The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors Passenger Door Alignment 1958 3600

In my efforts to align passenger door on '58 3600, I have came across a captured nut on the bottom of the lower hinge that will not hold enough to tighten or loosen. I have a rattling noise that drives me crazy going down the road that could be coming from this hinge assembly. I need to know the best way to get this hinge off to repair the captured nut.
Hopefully this link will allow all to see the issue as it exists. https://www.dropbox.com/s/y5i3muug8jrfgkp/20161211_123025.jpg?dl=0

Here is a Photobucket link:
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah29/mgpackard/20161211_123025_zps45saazz1.jpg

So the lower bolt can't be removed because the nut inside spins, correct? And you probably don't have access to the back side of the panel where the hinge is.

Best I can suggest is pry the hinge assembly up/sideways/whatever to possibly get the captive nut to grab against it's cage and enable you to unscrew the bolt. Or burn or drill the head off the bolt and deal with the damage that causes. With the hinge off, you might be able to reach inside and either replace the nut or squeeze the cage back into shape so it holds the nut secure enough to allow the bolt to be tightened.

Good luck.

Kevin, I looked at it a little bit more this afternoon with an LED flashlight and small mirror. I think the bolt is cross-threaded in the captured nut! I tried prying the hinge face away from the cab face it (using 2 pry bars while having helper turn the ratchet)to see if I could get the nut to grip. Nothing but spin. Arrgh.
I was able to see with the small mirror that taking the fender off does not appear to give any better access to the lower hinge pocket. Looks like a big deep hole with access at one point, thru the hinge hole.
I am going to consider any other suggestions, hopefully someone else has had this happen to them before!
Right now I think the best idea may be to hold the bolt head with vise grips and try to drill a straight pilot hole thru the bolt and then keep drilling using successively larger bits, one size at a time until I drill thru the threads of what probably is a 1958 vintage 3/8" - 24 bolt, made of good steel. At some point the head should separate from the threads and I hope to be able to do as you describe, remove the captured nut and install a new one. Now to find 11 sizes of reallllly good drill bits 1/8" thru 5/16"......
Thanks for your thinking and ideas!

One idea I had is if you could drill a spot weld hole (or two) through the sheet metal directly in front of the nut, you'd be able to spot weld the nut in place. This would be an easy quick grind and paint once finished as the affected area would be relatively small. The hinge plate would very likely cover up the burnt area if you're quick and handy with a mig.

Chase the threads with a tap might be all you need to do to "fix" the nut enough to get a tight hold. If not, I'd try a fine thread bolt or 12mm bolt (after tap) which is similar size but far different thread pitch which may work without getting a bigger hole.

Once finished by any means, please share with us how you did it?

As I recall I had access from the side kick panel.I had to fab up my own replacement cage and tacked it back in with plug welds from in front.
You need that bolt to move...

I cut the bolt off.

I will post pictures of the solution to this 'automotive hobby setback". I was able to measure the cage and nut (its a 3/8-24) this evening. I got a better look at it with a borrowed digital inspection bore scope. I am figuring out how to use the recorder function to use these pics. The replacement cage looks to have some really messed up walls. No wonder the nut rotates. Looks like it will need repair or replaced. Welding the nut to the cab post is an option. "Good man has to know his limitations". I have to get my buddy to look at it since my welding is not what working on a really nice finished truck needs.

Ok, as promised, here is the solution to hinge removal. After further review of the lower hinge pocket with the bore scope, I discovered that the floor mat was covering up an obvious hole that is pretty big at the side of the floor boar. I was able to stick a long screwdriver thru this hole and reach one side of the cage and nut.. Bolt MOVED in the nut with a ratchet after it had been soaking with KROIL since Sunday. Lower hinge is now removed! Not sure how I missed this access point earlier, in the quest to remove the hinge. Plan on making a new nut (threads didn't look good after running tap thru them) and making sure the threads are well lubed when re-assembled. The cage looks like it can be repaired after the new nut is installed, one simple tack weld with a bent arc welding rod (position down thru hole that was used for the screwdriver)to hold the inner flange in place.
With hinge removed, another issue appears. Hinge pin looks like it is on a severe angle; almost 1/8" off of vertical. The top hole that should hold the hinge pin is over size and looks like it was repaired at some point. It appears to be to far in towards the center of the hinge. Should this pin have this type of an angle?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4zfqj3kmf59vvtc/SAM_0196.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pqb2s2w6s6lwlnt/SAM_0197.JPG?dl=0

Does anyone have a lower passenger door hinge that they can sell me for a '58? if it should not look like this?

I was in that area today welding in a lower panel/ I think you can access that nut form the inside. there is a cover that unscrews and you can see the capture nut. the blank is square and a cresant wrench should fit it . Mine is missing and I plan on a nut and washer to hold the hinge.

Can anyone suggest a very good place to buy a new lower hinge? Need to replace the hinge that was removed due to angled hinge pin.

I'd fix what you have unless someone came up with a good one.
Fill the hole and redrill and install a new hinge pin.

Came up with a design to make a plate, weld to under the top side of hinge and re-drill hinge pin hole straight...... Plan to install new bushings in center section.

What no photos?

Ok, task was completed yesterday. I repaired the hinge by grinding off the top recessed portion of the lower hinge; made a flat rectangle plate (3/16" thick)with a rounded outside edge and welded it in place of the section that was ground off. Drilled the hole straight in the top welded section using the lower (factory made) hole as a guide. Made a new captured nut, (threads were shot in the old one)installed it in the holder after re-bending the frame and securing it with 2 very small spots of weld; one on each tab. I put a 1/2" star washer between the captured nut and the door frame so that the nut pulled into the star washer and the frame when it was tightened. Put new bushings in the center section of the hinge. I installed both hinges as far to the top as possible so that the door latch would not contact the cab or the striker plate. The door closes great with no contact after only 3 times of adjusting the bolts on the hinge section inside the door. Door gap is pretty good when closed. Door closes very well without any contact. I'll post some pictures to dropbox later today.

I was too focused on getting the job done, I forgot to take pictures of the repaired finished hinge.....