Door Problems.....WHAT THE HELL?

[Rabbi]

i went and opened my drivers side door today, And the bastard is hard as hell to open. Its like its starting to sag or something. but doesnt apear to be.

 

Its been sitting for about a month without being driven so would this effect it at all?

 

It just feels like i have to tug on the bastard to open it, Like the hinge is giving or something.

 

What the hell could cause this?

[1990lumina]

If it has sagged...just grab the fuckin door at the bottom and pull up on it has hard as you can...this should bend the hinges back...

 

Also, it could be the handle is out of adjustment and not fully releasing the catcher.

Try spraying some lube onto the latch assembly itself and see if anything happens.

 

- Jeff L.

[J]

OR you could do it right and shim the door if it has sagged

[GnatGoSplat]

Or the really right way and replace the hinges.

 

You can tell if it's a sagging door by opening the window, then open the door about 10" or so and see if you can lift the door by the window frame. There should be no up & down play at all.

 

It sucks we don't have replaceable hinge pins and bushings like other cars. We have to replace the whole hinge. Replacing the hinges themselves is a real easy job, but getting the door aligned isn't so easy.

[5speedz34]

Are you sure its not the door handle?

[DiscoStudd]

It could be the "prop" that's sticking, also. Hit 'er with a little spray lube (might as well hit the hinges while you're at it, as well.) Replacing the prop isn't that hard either, you just have to remove the door panel to get it out.

 

The design of the prop was changed somewhere between 90 and 95. When my driver's side prop went out on my old 95 Grand Prix, I pulled one out of a 90 GP at the boneyard and found the 90's prop assembly was of simple construction. The one on the 95 was a more complicated design (and it was in pieces inside the door - I tried reassembling it to no avail.) I did notice that the 90 prop was quite a bit stiffer than the 95, so maybe GM had a few complaints over the years and changed the design ...

[Stevo]

Or the really right way and replace the hinges.

 

rgr tht

[GnatGoSplat]

The design of the prop was changed somewhere between 90 and 95. When my driver's side prop went out on my old 95 Grand Prix, I pulled one out of a 90 GP at the boneyard and found the 90's prop assembly was of simple construction. The one on the 95 was a more complicated design (and it was in pieces inside the door - I tried reassembling it to no avail.) I did notice that the 90 prop was quite a bit stiffer than the 95, so maybe GM had a few complaints over the years and changed the design ...

 

That's the opposite of my experience, the earlier prop was less stiff and can't hold the door open if the car is pointed uphill. The newer style prop is stiffer and feels like it can hold the door open even on the steepest hills. I do think the newer style prop is more prone to breaking, I've never heard of one going bad on an earlier car, but the one on the 94 Cutlass driver side was broken when I got the car. I had always thought GM changed the design because people complained about the heavy door slamming shut on their shins.