My truck is a 1950 3800 series. I'm having difficulty getting loose the bolts for the lower door hinges, the ones that fasten the hinge to the pillar. I want to rebuild the hinges but those bolts won't turn in the least, rusted in place after all these decades. All the top ones turned and are good. I don't want to try too hard and break them off. What have others done to get these out, or is it just break them and do some sort of repair with hex nuts or something else on the back so new bolts can be threaded in there.
I had a little luck (on my 67 suburban) by getting in behind and soaking them with "break free" (soak both sides). Then try and get them to move a little bit, soak some more. Maybe a little heat and a few hammer taps. Yours have a 17 year head start on mine tho.
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As Rusty said, soak both sides with Kroil, PB Blaster, WD40 or your preferred penetrating oil. Let set a day or two and do it again. Let set another day and spray both sides again then tap the heads a few medium strokes of the hammer. Then try to just tighten (not loosen) a bit. Then spray again and see if they will come out. Good luck.
Martin '62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress) '47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project) ‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily) ‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence) “I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one! Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop! USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
The back side of those weld-in nuts aren't really accessible (unless the cowl is rusted away like mine were. But even if you can't get to the back side of the nuts, soak them well with your favorite penetrating oil. If you aren't worried about paint damage, you can try heating the bolts with an OA torch, which usually breaks them free. Then another dose of penetrating oil and they should come out. Good Luck
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I will try the penetrating oil as you all suggest, and a few hammer taps also. At this point I'm not worried about spilling on the paint, a repaint of the interior and new outer cowl panels are in the plans also. I wanted to get the hinges rebuilt before I start tearing apart the cowl and things so at least the doors are free of excessive wear. I might just cut a bit of the old panel out of the way to get better access to the threaded part of those bolts, then I could use the heat also.
Here in the South the area between the fender and the lower cowl rusts out. Moisture then gets to the lower hinge screws. Attached is a picture of a 49 before and after repair. The 50 should have louvers on the inside kick panel. If your penetrant has a plastic tube, you may be able to fog the area below. Penetrating oil, heat and persuasive blows from a hammer on an impact screw driver. Be careful not to hit the hinge too hard. The hinge pocket is not that strong. You may mess up your door alignment.
"Adding CFM to a truck will only help at engine speeds you don't want to use." "I found there was nothing to gain beyond 400 CFM."
Heat the bolt, not the surrounding metal, with a jeweler's torch until it starts to glow. Try to both loosen and tighten it.
If by some miracle that fails to work, drill the bolts down the middle with increasingly larger bits until just before you hit the threads. Then you can crack it out in pieces and run a tap through it.
And if THAT doesn't work, cut the whole door jamb out and replace it with a donor one from another cab that's not so rusty.
If you do use heat, and you still can’t turn it, hit it penetrating oil. The heat will help draw the penetrant in.
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Thanks everyone for your advice. I'm sure it's going to take both heat and the penetrating oil to do anything with these bolts. I kind of think drilling them out is probably in my future (hate to think of that). But I will work on them and see what happens. Buoymaker, thanks for the pictures, I noticed the new driver side outer cowl panel you show has louvers in it. Are they making that now for the drivers side, hadn't seen those before.
Speaking of penetrating oil, if you run out of your favorite store bought juice, try half & half of acetone & ATF. Works like a champ for me.
Craig
My '50 Chevy 3100 5 window, '62-235cu, 3:55 rear My truck ....... Respect The Rust If I'm not working on my truck, '65 m00stang or VW camper, I'm fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
3800 guy If your a welder you could could weld-on a lever handle with 7018 put pretty good heat in it (shield around it with wet rag,let it get cold then turn it. Cut handle off with your grinder remove and replace the bolt.
But even if you can't get to the back side of the nuts, soak them well with your favorite penetrating oil. If you aren't worried about paint damage, you can try heating the bolts with an OA torch, which usually breaks them free. Then another dose of penetrating oil and they should come out.
