Got some garage time today and continued on with the rebuild of the passenger side lower hinge. My replacement hinge pin arrived and the included instructions detailed using an 11/32 inch drill bit to enlarge the openings that the pin sits in. This means both top and bottom of the hinge bracket and the arm that swings. Before I could do that, I had to weld the spacer back onto the bracket. I cleaned off the rust from both the spacer and bracket. Then, using a 1/4 inch nut and bolt, I held the spacer in place and tacked it to the bracket. Once that was done, I could use the larger drill bit and enlarge all of the openings. I intentionally went very slowly, using lots of oil and frequently removing the metal shavings. Probably overkill, but the entire process was uneventful. A test fit of the new pin showed that it would be a very tight fit. So, I used a rat tail file and gently worked the openings. I also used a flat file and removed a few burrs. The pin now fits nicely. Snug, but not too tight. Next up is to dig out my blast cabinet and get it moved into the garage. Then I'll blast the parts and prime and paint them.
Pics attached below showing what I described above. I'll also apologize for the emotions in the last post. It was an emotional time.... Thanks for reading!
