MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Replacing Door Striker

I need to replace the door strikers on my A. I'm a little tired of the door swinging open on turns!!

Any tips on the best way to remove the screws? Also there is a tapping plate that the screws go into. Is this welded in place?

Thanks for any advice.

Jim
Jim Sutorus

Jim,
The tapping plate is not welded. The holes for the bolts are large so it affords a small amount of movement for adjustment. In order of preference I would use penetrating oil and/or diesel fuel to try to loosen the screws, a hand held impact type device with the proper phillips bit and finally heat. A friend of mine had the same problem with the door opening on turns. The striker has two notches. The first is the safety catch notch and the second is for final door closure. We fixed it by just adjusting the striker to door latch fit to make sure it latched on the rear notch. Have a good day!
John Progess

Jim,
Also have a look at the latch mechanism in the door. The pin can be quite worn. I've found that the reproduction striker s will need some bending to get them to work without sticking. Also don't forget the four screws mounting the pin mechanism in the door. They're also used for fine adjustment.
D Sjostrom

Worst case is that you have to drill the screws out. Make sure to drill all the way thru the tapping plate. The plate can then be replaced be removing the side panel behind the seat.
J Heisenfeldt

One caution, the screws on MG's ARE NOT Phillips head, tjey are Pozidriv. Yhere is a difference and using an impact driver with a Phillips bit can cause damage to screws.

See Barny Gaylord's site for information on tjis problem:
www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/tools/ts101.htm
H Speer

Thanks for the advice. I tried Barney's source for a Pozidriv. It was not active. I can't seem to find a #4 Pozidriv, only #1,#2 and #3. If anyone has a source I would appreciate it.
Jim Sutorus

Jim,
Check out large deck screw driver bits. I've used them on posi-drive without issue
D Sjostrom

My passenger side door began opening as described and I thought must adjust that striker.

Later found that the catch in the door itself had come loose!! removed the trim tightened the catch and great problem solved.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

My source for Pozidrive bits is:
www.lara.com
or
www.laura.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi
click on: Workshop
Click on: Specialty bits
Click on: Pozidriv

I got all of the above from Barney's web site.
H Speer

For posidriv, try one of the security bit sets. Harbor Frieght Tools lists posidriv bits in this set, http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91310 , USD $4.99. Sizes are not mentioned, but a similar set I purchased last year came with sizes 00, 0, 1, 2 and 3. The #3 bit worked fine for me.

Another possiblity is the bit that comes with Deck Mate brand screws. The bits look just like the #3 posidriv.

If you end up breaking or buggering one of the tapping plate screws, you can reach through the tapping plate slot with a hack saw blade to cut off the ends of the screw so the tapping plate can be removed.

Once you start tighting up the strike plate and the door latch, you may need to look at shimming the door hinges and/or the strike plate to get the door aligned again. The door hinges have a similar tapping plate set up. If you just need to change the fore and aft door alignment, don't loosen both hinges at once. Shim one hinge at a time so you don't loose the bottom alignment.

Lastly, the replacement tapping plate I purchased from Moss last year was too thick to fit in the slot. I returned it and ended up reusing the old tapping plate.

Good luck,


John

jjb Backman

Jim. I had the same problem last year and my worn looking striker pin was deemed the culprit. I removed it then built up the worn area with weld and ground down to shape with a grinder. This worked a treat, no more door grabbing when cornering hard.
The door opening on corners is also a sign that the sills could be weakening. Have a feel of the inside sill to ensure it is still intact!!

Neil
Neil Purves

Thanks all. In my case the strikers are worn to the point where there is only a small catch. So it is time for replacement.

I tried the www.lara.com and www.laura.com sites as recommended but don't get anything.

I'm searching for the correct Pozidriv and will update you all in a few weeks when I have the time to do this.

Jim
Jim Sutorus

McMaster Carr has individual bits up to the #3 size and the catalog shows the #3 as the bit for number 12 screws and 1/4" screws which is what the door striker screws are so the #3 should be what you need not the #4. http://www.mcmaster.com/#pozidriv-screwdriver-bits/=yf6y3
Bill Young

I recently bought a 1962 "Which" magazine report on the Mk2 MGA - They criticised it for, amongst other things, the driver's door flying open on cobbled roads. So it happened even when the car was new - so more likely an adjustmment of the striker is the answer. I will scan a copy and email it if anyone is interested in it. cheers Cam
Cam Cunningham

If you buy a cheap impact driver set, there will be an appropriate bit in the set
dominic clancy

On my web site I may have gone on too long about my search for a #4 Pozidriv bit. The MGA hinges and latches use 1/4" screws which take a #3 Pozidriv bit. The #4 Pozidriv bit is used on the MGB with larger screws, but not needed anywhere on the MGA.

Pozidriv bits in #1, #2, #3 sizes can be found a Sears and some specialty tool stores. The #4 Pozidriv bit is much harder to find. Since writing my web page on the subject Lara Specialties seems to have closed up shop.
Barney Gaylord

Thanks to all with the advice. I have my parts on order, my set of #1, #2 and #3 Pozidriv bits from Sears. Now I'll just need a little time at home to do this. I'll give you feedback in a couple of weeks.

Cheers,

Jim
Jim Sutorus

http://home.comcast.net/~eastmanb1/MG/MGA_Doorfix/MGAdoor1.htm
Bill Eastman

Hey Bill,

You ruined my whole day. I thought I just had to take out two screws on each side and replace the striker. :) :)

To be honest I hadn't even looked at the hardware on the door side. With all the advice, it is apparent that I need to do that.

I liked your site.

Cheers,

Jim



Jim Sutorus

This thread was discussed between 10/03/2009 and 13/03/2009

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGA BBS now