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gap at top of door

Does this happen each and every time?

This might sound elementary and degrading, but it isn't intended that way...but, are you sure you are shutting it all the way?

On my 1985 sometimes I will slam the door and it sounds and feels good, then as I lean on it, it moves as I did not latch it fully when it slammed. In that instance I can see daylight out the top of my door frame. Sometimes they just don't catch.

My XJ is a 2 door, so maybe you and I are having similar situations due to the bigger door. I don't know for sure, but would bet the MJ door is larger than the 4 door XJ door, but maybe not as large as the 2 door XJ door.

If you are seeing day light every time...I hope someone else chimes in 'cause I have no ideas for you!
 
Your door hinge bushings could be worn, or the door itself could be bent outward fron the middle or bottom up... Just a couple of things to check.
 
There's a hardware kit available from D/C for about $6 to fix sagging 2 door hinges. Sounds like what you guys are up against.

It's been discussed here before (with part numbers,) I picked up a couple of sets last June to fix mine.
 
Mine was going that after tweaking the unibody on the trails. The easiest fix is to loosen the bolts on the door hinge and rotate the door in at the top before tightening them. After doing that you may need to adjust the door striker as well.
 
The driver's door on my '88 MJ was like that. I loosened the bottom hinge bolts and moved the bottom of the door out a very small amount. Then I tightened the bottom and loosened the top hinge bolts and moved the top of the door in. That pretty much did it. I haven't found water on the floor after a rainstorm since.
 
At least you don't have my problem. The previous owner did something to the drivers door to break the top hinge off the body, and the guy she got to weld it back on did a crap job, leaving the top hinge half an inch out from the body. Now, when fully closed (you have to slam it hard) it's not actually closed. Pretty drafty.
 
snowking said:
At least you don't have my problem. The previous owner did something to the drivers door to break the top hinge off the body, and the guy she got to weld it back on did a crap job, leaving the top hinge half an inch out from the body. Now, when fully closed (you have to slam it hard) it's not actually closed. Pretty drafty.
Click to expand...
This is what ChiXJeff was referring to. The upper hinge breaking loose from the body is a common enough problem that Chrysler has a kit to repair it. Actually two kits, depending on whether you catch it when it's just starting to separate, or if it's badly separated or completely off.

I don't have access to the part numbers while traveling, but they have been posted here. A search might turn them up, or a good dealer parts guy should be able to find them.
 
Then you have the body shop method I saw used on my '97. While it was in the shop getting pulled out from being rear-ended, I asked if they could make the passenger door seal a better at the top. A big guy grabbed the top of the window frame and bent it in a little. Seems to have done the trick. I love high tech.
 
Thanks,
I found the thread, here is what was stated
The kits are still available and are under $10US per hinge.

The Service Bulletin is 23-017-02 (May 20, 2002)
Kit A - 05083060AA - Less than 75% separation
Kit B - 05083061AA - More than 75% separation (or door has to be lifted to shut)
 
This will seem kind of rudimentary, but I had some similar problems when my buddies tweaked my driver's door on a lift. If the gap is pretty small, simply put down the window, have a buddy hold the door for you, and simply push on the area of the gap. I didn't believe you could "bend" a door frame back in shape like this w/o affecting something, but it actually worked. I went from about a 1/4" gap to a hair line gap that was easily closed by tweaking w/some weatherstripping. It works, really!
 
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