Door hanging tips?

[GnuBee]

I'm installing/hanging lightweight doors on my car. The OEM doors have welded on hinges and the benefit of robots to do the alignment and welding.

The new doors use bolt on hinges and have the disadvantage of me to do the alignment and fitting. Has anyone got any decent tips/methods for hanging doors? The main challenge being that I'm having difficulty coming up with a decent method of accurately marking the position of the hinges given that with the door in place I can't get to them...

[tribbles]

Unfortunately, it is often a trial-and-error message, but if you can, don't tighten the bolts too much (enough for it to open and close without moving), and man-handle the door a bit to get it to align. Once done, tighten them.

[Steve_D]

I'm going to assume the hinges are already fitted to the door but you can still do the same method if they are the other way round.

Offer up the door and tape packing pieces to the frame so you can lift the door on and off and it always goes back with the correct gaps and aligns to the outside surfaces.
Next work out roughly where the hinges will meet the frame and mark this position.
Apply a liberal coat of grease all over the hinge.

Mix and apply a large lump of body filler for each hinge position.

Lift the door and position on your packers.

After ten mins you can lift the door off leaving an impress of the hinges in the cured filler.

Steve

[Vindi_andy]

Alternatively if you have kids pinch some of their PlayDough and put a wad roughly where the hinge will be then fit the door and as with the body filler you should be left with an impression. You can then centre punch through the bolt hole positions left in the impression.

This will give you a good start and then you can use the ight but not too tight method of adjustment if required.

[GnuBee]

Thanks for the responses...