Door Hinge Pin and Bushing Replacement

[Chris611]

I purchased the pin and bushing kits for the door on my '97 truck. I am having trouble getting the pins out. What is the trick? I have tried to pry them out and also took a C clamp and cut the threads, welded a nut on it and tried to press them out. I have the top part (with the serrations) free or at least moving in the hinge, but its the bottom end that is stuck. I have pried the retaining ring off the end. Any advice.

Thanks
Chris

[CareyWeber]

Originally posted by Chris611:
I purchased the pin and bushing kits for the door on my '97 truck. I am having trouble getting the pins out. What is the trick? I have tried to pry them out and also took a C clamp and cut the threads, welded a nut on it and tried to press them out. I have the top part (with the serrations) free or at least moving in the hinge, but its the bottom end that is stuck. I have pried the retaining ring off the end. Any advice.

Thanks
Chris Do you have the door supported so the weight is off the pins?

Ratchet straps work.

Carey

[Chris611]

Thank Carey. I took the weight off the door pins and they still show no signs of budging. I have narroed it down to the tapered end of the pin thats stuck. The end with the head and serations (sp) is free, but the opposite end is stuck in the outside hinge plate. Any thought on how to free it?

Thanks
Chris

[Splitrimz]

There appears to be an extreme amount of misalignment stress on the tapered end. I think that end goes into the bronze/brass bushing, it should fall out normally. Haven't seen it mentioned so I'll say it, see if you can soak the tapered end and the bushing with WD40.

Examine this illustration, it is from a '94 Full Size, notice the way the bushings go into the door. It is a tricky setup, uppers go in pillar, lowers in door and they may have been misinstalled at another time. Look at the opposite door on your '97, it may give you a clue to a possible previous misinstallation. Regardless, it may be that the hinge was misaligned on the door or the body pillar causing undue stress. Splitrimz

http://www.wheelswings-things.com/doorhinge.jpg

[ 04-03-2005, 03:07 PM: Message edited by: Splitrimz ]

[Chris611]

Thanks guys, finally got them. Soaked them with Liquid Wrench as mentioned above overnight for a couple nights, then a fer pretty good hits with the hammer and punch and they let loose. One of my old bushings was almost worn completely through the side of itself. Door closes great now.

Thanks
Chris

[Big Red Suburban]

How did you get the spring back in? I just did the bushings on my drivers side door (much needed) but I couldn't get the spring back in that holds the door open?

[CareyWeber]

Originally posted by Big Red Suburban:
How did you get the spring back in? I just did the bushings on my drivers side door (much needed) but I couldn't get the spring back in that holds the door open? BRSub,

I did what Jim aka Moore Power said to do clamped it in a vice and held it captured with tie wire then once its in cut the wire.

Carey

[Chris611]

I also tried the tie wire idea, but wasn't as successful. I put the spring on the door side (over that bolt head) and then used a flat pry bar had enough of the spring hanging off the end to catch on the free swinging part that has the half circles cut in it. It took several tries. Be careful though, those springs have some energy when they are compressed through either method. Good Luck.

Chris

[Herman_Bolger]

They make a tool for compressing the door springs. It is a "v" shaped tool that catches both ends of the spring. You tighten the bolt in the tool and compress the spring, and then reinsert the tool with the compressed spring and losen the bolt and the spring expands back into place. Be carefull using wire or anything else, great way to get 6 stiches in your hand, I have the tool now. It's only about 25 bucks, but if you only change one set, maybe you could rent one?

[Splitrimz]

Door spring tool link:

http://www.etoolcart.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6668

[Herman_Bolger]

good link. lots of other cool stuff.

[charliepeterson]

Your lucky the truck still has replaceable pins and bushings. GM changed the hinges in '02. Everything is welded now. To replace one, the front quarter panel has to come off after you cut the hinge off the door and body. Now you must drill into the door and body and bolt everything up. The R&R will be the better part of a day.

[More Power]

Here's the 1998 article we produced concerning replacing the door hinge pins and bushings (http://www.thedieselpage.com/members/tt/doorhinge.htm).

Hard to believe it's going on seven years since that first appeared here!

MP