sagging door mk1 golf ???

hi to everyone. i have just bought my second mk1 golf, a 1.3 wich i have pulled the engine out of and plan to fit a 16v mk3 engine.
but that is not the problem, one of my doors are seriously sagging and i need to know how to repair this. i know of the use of a bolt but is there a PROPER way of rapiriing this and what causes this in the first place? cheers jk

the top pins in the hinge wear out, sometimes fitting a new pin cures it..they are only a couple of quid from vw or GPC vw parts, if tis really bad you may need a new hinge, involves a bit more work and a bit of weld and paint

just lift the door up, takes two mins and works a treat iv done it for years,
lift from the open end, it bends the hinge slightly

On mine, the gap at the hinge is very tight on both sides. Any ideas?

tight where?

Sorry, The gap between the front of the door and wing is tight .

is the gap between you door and B post big?

Favourite trick is to put a piece of strong metal tube, like a 15mm socket in the closing gap (ie. between the two parts) of the lower door hinge and firmly push the door closed against the resistance. Take it gently, do it a few times, trying each time until it gets about right. Yand you can bend it just enough to take up the wear and make the door close sweetly.
I've never quite worked out the mechanics of why this works, but it does!

Cheers for the advice, I'll try it when I'm feeling brave enough.

On my mk1 the gap between the door and front wing is tiny and the gap between the door and b-pillar is huge. How couls this be fixed?

scottmk1 said

On my mk1 the gap between the door and front wing is tiny and the gap between the door and b-pillar is huge. How couls this be fixed?

Put a metal spacer or a couple of washers between the A pillar and the hinges and put the hinge bolts through them.
The same thing can be used to make slight adjustments to lft the door up a little.
Baz

but that would bring the door even closed to the wing seeing as the door hinges mate up to the forward facing surface of the apillar hinges.

scottmk1 said

but that would bring the door even closed to the wing seeing as the door hinges mate up to the forward facing surface of the apillar hinges.

Ah yes - that's what I get for thinking about the MK1 while working on a different car.
So would I be right in saying that putting a spacer between the hinges and the door might work then?

na, i need to move the door away from the A Pillar, not closer to it.

scottmk1 said

na, i need to move the door away from the A Pillar, not closer to it.

Damn it - I forgot that was welded.
Back to plan A.  A little gentle persuasion involving a load of pressure and possibly a hammer.
How big is the gap at the b pillar?
Baz