The bushings on the striker bolts for my '72 Supreme are worn so I'm going to replace them. I checked the BSM and it said something about adjusting the striker bolts if needed...how does one adjust fore to aft movement? Also, how do the worn bushings affect operation?

 

Dave - You're talking about the door striker bolts, correct? When they wear they get whittled down & sometimes the door begins to rattle while driving over small bumps, etc. & you can hear the door rattle. Sometimes when you open close the door you may notice a "catch" or sloppy operation of the door opening/closing - most often it's really loose. I believe fore to aft is the distance the striker bolt protrudes from the welded-in threads which retains the striker bolt. Depending on the style you buy (plastic or metal), I believe they're referring to using shims (washers) to make small adjustments to the distance the striker bolt protrudes when the door mechanism makes contact w/ the striker bolt. Often times the plastic striker is longer than needed and can be cut to length with a simple utility knife. If it's metal you can take it to a grinding wheel. Again though, if it's too short, you can use shims (washers) to make what I believe they're referring to as fore to aft adjustment.

 

There is no fore/aft adjustment on the striker bolts, only up/down and in/out. If the bolts are worn, it's usually due to worn hinge bushings causing the doors to sag and thus using the striker bolt to force the door back up into position when you close it. The right way to fix this is to ensure the hinges are in good shape first. Then remove the striker bolt and adjust the hinges so the doors align correctly without the striker bolts. This takes all the load off the striker. Once the hinges are adjusted properly, then reinstall the striker bolts. Use modeling clay in the latch mechanism and gently close the door against the striker to make an indication in the clay. That will tell you if the striker needs to move up or down to avoid preloading the door. Adjust accordingly. FYI, this process is described in the Fisher Body Manual.

 

 

OK, appears Joe has you covered. I've replaced them in two trucks I've owned, but I haven't replaced any in the Cutlass's I've owned.

 

If you need to move that striker fore and aft, there's usually another problem.

 

Fully agree. If the striker has merely rounded off over the several thousand openings/closings it shouldn't need any adjustments other than a new striker. Although, he did ask how one adjusts fore & aft movement. And, there is, in fact, a statement pertaining to fore & aft adjustment in the Fisher manual.

 

Yup...that's where I saw it. My doors work fine, but the bushing is (as I stated in my first post) wobbly on the striker, so Im thinking I need to replace them. I just want to know if i really need to worry about adjusting them. Seems to me if I mark (and/or measure) before I remove them, I should be good, right?

 

Heck yes. Look, if the door opens & closes then the door latch is working and engaging the striker bushing properly. The delta might be a rounded off bushing, broken bushing or whatever - just replace the bushing or striker bolt and bushing. Dealer's choice.

 

something to watch for, when you take t
he striker bolt out, listen to hear if the cage nut in the 1/4 panel falls down,sometimes the weld didnt hold,or it was repaired/replaced at the factory or body shop. on a car with bolt on hinges, you can move the door forward or backward to get adjustment. but that would be an extreme measure.with bolt on hinges, if the door opens to fast, goes to the limit of the stop,it will actually move the door forward and put the striker out of adjustment