Car doors are often used. It is opened and closed from time to time. And like in any other things, problems come out eventually when used regularly. Examples of car door problems are broken locks, rusting doors, and one of the most common are the misaligned doors. Doors can be misaligned when somebody hangs on it or when it is simply wearing out due to its age.
How you maintain your car doors can also be a factor. When a door is not in its exact position, opening and closing it can be harder. It can even put you in danger if the door finally snaps. Repairing it immediately should be a priority and you actually do not have to bring your car to a mechanic. You can do it on your own to save a few dollars. Below are the steps on how to realign your door.
- Initially check the reason for the misalignment. Causes could be the rubber seal, striker plate, bolts, or its hinges. Examine the door while it is open and when closed. Check for spaces by running your finger all around the door. This will help you know which part of the door needs alignment.
- Rubber seals can possibly cluster together causing the door to be misaligned. This can easily be seen when the door is open. If the rubber seal is the culprit, just put it back in place. But if it is already worn out, replacing it is also easy.
- The striker plate can also be misplaced which can be the reason why your door is somehow difficult to open or close. You just have to place it back to its correct position.
- If the rubber seal and the striker plate are both good but your car door is still misaligned, check the bolts that hold the door in place. There can be loose bolts that need to be tightened. When you see bolts that are in bad condition or are nearly worn out, replace them right away. Such bolts can be the reason why doors misalign. You just need to loosen the bolt then change it with a new one. Make sure to evenly tighten all the bolts.
- Lastly, bent hinges also causes misalignment. You just need to straighten it back to realign the door. You can put a block of wood or any hard object in it. Then, with your support, close and open the door repeatedly until it completely pushed back the hinge in place.
Car doors are often used. It is opened and closed from time to time. And like in any other things, problems come out eventually when used regularly. Examples of car door problems are broken locks, rusting doors, and one of the most common are the misaligned doors. Doors can be misaligned when somebody hangs on it or when it is simply wearing out due to its age.
How you maintain your car doors can also be a factor. When a door is not in its exact position, opening and closing it can be harder. It can even put you in danger if the door finally snaps. Repairing it immediately should be a priority and you actually do not have to bring your car to a mechanic. You can do it on your own to save a few dollars. Below are the steps on how to realign your door.
- Initially check the reason for the misalignment. Causes could be the rubber seal, striker plate, bolts, or its hinges. Examine the door while it is open and when closed. Check for spaces by running your finger all around the door. This will help you know which part of the door needs alignment.
- Rubber seals can possibly cluster together causing the door to be misaligned. This can easily be seen when the door is open. If the rubber seal is the culprit, just put it back in place. But if it is already worn out, replacing it is also easy.
- The striker plate can also be misplaced which can be the reason why your door is somehow difficult to open or close. You just have to place it back to its correct position.
- If the rubber seal and the striker plate are both good but your car door is still misaligned, check the bolts that hold the door in place. There can be loose bolts that need to be tightened. When you see bolts that are in bad condition or are nearly worn out, replace them right away. Such bolts can be the reason why doors misalign. You just need to loosen the bolt then change it with a new one. Make sure to evenly tighten all the bolts.
- Lastly, bent hinges also causes misalignment. You just need to straighten it back to realign the door. You can put a block of wood or any hard object in it. Then, with your support, close and open the door repeatedly until it completely pushed back the hinge in place.
