door rubbers

[mattyguk11]

hi all, since ive had my minor the doors need a slam to close properly!the passenger sides worse and is a nuisance with the kids.ive had a good look and without the rubber seal they close a lot better. could it be i have wrong rubbers or can the doors be adjusted? matt

[Stig]

The doors can be adjusted though it can involve a bit of faffing. The first thing is to work out where it's too tight. You should be able to see where the rubber seal's pinched. If it's at the back edge then you'll only have to adjust the striker plate (on the pillar), if it's tight towards the front then you'll have to adjust the hinges which is a bit more tricky but quite do-able: open the door wide, support the bottom of the door with a small trolley/scissor jack, slacken the three screws holding the hinge to the front pillar until the outer edge of the door will just about move up/down with the jack, tweak it to pull the hinge out slightly, tighten back up, remove the jack, try closing the door.
It can take a couple of goes on each hinge to get it right and you'll probably need to slacken the other hinge a bit to get any movement but don't slacken too far or the whole door will drop and be a pain to get right again.

[simmitc]

Be wary that there's not much point in speding a couple of hours adjusting the door if the hinge pins are worn or the A-post is floppy. Both of these can cause door shutting problems, and should be corrected FIRST. Typically, the hinge wears, the door drops slightly, and then the mortice & tennon type arrangement (chrome lug and socket) don't line up, which stops the door shutting cleanly. Rec-con hinges are available, or new pins for you to fit yourself - it can be hard work and requires a 21/64 drill with precision drilling. All perfectly fixable, just see where the problem lies before fixing it. The rubbers might be the cause, or they might just be masking the real problem.

Edited to correct a a typo.

[paulk]

If slackening A Post bolts don't undo them all the way. Quite a lot of us will have heard that dull thud as the hinge threaded plate falls off the back! Much swearing then ensues and lots of mucking about to get it back if not complete replacing of panels .

Paulk

one who knows..... a bit

[Willie]

MATTY... all the above advice applies but, if the outside of the door
is level with the body when it IS closed it is worth proving if it is
the rubber which is causing the problem. trap a piece of thin card
between the rubber and the door when it is completely closed and try to run it all around the door edge. You will soon find where the fit is tight
or loose or 'normal'. if there are very tight areas you can remove the
rubber and bend the flange on to which it fits to relieve the tightness
( I find that a good pair of molegrips locked on to the flange enables
you to bend it quite easily). If the outside of the door is NOT level
with the body but is further IN then it is a simple job to move the
latch( on the B pillar) outwards by loosening the two screws.
NOTE You certainly could have the wrong door rubber! it should be
fixed to the flange clips by an inbuilt aluminium strip which distorts
very easily. If you have a simple push on type of rubber it may be
non original and therefore may be thicker. Check with another Minor.

[mattyguk11]

thanks all, doors fit flush with body and dont appear to have dropped.A posts are good also. im quite sure its wrong rubbers but have no minors to compare with! can anybody post a picture here or send me one? be much appreciated matt

[bigginger]

Whereabouts are you? There may be some one from here close by. I'll try to take some photos tomorrow though.

[Willie]

MATTY, I have taken some pics but can only send via e mail, so if
you send me a Private message with your handle in it I will send them.

[bigginger]

I won't, then.
a

[Willie]

Sorted Ginge

[bigginger]

a