Door hanging question

[sleam]

Hey, does any one have any tricks for hanging the door on my series III? It came with it being tight, hard to close, so i fiddled with the hinges and messed it up completely! I can hardly close the damn thing and now have to climb over the passenger seat to get in and out.
External black hinges each has two screws into the body and the door.
I tried loosening everything and placing the door in the space then tighten up, and that's keeping it safe until i can really use it.
Suggestions appreciated! thanks,
sleam

[siii8873]

what is tight on the door? Does it have clearance front and back, both top and bottom. Is this a new door, original door, rehabbed door? Check the striker if you have clearances around it.

[sleam]

hi, I don't think its the original, the hinges look different to what I'm used to. This is a new-to-me vehicle so I'm still working out what's going on. The door looks like it should fit fine but with the hinges as they are, it sticks out ...I was thinking to take the hinges off completely and fit the door in place and then see if it would work. I feel like the planes are different to what the hinges can manage to compensate for but my brain farts out at that point. Hmm....

[mjones1700]

hi, I don't think its the original, the hinges look different to what I'm used to. This is a new-to-me vehicle so I'm still working out what's going on. The door looks like it should fit fine but with the hinges as they are, it sticks out ...I was thinking to take the hinges off completely and fit the door in place and then see if it would work. I feel like the planes are different to what the hinges can manage to compensate for but my brain farts out at that point. Hmm....

From my learning cure I have a question. Is this a SW? If so, are the middle hinges on the middle doors and front hinges on the front doors?

I had a devil of a time of getting mine to fit (rehabed doors and new but not appropriate to position seals). My first problem was having the middle hinges on the front and the front in the middle which did create a different plane effect . . . at least on my wagon. My next trouble was trimming up the new but not appropriate to place (the host didn't have all the seals so I had to cut and match to create seals) seals then it would close tight. Like I think you mentioned, I loosened all 8 bolts on each door, lined it up exactly right (latched and held in place with duct tape and wedges), then slowly tighten up the bolts. I've noticed a couple have slipped and now I need to go back and re-positioned the door and tighten up the bolts tighter. But they were perfect for a while.

[1971Series88]

It is a SIII...so one of three things could happen:
1. Your hinges are off a S1-S11a - so you may have problems
2. Your doors are off a S1-SIIa - so you may have problems
3. Your hinges/doors are off a Defender of some antiquity - so you may have problems

Best bet - get original doors, then use hinges you see fit. I just replaced all 4 doors on my 109" I sourced same MY doors and used the hinges that were on the truck...the doors fit perfectly and the front top hinges are the mirror mount ones for a Defender...everything fits/works perfectly. These things were designed that way!

POST PICTURES - that way we can help easier...

[sleam]

Thanks. I think I worked it out! I took the hinges off, set the door in place and checked all the line ups. The holes for the screws don't line up with the hinges. They pulled the door off track. I need to re-drill the holes so that everything holds in place. Thanks everyone for your help. Not so alone with this project as it feels like up here in the hills!

s

[stomper]

since the holes are pre drilled on the bulkhead and the door, I don't think the holes are your problem. it is more likely your hinges are the wrong ones.

[1971Series88]

DONT drill new holes....your top front hinges are mounted in the bulkhead with threads - you can't replicate....your door side mounting is through a steel frame....you can't replicate!! You dont want a bunch of holes in the panels anywhere.

IT HAS TO BE THE FRAME of the door itself if there are any issues. As I said in my other post - are you mounting the CORRECT DOOR for your MY?????

[sleam]

Here's what I have for you! Sorry about facing the wrong direction. I took free photos of the door in place, the hinges and also how when I take out the screws on the one, you can see it doesn't line up. I'm not keen on doing anything til i get more help from someone near by - he's had many Land Rovers and worked on them himself. I'll keep you posted,
s

[parrie]

Correct me if I'm wrong guys but these do not appear to be the correct hinges for the truck which would explain the poor fit.

[mjones1700]

Correct me if I'm wrong guys but these do not appear to be the correct hinges for the truck which would explain the poor fit.

I agree, looks like my wagon but not my hinges either.

[sleam]

Hmm! They look like the kind you buy from Rovers North online for S3 doors. The driver's door works fine. It's just this passenger side that's screwy. Weird eh?!

[1971Series88]

OK they are Defender hinges....all of them (at least the two in the pic) - not Series hinges. HOWEVER, they should work? Are they Proline or Original LandRover - that is the Q.

The thing is, I have them on my 109" - but only on top - for the mirror mounting...and yes - they line up perfectly. I suggest going one of two routes:
1. You source original Series III hinges and see if that fixes it
2. You buy two new ones ~$28 + shipping from RoversNorth and see if newer ones help - just don't paint them before mounting/checking - if they dont work you MAY be able to return them (check first )

[parrie]

I was under the impression that the defender hinges should work but I believe there are different hinges for the front doors and middle doors. Is there any chance the bottom hinge got mixed-up with one of the middle door hinges?

[sleam]

Okay! So I have the answer! Thom and I took a good few hours working it out but here goes. After comparing to his military 1971 we noticed that the hinges were mixed up, as in we needed to take off the bottom hinges off each door and switch them out. Then we finally noticed that the doors have been modified, so the cross pieces were a bigger dimension than the original. The welder had not measured well and they were 3/8 inch too wide to sit in the frame and open without rubbing.
I'll need to get the doors replaced or to grind off that extra 3/8 in of metal across the bottom.
I'll post photos if you want?
thanks again for info
and thanks to Thom for working on this with me today.