ElRicardo

Hey guys (I say guys 'cause who we kidding about the number of ladies reading these posts?!?), I have an issue with the driver side door sagging on my Cabrio, a good 1/4" to 3/8" low. A good slam will get it shut, but I have stared at the door hinges until I am silly trying to figure out how they could be adjusted. The way the door is mounted is quite different form earlier models that you could add a shim to. In this case the door hinge slides into a receiver on the front wall of the door opening, and two screws pull the door tight (repeated top and bottom hinge). It does not appear to be broken at the lower hinge. So what can I do? I am worried that the force required to close it is slowly shaking the door innards to pieces!

PaulD_944S2

Probably lift the door up with a floor jack until the body panel bends enough to align the door.
Compare the passenger side to the drivers side. Either the hinge pins are worn out or the driver's door is bent down.

ElRicardo

Bending door up was an early idea of mine, but I am worried about “breaking” the weld- I understand the door side hinge is welded to pretty flimsy sheet metal. But that may be a possibility. Have you heard of this working? Have you tried it?

thomasmryan

if there is play in the pin, there is a part number for the pin and chassis half of the hinge.

it is best practice to put the doors on their first catch when jacking the car or use two jacks if possible on a soft top car.

Breakaway944

Try putting a washer between the door hinge and the receiver ( for both bolts) on the top hinge. This will push the top front down, lifting the rear. This is assuming the hinges are correctly adjusted in the first place and it is a bend problem. Playing with the position of the two hinges will affect the angle of the door front to rear. Also make sure your striker is positioned correctly.

ElRicardo

So I trimmed a dime (sorry Uncle Sam) and epoxied it betweenthe two screw holes of the upper hinge wher it slides in, as you describe below.

And it worked! Door closes like a charge - Big Win!!!