After a full restoration I am going thru hell with the refitting of the tailgate!! Firstly the original door was twisted and hit the near side door frame to the point the door could barely close So i replaced this tailgate with a straight rust free good condition original. That door was fitted and again it fouled on the near side door frame. So then I heated up the hinges (outers) and twisted them to what I thought would fit make the door fit...miles out and scrapped the hinges.. So today I refitted straight new outer hinges - guess what..? Door fouls on the near side again!!! :'( So facts are.. Bodywork original and straight - not been involved in accident or in the restoration bar one lower corner which is not causing a problem. The outer hinges and door have both been replaced with straight original ones. Door needs to move 3-5mm to the right (off side) Can ANYONE tell me how to do it??? I have tried spacers, setting it up different ways and although the door now sits flat in the hole I need it to push over to the other side!!! This has had at least 4 days of fiddling and work now!! At the brink of sod it and sell it here people...!!!! :'( Thanks.
Just a thought - have you tried measuring the diagonal distances across the tailgate opening to see if the opening is square ? Perhaps it has suffered from springing apart slightly while panels were being restored. Maybe needs the careful application of a big jack in a car body shop...
Thanks for reply Mike, No the majority of the panels and door surround were not been disturbed and it is factory square, checked that. Its almost as if I need to take the hinges off and move them over a few mm! Its a 76 westy bay so the roof pressing is slightly different but I cant see that making any differennce or any way to move the door horizontally across. Fits perfect up down and in! I have tried asking around various people and places no-one has an answer - surely someone else has had this problem before? Its driving me insane!!!
Your tailgate latch - the bit on the bodywork should have a metal faced rubber wedge like all the other doors. This helps keep the door in a predictable closed position if you adjust the latch left/right. I guess you, like so, so many buses haven't got the wedge because it snapped off leaving the backing plate and the two litt;e x-head screws. Am I right? I can't remember what late bay tailgates are like but I think half way up window height on the tailgate there should be more rubber wedges? They hit the pressings on the pillars and centre the door at the top (if you have it flush). Earlies are so much better - they don't have pressings on the pillar - they have adjustable fittings. Your pressings are here - You can see the screw holes for my superior early fittings - they were at home being polished.
Aaah that could be why then, thanks Zed that makes sense - yes that block has gone walkies somewhere over the years. I usually restore T25s which has loads of adjustment this is only my second bay. So I shall fit the lock assembly and try - it never even occured to me that that could be a part of the problem. Are the rubber blocks available, guess I shall be finding out!!
Perhaps the blocks on the side are nylon or hard plastic? - can't remember. The one on the catch should do it anyway.
Got a replacement striker plate wedge on order - I cant' find any holes or marks on the sides for any guides at all, no screw holes no sticky marks so guess they werent fitted. The lock is holding it in place at the moment and nice and central, hope that he rubber wedge will guide it in. Just had a thought maybe the guides were on the the tailgate.. I shall check later Thanx for the reply Zed it has given me hope!!
Pressings on opening, guides on the door. My early is different, with adjustable wedges where your pressing are, but has the guide blocks - or does it. Bugger I really can't remember - you'd think someone on this latebay board would have a look for us...
Okay okay no wedges or fixings thereof for wedges on the side frames, just the usual single guide on the bottom for the latch.
You might find that just refitting the catch and moving the bit attached to the bodywork will bring it over when you shut the tailgate. I did a van last year which had the same problem. when I was trial fitting everything before spraying the tailgate was fouling on the right side, so I tried moving the catch and it pulled the tailgate to the centre.
Heres hoping that the wedge cures it once and for all, I dressed the frame on the side that catches slightly now with a rubber hammer and that seems to have helped it too. Thanks for the tip!
