Sliding Door - Difficult to Close at Rear of Door
File In Section: 10 - BodyBulletin No.: 76-15-16
Date: August, 1998
Subject:
Sliding Door Difficult to Close at Rear of Door
(Realign Door and Replace Latch, Center Track, or Lower Roller Bracket if Needed)
Models:
1996-98 Chevrolet and GMC G-Vans
Built Prior to December, 1997 (Plant Code 1)
Condition
Some owners may comment that the sliding door is difficult to close at the rear of the door. Some owners may also comment that the latch, the striker, and the door sheet metal around the latch are being damaged as a result of the door being difficult to close.
Cause
Condition may be caused by improper alignment between the door rear latch and striker, or the door rear latch may not properly engage onto the striker.
Correction
Realign the door including latch to striker. If necessary, replace latch, center track, and lower roller bracket using the parts listed below. Use the following Inspection and Service Procedure in order to properly align the sliding door in the body cavity.
Inspection Procedure
Do the following inspection BEFORE making any adjustments on the sliding door:
1. Place the latch fork in its secondary position. Inspect the plastic encapsulation on the fork. If any of the plastic is tom or damaged, trim the plastic off at the upper-most fork of the latch (Figure 1, Item 1).
2. Measure the track dimension between the inner and outer flange at the end of the roller track, past the bend. If the dimension is more than 21 mm (13/64 in.), replace the track with the new assembly (Figure 2).
3. Visually inspect the 2 vertical tabs, with the rollers, on the roller bracket. The tabs must be at 90°. If the tabs are not at 90°, or if the tabs are otherwise damaged, replace the roller bracket.
4. Visually inspect the 2 welded-on studs that hold the roller bracket to the door. If the studs are broken or cracked, replace the door.
5. Verify that the door is not sagging at the rear. If the door is sagging, do the following steps:
a. Loosen the door stud nuts.
b. Apply LOCTITE(TM) 242, GM P/N 12345382, or equivalent, to the studs.
c. Lift and align the door.
d. Tighten the nuts to 11 N.m (97 lb in.). Do not over-tighten the nuts because the studs may break.
6. Verify that there are witness marks at the latch and striker wedge. If these marks are coming in contact when the door is closed, but the rear of the door does not latch, add a shim behind the striker. Do not use more than 3 shims. Also, shims can be removed if necessary.
Service Procedure
The sliding door is only adjustable at 3 points; the 2 front roller brackets and the one rear, center-mounted roller bracket. You may need to use the following Service Procedure more than once in order to achieve the proper alignment.
1. Begin at the front, top corner of the sliding door. Align the door flush and in-line with the top, rear corner of the front door.
2. Loosen the front upper and lower brackets. Adjust the sliding door so that the lines are horizontal with the front door.
3. Inspect the vertical lines at the front and rear of the door. The lines should be even and common. If there is obvious "A" or "V" gapping, loosen the rear roller bracket and adjust the rear of the door in order to make the vertical lines even. Apply LOCTITE(TM) 242, GM P/N 12345382, or equivalent, and tighten the roller bracket nuts to 11 N.m (97 lb in.).
4. Verify that the sliding door is flush with the B and C pillars. In order to correct any incorrect alignment at the B pillar, loosen the front top and bottom roller hardware on the roller side. Then, move the door in and out as necessary in order to align with the B pillar. Tighten the retaining bolts to 25 N.m (18 lb. ft).
Important:
If the door rear latch does not catch, or bounces against the rear striker at the
^ pillar when closing the sliding door, you must adjust the door to the rear of the truck at the center track.
5. If the back of the door is not aligned with the
^ pillar, correct this by finessing the door. The center point roller bracket does not allow top or bottom adjustment.
Part Information
Parts are currently available from GMSPO.
Warranty Information
For vehicles repaired under warranty, use the table.