My driver's side door has been getting harder and harder to close. The door is hitting the sill plate at the rear end of the door, so a hinge adjustment is in order. How can I tell if my hinges are shot or if it just needs adjustment? If I pull up on the rear of the door, I don't feel any play, so the hinges are OK, right?
Something else is not right. The glass is not parallel to the weatherstrip, so the top of the glass hits the weatherstrip before the bottom does. I have adjusted the front and rear glass track as far as it can go, but it's still not enough to make it parallel. Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong? How difficult is the door hinge adjustment?

thnx, John

does it appear that the door is parallel? I ain't a bodyman so I do not know if a hinge adj up front or a striker adj in the rear is in order (or a combo of both) but here's a BTT for ya

I've tried adjusting the striker but I know it needs a hinge adjustment since the bottom of the door is hitting the sill plate. I'm thinking I should adjust the hinge on the door so I can leave the pillar alone.

Open the door about 1/2 way then lift the back up.

No play at all?

That is correct, no play. So I need the back of the door to go up about 3/8" inch. So I'm trying to figure out if I work with the upper or lower hinge, and pillar or door side. And then I'm worried that will mess up the gap at the front of the door, which seems to be pretty decent now.

If the fender gap is good, then something else is way off.

Has the car had any major repairs or rot?

Has it ever been in a wreck?

Pictures would help too, so that we can see what you see.

Agree with the hinge test recommended... hinge adjustment works best with tight hinges to start.

The hinge adjustment itself is pretty easy. Hinge mounts go into slotted holes with caged nuts on the door post. Based on how the rear of the door fits with the quarter, pick top or bottom hinge to start. If the door rear is tighter at the top, pick the top hinge and vica versa.

Loosen the hinge to body bolts, lift up the rear edge of the door and re-tighten the bolts. A floor jack with wood block and soft rags under the door edge makes it easy to adjust, especially single handed. It is trial and error to get it right and you may need to adjust the striker after the hinges are adjusted. The striker also screws into a caged nut with OS hole to allow adjustment.

Look at the bottom gap. If parallel to rocker, then the whole door must come up. Look at the top of the doors at the rear. If it's low, then it goes up. Use common sense and pretty soon you'll be an expert.

Look at the bottom gap. If parallel to rocker, then the whole door must come up. Look at the top of the doors at the rear. If it's low, then it goes up. Use common sense and pretty soon you'll be an expert.

You need to adjust the hinges first. I take it that you are checking the gaps with the door closed, which if the striker is positioned properly, should be pretty good. If the door open is too low that it hits the sill plate, you need to get the door set level before adjusting the window gaps or you'll screw all of them up too.

Check for play with the door barely open. Just off of the striker.

I have found over the years that the door should be adjusted to the car with the striker removed,when you have the door adjusted so that when the door is closed all your gaps and heights are were you want them then you want to adjust the striker to the door.If you adjust the door to the striker you can end up with a door that jumps when you open or close it.

a couple of paint sticks can start the adjustment to make the door parallel with the rockers. adjust thickness as needed to get the height correct with the quarter and quarter body lines to your liking. then front to rear for the quarter gap, then fit your front sheet metal. follow the above advice for more help.

Thank you all. From what I gather, I loosen the body to hinge bolts if I need to raise the rear of the door upward. Will report back as soon as festivities are over.