Door hinge alignment

my driver side door is hanging too low on the quater panel end and at the hinge side nearly touching the wing at the bottom ! i have tryed ajusting it but had no joy. looks as if the lower hinge on the car needs moving forward… is it a job for the body shop or does anyone have a DIY fix  ?

Have a look on this page

i done this yestarday on my cab.
the  best way is to knock out the door hold pin, then take the door off.
put an adjstable spanner on the bottom hindge bracket and pull it towards the back of the car by 1-2mm. try the door back onand if its good then your done. if you feel it needs a bit more, repeat the prcoess. or if you over do it, then remove the door and tap it back slightly.
job done.

i managed to get mine looking ok with minor adjustment to the hinges and door catch.

the problem i have is the door feels as if it has droped and there is a mark on the piller (between door and quater panel ) where the door seal rubed over time it and has damaged the paint.

i have to lift the door and shut it to stop it catching  

sounds like you need a new hinge pin, me thinks

Hi,

I had a similar problem, but on passenger door.  

Door had dropped. Top of door seal was scuffing the rear door.  Bottom of door was nearly touching wing. (4 door CL)

Easy DIY fix - Fit a washer between top door bracket and frame bracket.
This moves the top of the door forward. (It rotates the door around the bottom fixing) :wink:

It saved me from loosening the main bolts to the body and lots of fiddling to set the door up from scratch.

It worked for me, Best of luck 8)

thanks for your help guys, i will give it another try using washers and the guide.

the guide worked a treat    thanks guys for the help, saved me a lot of bother and expense.

Isn't there a way of doing this without using washers or shims?? I remember someone telling me that all you have to do is actually bend the door back by closing it with a bolt/something solid on the door hinge or something simular??

that should work to but you start dentin and scratchin things then (not pretty)  :cry:

Check this thread - explains how I adjusted my cab doors

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=9185&highlight=hinge

crazyquiff said

Check this thread - explains how I adjusted my cab doors

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=9185&highlight=hinge

will give it a go as my the gap between the wing and door and between door and quater panel are VERY diffrent

Very true!

Does anyone know how I can open this old thread? Could do with trying to fix my door issue in the new year, my alignment is shocking. 

Thread opens as soon as you post in it mate. I need to align my doors as well so I'll be watching too.

Melteddrummer said

Thread opens as soon as you post in it mate. I need to align my doors as well so I'll be watching too.

Huh? Probably having a 'moment' here? So now I've posted in it the link will work again? Everytime I click it I get relaunched back to the main mk1 home page?  

I've had a quick look around and it appears that washers seem to help a lot of issues regarding to the door alignment.

Do I need M8 washers for my 1990 3dr Cabriolet? Do you just get these from any old hardware store?

something i also need to do to my passenger door. im going to try the washer method first as i dont fancy removing the door. I wonder how the hinge is fixed to the car body, is it welded into place or bolted to bodywork?
Andy

1st thing you do is remove the lock pin from the car and close the door, if its sitting low try to adjust by loosening hinge bolts and fiddle with door position (a friend makes this job much easier!)

if that doesnt help you can try slipping a washer between the lower hinge half and the door bracket, its fiddly job so again a helper would make your life easier.

while the bolt is out wiggle the hinge half, if it has any play at all you'll need to replace the hinge half its worn for the best fit, but try the washer trick first.  you can only get mk2 hinge halfs these days they fit but you have to ream out the bracket on the shell as they take a larger bolt. swapping hinges isnt easy they take a lot of pressure, I managed with a vice, a small bolt and a small socket. the upper one is even worse as no room really, but usually its only the bottom one that goes

rubjonny said

1st thing you do is remove the lock pin from the car and close the door, if its sitting low try to adjust by loosening hinge bolts and fiddle with door position (a friend makes this job much easier!)

if that doesnt help you can try slipping a washer between the lower hinge half and the door bracket, its fiddly job so again a helper would make your life easier.

while the bolt is out wiggle the hinge half, if it has any play at all you'll need to replace the hinge half its worn for the best fit, but try the washer trick first.  you can only get mk2 hinge halfs these days they fit but you have to ream out the bracket on the shell as they take a larger bolt. swapping hinges isnt easy they take a lot of pressure, I managed with a vice, a small bolt and a small socket. the upper one is even worse as no room really, but usually its only the bottom one that goes

Hey Rubjonny hope your well?

Do you happen to have a picture of where these washers go to resolve the dropped door issue? As you know I'm a nervous novice on here so Im always worried about getting things right. With that in mind do you have the size of the washer I need? I read it was an m8? Do you just get these from local hardware stores etc… or do they need to be of specific quality etc…? Sorry for all the questions again!