1973-87 Chevy & GMC Squarebody Truck Door Latch Striker Replacement - Fix Those Rattling Doors

Website: www.brotherstrucks.com/
Dave Welch is a classic truck Specialist and he's got plenty of tricks for nearly every project on your classic Chevrolet or GMC Pickup! Find Dave's videos and more for your classic truck at www.brotherstrucks.com
Parts used: bit.ly/3xIyUDk
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[@KevinRichards-my5oj]

1979 was the first year for fuel filler doors on those square body models. They replaced the previous exposed flush fuel caps. On square body pickups with just a single fuel tank, the fuel filler hole was on the passenger side from 1973 through 1980. In 1981, the fuel filler hole was moved to the driver side.

[@robertlambert5299]

Dave’s truck…..a true body man’s truck. Lol.

[@JohnnieDorman77]

This video helped me get the rattle out of my passenger side door on my 1973 Chevy El Camino. So good that these videos are on KZbin.

[@robertlambert5299]

Don’t forget that the striker nut plate will fall into the cab/rocker panel section. Be prepared to possibly remove an interior trim panel to get your hand inside to grab the nut plate when removing the striker.

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

Great tip!

[@ScottyCrawford]

Absolutely right! Also .. if you're not working on an extracab or 4-door truck, very hard to hold big pliers sideways on that super-thin nut plate to keep it from spinning if the striker wasn't changed promptly. When the latch keeps pounding the old striker, it galls (ruins the threads) of the striker, so it may not back out unless you do squeeze that nut plate with those pliers. Took me 5 seconds to break the old striker free with an 18" pipe wrench, but 10 minutes to succeed at keeping that nut plate from spinning until I got the old bent and galled striker out!

[@ethanhorton323]

Mine is the same year Dave, except a GMC 1 ton but I would love to see/hear about more content on what has been done or future fixes on your truck. Awesome content as usual.

[@pq5005]

You guys have really great videos. I enjoy them.

[@oldblueshhrchannel1847]

Awesome! Thanks David for this easy fix!

[@jamesritter]

Man these videos are really helpful

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

Thanks for watching!

[@TT-tu3wr]

Great as always

[@0008rrc]

You’re the best 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@doughampton5991]

I used to just replace the bushings from GM. That's an attractive looking striker bolt though!

[@066motocross]

Thanks Dave! Great video as always

[@trentdawg2832]

1/2” pex water pipe does the job too folks…..red , white, or blue in color

[@BlueMacGyver]

Awesome 👌, I learn something every time you make a video!

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

Thanks for watching!

[@glentetrick7243]

I don't know about the rest of you but I wish this guy Dave was my neighbor!

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

That would be helpful.

[@loumontcalm3500]

The Rounded Line trucks (now called square body) doors were poorly fitted from the factory. Just replacing the plastic ring on the striker helps tremendously to alleviate the common "slam it hard or it won't latch" malady.

[@ScottyCrawford]

HOW I FINALLY GOT THE OLD STRIKERS OUT: Took me 5 seconds to break the old pair of strikers free with an 18" pipe wrench, but 10 minutes to succeed at keeping that flat, skinny, female-threaded striker receiving plate from spinning. If you're not working on an extracab or 4-door truck, you can't hold a pair of pliers straight on that straight plate Instead, you have to hold 'em sideways. It's very hard to keep it from spinning (if the striker wasn't changed promptly). Why? When it isn't changed promptly, the latch keeps pounding the worn-down, improperly-fitting old strike and it galls (ruins) its male threads. In addition, that slamming also bends the striker, so it's precisely like trying to unthread a bent bolt that is missing half its threads.

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

What a hassle!

[@luisvirga1333]

Anyone can help me whit the outside diámeter of the plastic nut? I have the metal parte but not the plastic nut. Tks

[@lazyhoundracing9621]

Misaligned doors drive me nuts. Thank you for your time.

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

Our pleasure!

[@aroundlinemen]

Nice job, thanks for sharing .David 🇺🇸

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

Our pleasure!

[@joaquinmaciel4431]

Does a 1979 c10 door fit on a 1977

[@festerhairball6588]

Are you ever going to do a video on task force trucks? ......please.🙏

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

Anything specific?

[@shawnperry3652]

Where are you located?

[@jesseford7231]

😎👍👍👍

[@robertjenkins2686]

Dave sell it to me 😁

[@ScottyCrawford]

HELP! What size Trox worked for you good folks? On mine, a T47 regular Torx (a.k.a. "Star") socket bit is too loose, and a T50 won't go into the socket head. I wonder whether I should buy a Torx Plus tool, but I don't think so: There is no such thing as a T47 Torx Plus, and the regular one is much too loose.

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

Darn man, this has been a while ago since we did this project and nobody at the studio remembers what size it was. Our general feeling is that it wasn't a Torx at all, we're pretty sure it was an Allen

[@dgdaner]

I have a couple different torx sets. 47 is always too loose but a 50 from one of them just barely fits. If I was you I would just use a vice grips

[@ScottyCrawford]

TO ANYBODY WATCHING: Would you kindly tell me which of your tools DOES fit into the Torx ("Star") fitting on your door striker correctly? (T50 won't go in, T47 much too loose, no such thing as a size 47 Torx Plus.) Hey Brothers Truck Parts: Thank you. Damned decent of you folks to keep checking on people who watch a video that you made so long ago. important info for you at the end of this comment. * TO EVERYBODY: You'll find you can't find cab parts for old big trucks in the newer catalogues, but just enter this class of pickup, and you can* ; dash parts, cranks, windshields, etc. I'll try to let penetrating oil work on it overnight, tap it lightly a bunch with a hammer, heat the base of the striker with a heat gun to 160f, and smoosh some layers of aluminum foil over the too-small T47 and see what does ... or doesn't ... happen. I'd still appreciate anyone's kindness for telling me what the danged correct tool is. * Big trucks up to 50,000 pounds GVW, were made with this exact pickup truck cab. 1980-1987 for sure, and in some cases , but not all, earlier pickup and later big-truck models are interchangeable too. Chevy C50, C60, C70, GMC C5000, C6000, & C7000. (I have a 1990 GMC C7000.)

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

Just curious, why are you removing the striker in the first place? If it's bad and you're replacing it then just grab it with a pair of Vise-Grips and loosen it then use the T47 to remove it.

[@ScottyCrawford]

@@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV Oh. Duhhhh ... I, like, hadn't necessarily thought of that. Will do. THANKS! And I am replacing it; the old ones aren't even cirular anymore. The top halves have been ground down so much, they're flat. The new ones use Allen hex fittings.

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

@@ScottyCrawford Good luck man!

[@paulhenry9870]

Fixed mine with pex tube for 2 bucks..

[@kanakamaoli9642]

Mechanics and body men have the crapiest vehicles...I know I have one

[@BROTHERSTruckPartsTV]

LOL!