A DIY Nightmare With A Happy Ending

[Z282SLO]

So for a little Cobra registry entertainment, I've decided to share a good example of how that do-it-yourself project is never as easy as it seems ...

One day a few weeks ago, I suddenly heard squeaking coming from my drivers door while on the road. I figured out that after 21 years the plastic bushing on the door latch striker bolt had broken apart causing metal to metal contact and the annoying squeaking sound (not to mention the door was not closing and latching as smoothly). I called a Ford dealer in the hopes of getting a replacement bushing and was told the only option was to order a new complete door striker bolt assembly which would then need to be installed at the dealership.

Not too pleased with that response, I found replacement door latch striker bushings at American Muscle for a fraction of the cost and figured replacing the bushing seemed a quick and simple job. At first, I assumed the bushing would have some type of slot in it in order to be placed easily onto the striker bolt. Of course, when the bushing arrived I realized it was a solid cylinder and I would have to remove the striker bolt from the door to install it.

I went out to the car the next morning to do the job and then realized the striker bolt had a torx head which was probably the only type of tool I did not have in my garage. So off to the store I went. Not knowing the exact size of the bolt head, I purchased an unnecessarily large and expensive torx tool set and figured I'd quickly do the job in the parking lot and return the tool set.

In no time I had the right tool in hand and easily removed the striker bolt from the door frame and placed the new bushing on the striker bolt. I then went to screw the striker bolt back into the frame when I heard something fall behind the door frame. As I placed the striker bolt back into the hole in the frame I realized that what had fallen was the piece of metal that the striker bolt had been threaded into!!

I was now sitting in a parking lot 10 miles from my house with no way to keep my Cobra's driver side door closed (and all my tools at home with the exception of my newly purchased torx tool set!) This is the scene in the cartoons when one's face turns red and smoke comes flying out of one's ears.

Determined to see this mess through to the finish, I then drove home holding the drivers door closed with my right hand using the arm rest handle and holding the steering wheel with my left hand.
Of course, shifting was quite the adventure and I became fairly adept at very quickly releasing the door handle to shift and quickly re-grabbing it before the door had a chance to open much. While going straight or turning left, I was doing OK. However, I never realized how heavy our doors are until I made my first right turn and the door flew halfway open despite my best efforts to hold it closed!

I finally made it home and then needed to loosen up the interior panel by the drivers seat belt to gain access to the part that fell. Of course, to do this I had to also loosen the sill plate and trim on the floor. After removing countless screws and dismantling what seemed like way too many interior parts, I was finally able to get my hand and a flashlight far enough behind the doorframe to locate the fallen part.

I was then able to put the part back in place behind the bolt hole in the frame and hold onto it with one hand while screwing the striker bolt back into it with my other hand. I then re-assembled the interior trim pieces, tested the door (which closed smoothly and is once again squeak free!) and grabbed myself a well-deserved cold one.

If anyone else needs to work on their door striker bolts and you've read this far ... good luck. You have been warned!!

[escogt]

Haha Z!! Good read!! This too has happened to me in the past, although in my driveway & not at a auto parts store. lol Glad this 'job' had a happy ending.

[WillyB93]

Them good ole plastic bushing do break after a period of time, hope you wore the 5 point harness while dukes of hazarding the ride home.

[Goose17]

You're right - that was entertaining! Sorry for your struggles, but you'll look back at this and get a good laugh.

No more parking lot maintenance.

[1993cobra]

the local auto parts stores sell the new strikers also, look in the Help brand section.

[dbrennancobra]

Ha good one, I enjoyed the story, funny!

[WillyB93]

the local auto parts stores sell the new strikers also, look in the Help brand section.

Most parts stores are dropping the older "Help Products" but they can still order most of them.

[Mike S.]

That Torx set will come in handy if you ever need to remove the seat belts.

-MJS

[escogt]

That Torx set will come in handy if you ever need to remove the seat belts.

-MJS

X2!! lol

[Doughrat19]

I must have lucked out when I did mine. I just remember unbolting the striker, sliding on the new bushing and bolding the striker back on. My driver's side door was missing the bushing when I picked up the car. The previous owner had just wrapped some sports tape around the striker, redneck style.

Matt

[dustin9187]

My doors also squeak, perhaps this is the solution. Thanks for the how-to!

[93Cobra#2771]

Your story is pretty much how every one of my projects go...