Hinge repair

Well after 10 years of driving me crazy I finally broke down and decided to machine up some new bushings for the lower hinge on my X.I like my door to close with just the pressure of one finger..Plus with the door off I figured it was time to take care of another dirty job changing the cats whisker seal and outside rubber seals on the doors and quarter glass.
Two jobs that I truly hate doing on any car...

http://www.mts.net/~reidfam/hinge1.jpg
http://www.mts.net/~reidfam/hinge2.jpg
http://www.mts.net/~reidfam/hinge3.jpg

You can always cheat and swap top hinges from side to side. That will fix the driver's door, but UNfix the passenger's:p

Has anybody used the bronze bushing kits? I wonder how long they last?
My last hinge repair I Mig welded the holes shut and redrilled for the hinge pins. I added some thickness to the hinge with weld so it will take longer to wear thru.

I usually have to make bushings because in all the kits that I have seen the bushings are too short and don't go all the way through both pieces of the hinge.

we have used the pin kit we carry on a couple of cudas and they work pretty good. 28.00

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/product_info.php/p/66-74-b-e-body-hinge-pin-kit-all-4-hinges/products_id/1897

Although I haven't tried them myself (yet), Dorman has some in their "HELP!" line that are about $5 a side from Rock Auto. Most likely they are the same as offered above.

we have used the pin kit we carry on a couple of cudas and they work pretty good. 28.00

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/product_info.php/p/66-74-b-e-body-hinge-pin-kit-all-4-hinges/products_id/1897


holy cow that is expensive. i just did my hinges on my dart. the help kit was $8. did both lower hinges with that. had the bushings for the uppers too but i haven't done those yet.


Has anybody used the bronze bushing kits? I wonder how long they last?

just put them in my dart. i would think they would last years since its not a daily driver.

I usually have to make bushings because in all the kits that I have seen the bushings are too short and don't go all the way through both pieces of the hinge.


not sure what your saying here. what do you mean by they are too short to go through both sides of the hinges? the bushings only go through the inner part of the hinge.


this is how i did mine and it worked great.

tell me he isn't serious

tell me he isn't serious


tell you who isn't serious?

What he was trying to say was the bushings are to short to go all the way through the piece of hinge they go in. NOT all the way from the top of the hinge and out the bottom of the hinge

What he was trying to say was the bushings are to short to go all the way through the piece of hinge they go in. NOT all the way from the top of the hinge and out the bottom of the hinge


lol.. thats sure what it sounded like he said.

Who knows. Maybe I'm wrong and that is exactly what he meant:D

Man...to hear you guys talk it's like you never seen hinges that are completely worn out...lol... it's like I've done something sacrilegious by bushing the complete hinge.
With ONLY the lower bushings in place in the lower hinge the pin hole is still worn (in some cases) and requires way more pressure for the door to close completely and lock because the top is still wobbling around
To overcome that problem I machine up Stainless bushings .500 long to go through both pieces of the hinge after they've had a trip to the bridgeport...that way all you need is the pressure from your little finger to close the door at any time.
I guess I've just seen way more hinges than most because the pin holes in all the ones I see are candidates for pin hole repair...

you say so..

You guys are harsh.

I never have luck with those hinge repair kits. They only a band-aid and wear fast.

Rob,
Trying to get a mental picture here.
Do you make 2 or 4 inserts? If 2, does each one goes thru 2 holes?
The ones I welded up, the pins were swaged to the outer hinge section and don't rotate there. I've only seen the center hinge holes and pin worn.
I'm sure you didn't mean it but your 1st post sounded like the new bushing was 4 inches long.
P.S. That GTX looks good. Got some good pics to post?

charger70...

I make 4 bushings (to do 2 doors) .550 x .425 and they pass through both pieces of the hinge ...
I seem to find the bottom hole for the pin is always egg shaped.So when you just install the short bushings in the middle of the hinge the slight slop in the bottom pin hole allows the weight of the door to prematurely wear those new bushings out and the customer is back in a year complaining ...
Stainless material seems to do the trick...bronze only seem to go 4-5 years...

charger70...

I make 4 bushings (to do 2 doors) .550 x .425 and they pass through both pieces of the hinge ...
I seem to find the bottom hole for the pin is always egg shaped.So when you just install the short bushings in the middle of the hinge the slight slop in the bottom pin hole allows the weight of the door to prematurely wear those new bushings out and the customer is back in a year complaining ...
Stainless material seems to do the trick...bronze only seem to go 4-5 years...

So.. what you've really done is made the pin larger. The center section pivots on the outside of the bushing rather then the pin. I assume then the bushing are press fit into the outer section.

I guess in my years in the tool room, we would have called that a sleeve rather then a bushing.

That would work (and obviously does) just as well as they did when new, probably better because you are holding closer clearances etc.

Rob, I'd like to see more pics of your X as well (any and all angles). :wtg:

Hey Rob
If I send you my hinges will you rebuild them for me?????
Please-o-please??????? That sounds like the kind right there!
Stainless sleeves the whole way through should last me until it don't matter no more!

Sure I've seen them worn out. The TOP ones anyway. So I wouldjust snag one off the passenger's door and swap it on. Problem solved

charger70...

I make 4 bushings (to do 2 doors) .550 x .425 and they pass through both pieces of the hinge ...
I seem to find the bottom hole for the pin is always egg shaped.So when you just install the short bushings in the middle of the hinge the slight slop in the bottom pin hole allows the weight of the door to prematurely wear those new bushings out and the customer is back in a year complaining ...
Stainless material seems to do the trick...bronze only seem to go 4-5 years...

Thx Rob.
I think I grasp what you've done. Mostly. I understand what Big John described and if thats right, that the bushing is the same od thruout what keeps it from dropping out? If press fit in the outer hinge like the original pin, is the inner hinge reamed a bit oversize?
could you post a photo of the Bushing?

we have used the pin kit we carry on a couple of cudas and they work pretty good. 28.00

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/product_info.php/p/66-74-b-e-body-hinge-pin-kit-all-4-hinges/products_id/1897

Damn.. is every post from you a for sale ad?

Damn.. is every post from you a for sale ad?:yes: