2005 Silverado Single Cab Door Gap Issue

James Leer · November 6, 2022

I replaced the hinge bushings and pins and it made this much worse, I can stick my finger through the gap between the door and the cab itself, near the handle. The hinges look like they're welded to the chassis, so I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions or knows how to fix this? The fender could definitely use some adjustment, but I'd rather adjust that after the door is adjusted.. I was considering 2 things, first being pulling the hinges with a hydraulic pulling ram, and the second was cutting some out of the hinge on the chassis, then folding it in, and welding it back.. both of those seem like guesswork with a lot of room for error. Surely there's a proper method to this?

James Leer · November 6, 2022

21 hours ago, James Leer said:

I replaced the hinge bushings and pins and it made this much worse, I can stick my finger through the gap between the door and the cab itself, near the handle. The hinges look like they're welded to the chassis, so I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions or knows how to fix this? The fender could definitely use some adjustment, but I'd rather adjust that after the door is adjusted.. I was considering 2 things, first being pulling the hinges with a hydraulic pulling ram, and the second was cutting some out of the hinge on the chassis, then folding it in, and welding it back.. both of those seem like guesswork with a lot of room for error. Surely there's a proper method to this?

If anyone else has this issue, I "fixed" it with the socket trick, putting a socket in the hinge and closing the door. Made the gap much smaller and it doesn't hit the fender now. Not perfect though, yet.

Douglas Nathan · November 7, 2022

Socket or hammer in the hinge just bends the pillar on which the hinge is welded. I have never fooled with welded hinges much, They use some kind of registration method (a way to ensure the hinge is in the right place in space relative to the door and fender when it's welded in place) at the factory. A Mitchelle Body manual (for labor hours) may show some dimensioning (for the hinge) that shows where it goes. I wouldn't mess with it if I didn't have my own pro shop or weren't a pro. I would be sure I got the right pins and bushings and they were in the right spot. On my 04 I have 2 different sizes. It could be you got a kit that was put together wrong. You don't say how the door performs when it closes, it's plain to see that gap on the trailing edge wow! How your door got so far forward is beyond me. I'm assuming the holes for the bushings were (are)still correct and not "wallered out" in anyway even if they are I can't see them doing their job at all noting the distance your door have moved forward relative to the door opening; seems to me the holes in the hinges would be completely worn though on the forward side of the bushing hole for your door to be that far forward. If your door/fender joint functioned correctly before the pin and bushing change that means the fender position is still correct unless the fender has been moved some how (accident, attempted adjustment?) Obviously you can't fix the aft door gap by adjusting the fender. I suppose it's possible the hinges got twisted (how I don't know)in such a way that the door is now too far forward relative to the door opening. I would make sure I got the right parts, after that maybe a door from a yard to compare. Are you the original owner? Has the truck been hit, in an accident? This makes no sense at all if all parts are genuine and correct, but if they were you shouldn't have the problem that you got.

You might try a "TRAM" (Trammel) gauge and compare opposite sides of the door opening, hinge placement and the door using the other door for reference. Would love to know what you learn, good luck my friend!