How do you align a door

[Kibokojoe]

I have just replace the door lock on the driverside. I have noticed that if I keep the latch striker on the pillar loose it closes fine but if I tighten the latch striker down the door sticks. Is there a way of aligning the latch striker?

[shogun]

checked here?
http://www.bmwtechinfo.com/repair/main/
Repair Information
Nominal Values, Specifications and Tightening Torques
320i Repair Manual No. 2
528i ... 530 Repair Manual No. 1
524td ... 535i Repair Manual No. 4
630 ... 633CSi Repair Manual
733i Repair Manual No. 2
8 Series - E31 Repair Manual No. 4

Automobiles (Since 1985 Models) Manual No. 14
3 Series E30 Repair Manual No. 7
5 Series E34 Repair Manual No. 8
6 Series (From 1986 Models Onwards) Repair Manual No. 2
733i-735i Repair Manual No. 3
7 Series - E32 Repair Manual No. 6

[Bo525i]

When I changed my doors I simply loosened the the striker just a bit, still tightish so it didn´t move when I closed the doors, then I used a hammer to carefully/gently knock it into the right angle! Pretty easy actually.. :)

[Kibokojoe]

Interesting, yes the manual shows that the striker moves up and down, left and right but even with the screws loose my striker will not move or at least enough that I can see it slide any direction. In the manual they say "Don't let the plate in the pillar fall down" How do you stop the plate in the pillar from falling down?

The new door latch has plastic still surrounding the latch, now when the door closes it sound it sounds fantastic. No more metal on metal clanging :)

[Bo525i]

Interesting, yes the manual shows that the striker moves up and down, left and right but even with the screws loose my striker will not move or at least enough that I can see it slide any direction. In the manual they say "Don't let the plate in the pillar fall down" How do you stop the plate in the pillar from falling down?

The new door latch has plastic still surrounding the latch, now when the door closes it sound it sounds fantastic. No more metal on metal clanging :)

What plate? Don´t loosen it that much! :D
Just a teenie weenie bit, same goes for the adjustment movements, less is more! It does feel like its stuck at first probably due to decades of grime/wax etc. lodged in between it and the body. Maybe you could dust it with something like graphite powder or whatnot to be able to see that it really does move.. ;)