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Wind took my door!!

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Offline Loyal

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Wind took my door!!
« on: February 14, 2006, 02:44:38 AM »
What a piss off.  >:(

Yesterday we had wind from 100-130kph (60-75mph).  I dropped into a dollar store to pick up something my wife wanted and when I opened the door . . . wham . . . my door went almost perpendicular to the body (I have a 97 4 door Kick).

Now the problems are:

1) The door will not open.  The forward edge of the door strikes the fender.  It will open enough for me to squeeze through.

2) The door will not close.  I have to push down on the rear of the door so that the latch on the body will enter the slot in the door.  Appears the door has risen.

3) The gap between the front and rear door is uneven.  There is more of a gap on the upper part of the door.

Is this a big problem to fix?  Any suggestions on how to fix it?  Is it going to cost much?

Another problem . . . the $ store did not have what she was looking for  :'(
Loyal

1997 4 Door Kick

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Offline ed oorklep

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Re: Wind took my door!!
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2006, 03:31:37 AM »
Sorry about the door, and that the store didn't have what you've been looking for  :-X
Could you take some pic's so we can see what exactly is bent/what is broken...
I know the doors are adjustable so it could be that it's only moved throught the slot holes a bit. Try to take a lot of pic's of the mounting side of the door.
And off course, is the door straight?
Good luck on fixing it  ;D
http://www.suzukivitara4x4.nl
1992 Suzuki Vitara
8cm Body-lift, 33 12.5 R15 General Grabber MT's.
ARB Bull Bar.
3" Suspension lift.

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Offline Uncivilized

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Re: Wind took my door!!
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2006, 04:57:46 AM »
Same thing happened to mine before I bought it, not as bad though, the fender has damage and so does the door. There was a .5" gap between the door and the rig, I adjusted it in as far as I could, the rest I used foam weather striping to stop the wind from coming in. When I go to get is painted, I'm going to get a junkyard door and fender and new hinges from the dealer and that will fix the problem. Where the hinge mounts to the door, the metal stretches out, creates a gap or distortion, (in your case the door could be bent more near the middle as well)there's really no fixing it unless you replace the door. Hopefilly the pillar didn't bend/twist/stretch - the door is weaker so chances are no.

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Offline Loyal

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Re: Wind took my door!!
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2006, 06:52:08 AM »
It will be later this week before I have a chance to get a closer look.  I dont really mind the fender as she needs new ones anyway.

ed . . . door was straight prior to the incident.

Uncivilized . . . R U saying that the door could actually distort where the hinge mounts?  Wow.  I guess I will have to compare it to the "good" door on the passenger side.  If the door is distorted can it be massaged back in place with a hammer?

Is it difficult to adjust the hinge?
Loyal

1997 4 Door Kick

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Offline wildgoody

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Re: Wind took my door!!
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2006, 07:40:35 AM »
I'd say it's the hinges and the mount points,
but that could be on the door or the body, I
once had a Semi truck stop my car with the
drivers door that was hanging open, that's
why I have a red door. Trucklet got knocked
into gear by my youngest son who was 3 or 4
at the time. The door was so bent I had to wrap
wire around it so there was only a 4 inch gap
to drive home, looked like it was on it's way to
pulling the hinge bolts out of the body, but it
didn't.

Wild

Real Trucks Are Built, Not Bought,
And Chrome Don't Get Ya Home.  

An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.

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Offline justzukies

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Re: Wind took my door!!
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2006, 08:40:38 AM »
Had a big wind here too.  Was lucky and caught my door before it ripped off.  Got my winshield sandblasted.  But shopping at the dollar store for the wife?  I'd say you got off with a warning.  Good luck fixing the door.
94 kick 1.6 16V AT 4dr  Calmini 3" lift

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Offline jzap

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Re: Wind took my door!!
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2006, 02:11:11 PM »
When I was looking to buy a Tracker several years ago, I came across one that had a driver side door that wouldn't close right.  close examinati0n showed that the door frame on the body was bent.  Somebody had tried to fix it by welding the hinges to the body, and the door position couldn't be adjusted.   I hope it's the door and not the body that's bent.  Bolting on a door is a much easier operation than trying to straighten out the door frame.
Jim Z.
96 Tracker
66 Apache camper

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Offline Loyal

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Re: Wind took my door!!
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2006, 03:06:20 AM »
Fixed . . .  :)

I took off both front doors so that I could get a reference measurements.

Top hinge (in closed position) was 1/4 inch further away from the body than the one on the other side.  Bottom was fine.  I massaged the post back in with steel rod and small maul.  Then I slid the hinge 1/4 inch back and voila . . . the door closes. 

Its about 95% of what it was as there is now some slack in the bottom hing.  I will straighten that up come the spring.

Tks all.
Loyal

1997 4 Door Kick