Adjusting the tightness of a car door: practical tips

1. We prepare the car for work.

2. Remove the door trim.

3. Disconnect the outer handle rods from the lock.

4. Using a Phillips screwdriver, unscrew the screw securing the inner handle of the lock.

and three screws securing the lock.

The window lifter guide prevents you from removing the lock. To remove the lock, you can remove the rods from it, or you can move the guide away, having first unscrewed its bolts and nuts.

5. Remove the lock from the door and disconnect the wiring harness block from it (shown with the guide disconnected).

6. To remove the lock retainer, mark its position on the body pillar.

7. Using a TORX T40 wrench, unscrew the locking pin 2. Using an impact screwdriver with a Phillips head, unscrew the two locking screws 1 and 3.

8. Remove the lock retainer and shims.

1. Install the lock in the reverse order, lubricating it with grease.

2. We install the lock latch in place, aligning the previously made marks or moving the latch within the slots for its fastening screws, we achieve a clear fixation of the door in the closed position and its easy unlocking.

3. By adjusting the length of the rods of the outer door handle and the inner handle of the lock (by moving the plastic tip on the threaded part of the rod), we achieve clear opening of the lock.

4. We adjust the lock switch in the same way.

Car doors do not open well

The most common manufacturer defect is that the rear and front doors on Kalina are difficult to open. The flaw occurs in used cars and those that have just come off the assembly line. The reason is incorrect or insufficient adjustment of the door handle or the door itself. In used cars, the doors become loose over time. Uneven gaps form at the joints with the housing components.

The problem can be solved with the help of a service center or fixed by yourself. The second option is more acceptable for experienced drivers, experienced auto mechanics and those who like to experiment with their car.

First of all, it is important to find out the reason why the back door on a Viburnum does not open well. An external inspection of the defect is carried out and a comparison with the original position of the part is carried out. Based on the results of the check, you can adjust the elements yourself.

In a similar way, malfunctions of the front and rear doors are eliminated, including the trunk door, if the car has a hatchback or station wagon body, but in this case there are nuances.

Tips for adjusting individual parts

Hood adjustment

When adjusting the hood, you need to attach it to the mounting points and tighten it a little. Lower the hood and check its position in relation to other parts. If necessary, adjust the position of the hood. For ease of adjustment, you can remove the hood lock. Having adjusted the position of the hood, it is necessary to make its final fixation. Next, check the height position of the hood relative to the wings. If necessary, we adjust it using rubber supports located on the upper beam of the radiator support. By twisting the support, the hood will lower, and by unscrewing it, it will rise.

Adjusting the trunk lid

Adjusting the trunk lid is identical to adjusting the hood. In this case, you need to adjust the position of the part relative to the rear wings.

Door adjustment

For convenient door adjustment, it is recommended to first remove the lock hinge. Next, secure the door so that it maintains its position when closing. To do this, just tighten it slightly at the top point. Close the door, check the gaps, and adjust the door position if necessary. After making sure that the gaps are set, tighten the remaining bolts. In some cases, to align the door, you can slightly deform the hinge or use washers, placing them at the fastening points. The part can be adjusted in plane with the stand by changing the position of the lock loop.

If it is necessary to adjust two doors on one side at once, the adjustment should begin from the rear door. This will allow you to correctly set the gaps relative to the non-removable rear fender. Next, align the front door relative to the back. To adjust the gap between the front door and the front fender, change the position of the fender.

Adjusting the front fenders

The front fenders are adjusted relative to the front door. In addition, it is necessary to take into account its position relative to the headlight and front bumper. To begin with, we slightly fix the wing at the attachment points. Next, we set the gaps and finally tighten the wing.

Door adjustment process

To eliminate defects in the operation of door elements, it is necessary to find out the cause of its occurrence. In some cases, treating moving parts of the mechanism with lubricants helps. The seals between the trim and the body are subject to wear and tear, and they also require replacement periodically. If manipulation of the replaced elements is not enough, technical intervention is required. Regulation is necessary for the following factors:

  • the gap in the extreme part of the structure causes the door on the Kalina car to not close tightly;
  • The problem is caused by a faulty door lock.

Violation of the geometry of the structure in the doorway is the most common cause of the defect. Gaps can appear in any part of the joint with the body. Most often this happens from above and below. The adjustment in these cases is similar, but has minor differences.

Adjusting the bottom of the door

First of all, it is necessary to establish access to the inside of the lock from the outside. To do this, the glass is completely lowered. The door closes with light blows on the bottom of the casing. During the process, the size of the gap in the lower part of the structure is controlled. When the correct result is achieved, the door is carefully opened and slammed shut. If necessary, repeat the procedure. It is worth monitoring the force of impact and correcting the geometry of the doorway.

This method is used at manufacturing plants at the final stage of car production. The only difference from regulation at home is the availability of technological devices and tools.

How to determine sagging car doors

The most common signs or, one might say, symptoms of sagging doors can be unpleasant phenomena:

  • every manipulation of the car doors is accompanied by excessive effort;
  • driving along an uneven road, you can hear a characteristic rattling, tapping sound, as if something is rubbing;
  • water penetrates into the interior through the seal;
  • sills with deep scratches.

What causes such terrible sagging:

  • the fastening of door hinges weakens over time;
  • door bending;
  • wear of axial parts.

Finding a specific option that suits your car is not difficult. It is enough to open the door slightly, then pull it, holding it by the lower part. This way you can determine whether there is play in the hinges and fixation points. If it is absent, it will mean that there are no problems with the doors. A visual inspection of the areas where they are attached to the body is also carried out. Having discovered deformation there, sagging is inevitable.

