tips on putting doors on?
 

just set my new cab on the frame and im ready to put the doors on it. now the paint is new on the cab and i dont want to scratch it all up, the doors are not painted yet so i dont care about them. whats the best way to get the doors on without scratching any paint? also whats a good way to align everything?

any tips would be great.

I would tape all of your door edges to protect the paint. Put tape on your hinges as well. It sounds like the doors will be coming off again so you will be ahead to use lots of tape. I would also get an extra set of hands to help out. Then make a small sacrifice to the paint chip gods and say a prayer... :D

This is the way I put doors on. (No windows in door).

Install door latch and striker, set striker so that it is set higher
and closer to the outside. Put 3-4 shims in place on striker

Cut out 3"x 34" cardboard and lay on rocker, tape in place.
Use thick cardboard as this sets your bottom gap.

Install both hinges onto the door, centering on the verticle, and placed so the door will be out, (hinges adjusted in).

You can do this by yourself, but it helps to have extra hands and eyes to guide the door into place.

Set the bottom of the door onto the cardboard. When I do this, I feel that I can control the door, so I don't protect the sides. Add side protection if you feel it is necessary. Once you have door centered and setting onto the cardboard, locate the door inward,
watching for gap on both sides and latch. If you set the latch up higher and out, clearance should be good. I want to point out that we always do a mockup of the doors well before painting, so we know they will fit.

The hinges have to be guided into place at the same time. Start all of the hinge bolts and check to see how the fit is. The body line on the door should be hiher than the cab because when you add the weight of the windows and the door hanging down, the line will be easier to adjust for because you start out with the striker up higher. It helps to compensate.

This should give you a rough fitted door. From there adjust the hinges and striker to give the best fit.


Good luck!

Jim

i know this is no help but GOOD LUCK.