I have the same problem and the dealership did not do anything even when under warranty. Since it is a one piece door with forged steel hinges, its going to be hard to comfortably apply force using a jack and expect a result without involving any damage.

Having said that, if it does indeed work, I will happily do it on mine too. Mine is off by a good 1/4 inches.

 

Iagree, I'm not about to risk the integrity of my door.

Whne I open the car door, and look at the top hinge, it seems to be bolted ot the frame with a torx bolt (a large one).

I wonder if that can be loosened and the door adjusted. It looks like a tough fit to get a tool in there to loosen or tighten

 

Ebhan documents states that you need to remove the dashboard in order to access the proper bolts for adjusting it properly. A fairly big job, but I guess most of us will be forced sooner or later to it, unless there is a simpler way?

 

See if this helps:

sagging door fix - myTreg forums

 

For proper door adjustment, door hinge must be loosened at the pillar. Other measures, such as aligning the door upward, are not effective. Excess pressure thereafter will again cause the door to sag.
The door adjusting wrench 3320 using the box wrench 3320/2 must be used for this.
If it should be necessary that the door hinge at upper A-pillar must be loosened from inside, the socket insert 3320/1 can be used. To do so, instrument panel must be removed. Body Interior - Repair Group 70 .
If a new outer door panel is to be installed, this is done without the subframe.

My driver's side front door is sagging too. I'll be doing it at one point. Seems like snapon is out of stock on the special tool required - 3320, DOOR ADJUSTING WRENCH

There's a note a little further down in the Bentley that states the bolts must be replaced if loosened. Might be a good idea.

 

Good point noobytoogy. Might as well change the hinge. It'll need aligning anyway.

 

Looks like the lower hinge is the problem:

Per the MyTreg thread (post #11):

sagging door fix - myTreg forums
i dont know where your getting your info but in my experience (15 years dealership bodyshop last 5 as workshop forman.the last 14 years running my own bodyshop) vw top hinges dont move the complecated bottom hinge that combines hinge and checkstrap in one unit usualy wears slightly in the 3 pivoting points causing the door to drop slightly .you can check this by opening the door and lifting to check there should be zero free play. removing and replacing the bottom hinge takes an hours labour this includes painting the new hinge.yes the dash has to be removed to change the top hinge but we have never found a top hinge that had free play.please note the vw,s we have had to do this to had free play in there bottom hinges a known problem on all models.yours has obviosly just moved so i apologise for saying that your method of just packing the door back up with shims is just a bodge.however its not a repair method ill start using

Might have to do this. Both doors are sagging on the V10.

 

Aircooled, did you ever get your doors adjusted?

My 2004 just started sagging 1/4" on the driver's door. It still closes fine, but you can hear the door bang a little as it closes and re-aligns.

I'm hoping someone has more feedback on this.

The washer trick on the other post was confusing without pics. Mine is just barely off, that I feel like I could maybe loosen the bolts, lift it with a friend and then re-tighten? It doesn't feel worn.

 

I used the washer trick with great success on my passenger door.

 

Thanks 4ePikanini. I'm trying to wrap my head around exactly where they put the washers. Can you please please post a photo of this???

Much appreciated!!!

 

here you go

It's just a pain getting the bit to the bolt that loosens the door.

I loosened the two bolts on the bottom hinge, then removed the bottom bolt only, asked my wife to lift the door a bit, slipped in the washer and but the bolt back. Tightened up everything and now it closes like a new door. No wind ingress either.

 

Thanks a ton. Now I see what you are talking about with the photo.

Must be tough to get the 10mm triple square bit in there!!

Were you able to use a normal bit like this? 8Pc Triple Square 4Mm-16Mm 3/8 Dr Set - Amazon.com

Or did you have to buy the special VW tool?: http://www.lulusoso.com/upload/20120517/Door_Alignment_Tool_for_VW_Audi_NST.jpg

 

I managed to get a bit like this in there and then used an open spanner to turn it on the hexagon part between the tip and the round attachment

I would recommend trying to get the bit part only and using a ring spanner on it.

Something like this but a bit shorter (or buy the long one and grind it shorter)

 

wow that washer idea is great! I'll try that on mine.

I find it hard to swallow that VW still has not found a fix for the hinge problems on their products. When I worked at VW back in the 1850's all the Golf III's had the same problem. VW eventually came with a 'solution to save time', a tool that looked like a crowbar so we could force the doors back in the right spot. I was thinking about doing it with my T1 but the washer is a much better idea. The crowbar puts a lot of stress on the metal of the door and they will sag back in no time.

 

yeah. I don't like bending stuff. The door is strong and just putting a washer in keeps everything the way it is but just brings the door up a bit.

The door closes really sweet now without any two step bump.

 

This should be in the DIY section :wave:

 

Thanks 4ePikanini. I ended up with a bit like your first one, shipped over the weekend. Hopefully I can get a spanner to work with it. if not, I'll order one of the others.

I plan to post a DIY if it works out. I'm sure there are lots of others that have or will have this issue down the road.

 

Problem with that solution is now the hing is only supported, pressure wise, by that tiny amount of surface area bearing against the jamb that is under that washer, not the whole hinge bearing against the jamb. It will last, but not for long.

 

Thanks a bunch 4ePikanini for the pics! Me and my buddy just did my driver door, and now its perfect!!

pics:

 

Thanks a bunch 4ePikanini for the pics! Me and my buddy just did my driver door, and now its perfect!!

pics:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/71126359/20131220_145227.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/71126359/20131220_145319.jpg

Excellent! I just came looking for this solution as my door is sagging a little. I like the idea of the square shim, kinda like these:
Automotive Shims

Except that I'll probably make this myself with a plasma cutter and size it to support the whole surface area of the bracket as mentioned above.

I've already got the triple square bits - needed them for the battery replacement and to fix the latches on the rear seats.

 

2.07 +1.82 Mb :?, have a mercy upon us, please.

 

uh, im sorry. Cant edit the post...

heres the smaller pic:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/71126359/autonovi_800px.jpg

 

Oh, your pics disappeared. I don't know how about those who surf CT using mobile phones, sometimes I browse from my working computer. Downloading capacity, streaming, etc. is restricted there and if the page weighs too much it cannot be opened.

 

Great Shims

Thanks for posting the smaller picture. Did you make those shims yourself? Can they be made using a thin sheet of aluminum and trim it with snips?

 

Thanks for posting the smaller picture. Did you make those shims yourself? Can they be made using a thin sheet of aluminum and trim it with snips?

Yes, me and my buddy. We used about 1,5-2mm thick aluminium plate. 1st. drilled a hole and then cutted with tin snips the leftover from the edge.

 

Sorry to bump an old thread but to anyone that has done the washer 'fix' have you had any issues over time with it?

 

Awesome! i thought I was the only one with this issue. I guess not.

I'll be shimming the lower hinge connection at door (not body) and I'll keep the pivot points greased. (I would use Stainless Steel washers, if possible).

We will see how long this works. If it sags again in a year, I'll just replace the whole hinge.


Thanks for the link in post #5, Nooby.

 

I also like the aluminum flat bar Idea suggested by petzku in post #28.

Washers or the this flat bar are available at almost any hardware store.

 

Great simple fix ,for a annoying problem. How ever I fail to see how shimming the lower hinge "outward" will bring the lock side of the door up. Also is the door still flush with the fender?
Anyway it seems to work
Thanks

Lawrence

 

It's NOT outwards when the door is closed.... add 90 degree to your thinking. When it's closed you're moving it the back of the car.. Got it ?????