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Rebuilding door hinges

AR67GTX

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Finally planning to get back to a few maintenance and repair items on my car - one being to replace the bushings and pins in the door hinges. Question is - any tricks of the trade or tools to use to remove the lower hinge springs and reinstall them? Thanks for any help that can be provided.

Dan
 
Helps to have a GM springe compressor(looks like a v) goes in the spring and you tighten the bolt to collapse and release. Sorry I don't have a pic but thank god I haven't used it for quite some time. Used to do a lot of GM stuff. Honestly the best way to go is new hinges. The pins and bushings have a lot of slop built in and it's kind of discouraging to go to all the work and see that. I bought a reamer slightly smaller that the bushing for a nice press fit also. And unless you have a good set of drill bits already, the cost will get up there. I usually prime everything before I put them together. Then you can just pop the spring back in with a screwdriver. Drill each hole from one side, If you drill through one hole to the next it will try to wallow out the hole. Put a small tack weld on the unseen bottom of the pin to keep it from working out. There is somebody that had custom pins and bushing with a way tighter tolerance than the dorman ones. I ended up using hardened GM bushing because they fit better. I put a dab of antiseize in the bushing to seal out dirt and lubricate it. Another trick I learned is to reverse the bushing and use the flange of it between the metal parts to give it something to ride on . The increased height usually is about the amount of wear there anyway. The bronze will wear but it's going to anyway. Why they didn't put bearings in these is beyond me. 1 last thing, file the burr off the spring arm to let the spring ride free and even if it feels tight, take out the arm rivet and replace. I could not believe how much crud collects in there and if you put a new pin in it, it really makes the spring action , nice and smooth.
 
Helps to have a GM springe compressor(looks like a v) goes in the spring and you tighten the bolt to collapse and release. Sorry I don't have a pic but thank god I haven't used it for quite some time. Used to do a lot of GM stuff. .

Aren't these for use for the coil springs? The B-body has a S-shaped torsion spring.

Thanks for the hints.

- - - Updated - - -

I found this tool for C-3 Corvettes that use the same spring. Appears to be a bent screw driver so I might be able to make one of those myself.

http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_info.php?cPath=1770&products_id=25646
 
Actually, a drum brake adjuster tool might work. I just need to figure out the general procedure for getting the spring off the hinge. I wonder if that is something to do before pulling the hinge completely out, or while it is off the car. Guess I should read the shop manual for some hints.
 
get a new pair of springs cut old ones out remove pins. Then mark locations. using mig welder close up holes and re drill holes. Make sure hings are not stretched out around hole area. if they are you need to hammer weld and check for alignment.
 
This kit comes with oversize bushing and a reamer for the lower hinges. I guess that's to take care of any hole elongation. Cutting the old springs out is a good idea. Thanks.
 
Make sure to fill the holes with weld if they are elongated. No sense to install a bronze bushing with all the weight of a door pressing on a bronze insert. The insert should go in tight and require a light hone before pins go in.

Regards,,

Steve
 
I think my earlier post mis-represented the intent of the repair kit. Here is a cut and pasted description of the kit.

"The lower hinge has to be reamed with a 13/32" reamer. The reamer are available separately below. Using an oversized pin to repair the lower hinge restores the original steel to steel characteristic and is superior to a bushing method of repair. A bushing will wear more rapidly and give a less original appearance."

So it doesn't rely on a bushing at the lower hinge. My driver door is the worst. I'll have to see what I end up with after reaming. If reaming doesn't take care of all the wear then I may have to weld up.

Thanks
 
I need to fix mine as well. I have both the re-build kit and a NOS set. I like it as simple as possible so I will go with the new hinges. Much easier. At least for me it is...cr8crshr/Tuck
 
I need to fix mine as well. I have both the re-build kit and a NOS set. I like it as simple as possible so I will go with the new hinges. Much easier. At least for me it is...cr8crshr/Tuck

Yeah, I know. For $209 for a full set it was tempting. I'm a sucker for a do-it-yourself project. Also I'm hoping to avoid spending $100 for a paint pack to paint them body color.
 
Are those reamers that you can buy separate with the kit reusable? Or is it a one time use?

Thanks
 
Finally planning to get back to a few maintenance and repair items on my car - one being to replace the bushings and pins in the door hinges. Question is - any tricks of the trade or tools to use to remove the lower hinge springs and reinstall them? Thanks for any help that can be provided.

Dan

Dan here is a complete hinge kit I got for my 72 Satellite on ebay. It has pins, bushings, springs, rollers spring arms. Every thing you need for 71-74 b bodies. And another link to 67 b boby.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mopar-Door-...972|Make:Plymouth&hash=item43cc31c405&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOOR-HINGE-...967|Make:Plymouth&hash=item5d4e90f24f&vxp=mtr
 
Yeah, I know. For $209 for a full set it was tempting. I'm a sucker for a do-it-yourself project. Also I'm hoping to avoid spending $100 for a paint pack to paint them body color.

Just have your local Auto Paint supplier mix up a small amount of the body color paint say a Qt. and then DIY. A small Air Brush or HVLP will work and then in the fender cavity just slather it on with a foam or regular paint brush. No one will know the difference. Besides it hidden......cr8crshr/Tuck
 
Just have your local Auto Paint supplier mix up a small amount of the body color paint say a Qt. and then DIY. A small Air Brush or HVLP will work and then in the fender cavity just slather it on with a foam or regular paint brush. No one will know the difference. Besides it hidden......cr8crshr/Tuck

Oh I have lots of paint stuff - painted 2 complete cars - still have probably 4 or 5 spray guns, pressure helmet,suits, compressor, etc. But even a quart of PPG SS with reducer and hardner runs up a pretty good bill.
 
Oh I have lots of paint stuff - painted 2 complete cars - still have probably 4 or 5 spray guns, pressure helmet,suits, compressor, etc. But even a quart of PPG SS with reducer and hardner runs up a pretty good bill.

Yes it is but for those small little jobs that crop up, having some extra around sure does help...cr8crshr/Tuck
 
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