56 door alignment

[56sedandelivery]

So took the doors off to work on them and primer. Rehung the door and there is a misalignment somewhere. The gaps all look good but it will not close without binding. I assume it is in the frame hinge mounting somewhere but cannot find it. I got it to close by adjusting the top hinge but when I tightened the bottom one if binds again. Is the somewhere I can find alignment instructions. The shop manual does not have any detail in it. Thanks.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

If you did NOT remove the hinges from the cowl side panel, you should be able to re-install the doors by laying a 1/8"strip of masonite on the door threshhold, direct the door into the hinges (install the bolts loosely but do not tighten) then close the door so that the bottom of the door sets on the strip of masonite. Use this as a starting point. If the door needs to be raised more, go inside the car with door closed and stick a wonder-bar between bottom of door and masonite and pry upward, then tighten bottom bolts. You can't access the top three bolts unless the door is open, so it is best to have a second person on outside open door while holding it up while you tighten top bolts. No need to go crazy torquing bolts down at this point. Several more fine tune adjustments may be needed.
Doors can be adjusted up, down, forward or backward. Use your wonder-bar to push the inner door structure (with bolts loosened) in the desired direction to get the most even fit all the way around.

 

[evintho]

If you did NOT remove the hinges from the cowl side panel, you should be able to re-install the doors by laying a 1/8"strip of masonite on the door threshhold, direct the door into the hinges (install the bolts loosely but do not tighten) then close the door so that the bottom of the door sets on the strip of masonite. Use this as a starting point. If the door needs to be raised more, go inside the car with door closed and stick a wonder-bar between bottom of door and masonite and pry upward, then tighten bottom bolts. You can't access the top three bolts unless the door is open, so it is best to have a second person on outside open door while holding it up while you tighten top bolts. No need to go crazy torquing bolts down at this point. Several more fine tune adjustments may be needed.
Doors can be adjusted up, down, forward or backward. Use your wonder-bar to push the inner door structure (with bolts loosened) in the desired direction to get the most even fit all the way around.

That's a great tip for fine tuning door alignment!
I just R&R'd both my doors. Before I removed them I drilled two offset 1/8" holes in the hinges (both sides). When I reinstalled, I stuck two 1/8" drill bits in the holes and the hinges went back into the doors exactly where they came out. The doors aligned perfectly!

https://www.fordbarn.com/attachments/488270/
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attachment.php?
attachmentid=488271&stc=1&d=1650605344
https://www.fordbarn.com/attachments/488272/

 

[KULTULZ]

The shop manual does not have any detail in it.

You have a 1956 FORD WSM? The info should be there.

 

[Jwawhite]

I just went through finagling my doors. Read Daves55 work (thank you)-- great help in thinking things through and that's a great tip "Even Tho" about the drill holes.

Hard years on my car, it came down to adjusting them for the best fit and operation. I too came across this binding situation. If I aligned the door as perfect as I could, the door would bind. In one instance after I loosened the lower hinge, at the pillar, the door would settle and the binding was gone. This was the sweet spot for this door.
The door openings and/or the doors are not square on my car but the lines look good and they close easily, fine enough.
The passenger door is an issue, note the upper alignment, door to body opening and door handle/ body non alignment. Something is not quite right with this side and it binds if I try to improve fit to body. Drivers door looks great

 

[Daves55Sedan]

This is what JWA was talking about, submitted in 2017:
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231522&highlight=door+adjustment

 

[Daves55Sedan]

I just R&R'd both my doors. Before I removed them I drilled two offset 1/8" holes in the hinges (both sides). When I reinstalled, I stuck two 1/8" drill bits in the holes and the hinges went back into the doors exactly where they came out. The doors aligned perfectly!

Great idea, but I think his doors are already off, so it's too late now, but once he finally gets the doors where he wants them, he could go ahead and drill the holes in case he ever needs to remove a door again.

I did something similar. After I got the doors and hinges where I wanted them, I traced around the hinges with a fine black ink marking pen both on the doors and the cowl. You need to get up real close to see the marking though. Eliminates the need for drilling holes, but the hole locating method would be way easier for re-installation of doors and hinges.

 

[56sedandelivery]

Day late and dollar short. Lol. Yeah took hinges off cowl to clean them up and repaint. So water under the bridge. I assume I need to tweak them some to get it to shut without binding. Lesson learned for the other side.

 

[56sedandelivery]

So got the door all lined up with perfect gaps. Swings free through the entire arc. THEN hook up the door check arm and oops. Still swings without binding but seems to be dragging on the top of check arm. If I try raising the door the gaps will be messed up. There does not seem to be any way to adjust the check arm. Any ideas and if not I can live with it.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

seems to be dragging on the top of check arm.

Look at page 314 of the 1956 Ford Car Shop Manual. Excellent illustration of door check arm installation.
When adjusting '55/56 Ford car doors, I never intentionally tried to even up the gaps at top and bottom. You'll have leaks like leaving your windows down in a monsoon.
Try to get the top of your window frame 1/8" or less from bottom of rain gutter. (less is better, but don't get too close to rain gutter).
Another huge tip! DO NOT stretch your new door gasket material when glueing it on. This modern foam rubber material shrinks like crazy. These manufacturers assume you are keeping your car in a climate controlled garage away from sunlight. Heat and sunlight kills door gasket material especially at top and sides where sunlight can hit them.