The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop door hinges

I am restoring a 53 1/2 ton . The doors are not closing correctly because of worn hinge pins. I see that oversized pins are available. Does this usually correct the problem. do the hinges need to be drilled to accept the new pins? any advice please THANKS

Classic Truck Shop has a technical article on one type of hinge repair .

If you want the whole story by an expert, go to the OldGMCTrucks website, go to the Metalshop and read the post in there about hinges. There are a few threads on this site too. The Classic Truck Shop article does not give you all the information that you need.

Thanks for your replies,just a few more questions. I found the info on classic truck,sounds like a good job for a machine shop. Do you now who sells the kit, or do I just get some pins and bushing of my choice I have several in the shop. Do you know of anyone that does this repair? I could not find the metal sop or any hinge info @ oldgmctruck. thanks very much

popa,

If you want the style repair kit as shown on the Classic Truck Shop tech article, Chevy Duty (Classic Parts of America) used to sell that style.

If you want oversized pins, Jim Carter used to sell them and any NAPA should have them.

Tim

How to rebuild you door hinges.

This is for 47-55 GM truck but may work on others.
Getting it apart,
Do not try to press out the pin damage to the frame will result 90% of the time. The pin siezes in the hinge arm and rotates on the frame. The pin is often broken. On a good hinge the hinge arm moves on the fixed pin. On the frame there are (2) 5/8" OD bushings spot welded. Use a die grinder and cut right through both of them. The hinge arm can now be removed,heated and whats left of the hinge pin driven out.
On the hinge frame you will see the holes may be egg shaped. If you do not have a milling machine weld and file the hole so the center is in the right spot BEFORE drilling oversize. make some new bushings to replace the ones that you cut on the hinge frame. The local hardware store shoulds have some mild steel 5/8 bar stock. Drill a hole for the oversize pin. A lathe is a big help but it can be done with out one.

On the AD trucks they have a oil hole in the hinge arm. I have some times spot faced them there and added a grease fitting

Adjust the bushing thickness so the arm will fit into the frame. Then assemble the hinge and place 2 or 3 small welds to hold the new bushings in place and your done.
Door hold open springs: The repop ones are heat treated wrong or something most will break in short time. A used original is a better choice and they still have breakage problems. If you buy repops get a few extra.
Update on the hold open spings: I've been told the problem has been corrected and new ones now should work fine.
Most rebuild kits come with some brass or bronze bushings throw them away they have too little contact area.

Trucker, do ya think you can supply a link to the GMC website?
Denny Graham
Sandwich,IL

Denny,

Here is the link for the GMC website, http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/

Denny Graham,

If you use the LINKS icon at the top of the page, you will find the GMC site, along with many other sites. Explore a little and you can find just about anything a Bolter could desire.

Stuart