Door lock adjustment

A car lock is used to prevent the door from opening spontaneously and is a protective element of the security system. The standard Lada Kalina lock consists of two parts: mechanical and electronic. It often becomes the reason why the door handle is difficult to open; Kalina sometimes has such a defect already from production. As in the case of adjusting door gaps, there are two options for correcting the deficiency:

  1. Take your car to a service station and trust the professional technicians. Recommended for beginners and inexperienced car owners.
  2. Fix the problem yourself using available tools. Suitable for car enthusiasts with extensive driving experience and basic training.

Adjusting the lock at home is done using a Phillips screwdriver. Before starting manipulations, it is recommended to mark the original position of all elements for possible return to their original state.

To move the lock module, loosen the three screws that secure it. The bracket is now not fixed and can move in the plane. Once it is in the correct position, the screws are tightened into place. The structure is treated with lubricant and undergoes mandatory testing by opening and closing doors.

The procedure should be performed extremely carefully so as not to damage the body paint and trim elements.

If the lock is the reason that Kalina’s door does not open well, and the adjustment did not help, resort to more stringent means:

  1. The locking bracket is pulled out 3 - 5 mm and secured in this position. The method allows you to use this additional distance for a smoother door movement. It is important to find the optimal size for the structure to bulge from the body. If the door is extended excessively, it will make sounds on uneven sections of the road and allow dust and moisture into the interior.
  2. Reducing the area of ​​the locking hook. This is usually achieved by filing the mechanism and restoring the locking system to its original state. The size of the cut area affects the ease of opening the doorway. If too much volume is removed, the door may open and close on its own. During processing, it is advisable to round off the sharp tip of the lock tooth.

We adjust our hands and take on the repairs

Once the causes of the sagging have been established, corrective measures must be taken. You can do the repair work yourself; there is nothing complicated here. Well, maybe if you don’t want to mess around, then it’s better to entrust it to specialists. So, let’s say the reason for this trouble is the timing of the loops. At the same time, they look good, which means that only the axle will need to be replaced. If the hinges are worn out, it is worth changing the entire set.

The sequence of measures to get rid of the problem will begin with dismantling the lock part. This will help make the adjustment process easier. Next you need to do the following:

  1. Close the door, try to determine the correct location of the door surface in relation to the vertical axis. Look, if it has a downward or upward shift, we eliminate the defect by letting the loops. You also need to raise and lower the door.

  1. The next step is to tighten the fastener, then check the position of the opening relative to it. Having noticed a downward displacement in the lock location, the lower fastener is released. Pay attention to the hinges, they are usually still in good condition. After that, taking thin metal plates, you need to place them under the loop one at a time. Try to get the normal position of the car door.

If you find that the edge of the door is too raised, you will have to perform similar operations, now taking into account the top hinge.

This stage affects the result, so it is worth paying more attention to it and making every effort. Otherwise, all your repair efforts will be pointless. Time will also be wasted. The main thing is to take your time and everything will work out.

  1. Now you can begin adjusting the door to a horizontal position. Stick to the golden mean. Do not allow the door to be deeply immersed inside the interior. If this happens by chance, you need to slightly move the loops towards the edge. Likewise, only in the opposite direction you will have to move it inward if it sticks out onto the street.

A prerequisite is a perpendicular location in a horizontal surface. You also need to pay attention to this. Neglecting this parameter will cause the lock to malfunction. It is possible that the door may even jam.

When we have set everything clearly, we need to configure the locking mechanism along with the mating part.

Loose door hinges and how to fix them

Sometimes there is no need to adjust body structural elements. The problem of closing the door is caused by play in the hinges. Their role is performed by standard bolts. The hinge axes weaken due to frequent use, play occurs, the door begins to make sounds when driving, and perform vertical movements.

The defect is eliminated with a wrench. The bolts are tightened with a smooth force and, if necessary, replaced with similar fasteners of a modified design. After the hinges are aligned and the gaps disappear, the door is inserted into place, the size of the gaps on the right, left, and sides is carefully monitored.

How the back door on a Lada Kalina should work correctly

When operating domestically produced cars, you have to deal with both acquired and factory defects. The rear door of the Lada Kalina is more often than other body elements exposed to physical impact during driving, includes a number of technically complex devices, and has a high percentage of defects during assembly line assembly. The main components of the normal operating process of the door:

  1. Correct geometry of fit of the lateral and vertical sides to the body, drain, sills of the car, equal gaps between them.
  2. Clear operation of the locking mechanism, installed door closer, and central locking lock.
  3. No extraneous sounds when moving the machine, including over rough terrain or dirt roads.

Careful car care increases its service life. Sometimes, if problems arise, it is enough to change the seal, tighten the fasteners, and lubricate the components and body parts.

Reasons for uneven and unequal gaps

It is important to correctly understand the reason for the uneven arrangement of panels and the gaps between them.

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It is advisable to make sure that all structural elements of the body on which the panels are actually attached have the correct geometric parameters. If there are displacements and distortions, then it will not be possible to achieve even and symmetrical gaps, with the exception of minimal changes that can be compensated by adjusting the fastenings of the body panels. For example, if the engine compartment strip, on which the upper part of the radiator and the hood lock are attached, is displaced, then the gaps between the hood and the front fenders will be uneven and unequal.

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It is necessary to make diagonal measurements of symmetrical points and, if necessary, eliminate the displacement by pulling in the desired direction.

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Simpler reasons could be worn door hinges and sagging, missing one or more mounting bolts, misaligned locks, or simply an incorrectly installed body panel.

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