door has sagged more than what the striker can compensate for, there will be what's called a "V-gap" at the front door to fender gap and should be very pronounced. A V-gap is indicated by a wide gap near the top with a narrow gap near the bottom.
If a V-gap is the problem and the striker can't compensate for that move, the door will have to be adjusted.
To adjust the hinge (from the pic, it looks like the upper hinge may need to be moved forward), remove the door by removing the 3 hinge bolts from the A-post (not the door) on both upper and lower hinges. You will also have to disconnect the door stop (two 10 mil nuts) and wire harness (quick disconnect at the a-post).
After the door is removed, look at the A-post hinge area. There is more than likely a small "nubbin" protruding in each hinge area. That nubbin was made at the factory and is part of the factory computerized alignment system.
If you have a V-gap problem (which it looks like you do), grind the upper hinge nubbin down until it is flush. Reinstall the door, but leave the hinge bolts only lightly snugged so that it is possible to move the door. Center the striker and snug it. Close the door just far enough to see how the latch aligns with the striker and lift/lower the door to center it on the striker. Now go back and torque down the hinge bolts and then properly align the door using the striker and then torque the striker down.
Easy as pie. (-:
#7
Generally speaking, you should NOT use the striker to compensate for a bad door hinge.
To see if you have bad door hinges, open the door about 1/3 of the way. Grab the top and bottom of the door. Rock up and down on it. If there's movement, the hinges are wiped.
Repair or replacement of them is necessary as they will only wear out more adjusting the striker .
To see if you have bad door hinges, open the door about 1/3 of the way. Grab the top and bottom of the door. Rock up and down on it. If there's movement, the hinges are wiped.
Repair or replacement of them is necessary as they will only wear out more adjusting the striker .
#8
Originally posted by Joe_F
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Agreed. If the hinge is bad, by all means, replace it. The reason I gave a step-by-step on adjustment was that there were a lot of vans built about that time that had poor fits from the factory due to the computerized alignment system not aligning doors correctly the first time. Repeated closing/opening of the front doors just amplified the poor fit even though the hinges were still tight. Had not even thought about the hinges actually going bad. Good catch, Joe. (-:
>
Agreed. If the hinge is bad, by all means, replace it. The reason I gave a step-by-step on adjustment was that there were a lot of vans built about that time that had poor fits from the factory due to the computerized alignment system not aligning doors correctly the first time. Repeated closing/opening of the front doors just amplified the poor fit even though the hinges were still tight. Had not even thought about the hinges actually going bad. Good catch, Joe. (-: