The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Hinge Grommets on rear doors install?

How do you install the rear door hinge grommets on the barn doors? I placed the grommets in the body and carefully installed the hinges with the aid of soapy liquid. Trying to wrangle the door onto the hinges with the grommet in-place is difficult. Placing the grommet onto the hinge, mounting the door onto the hinge and then trying to jam the grommet into the door is difficult too.

Can't remember having that problem on my 52 panel but I may have hung the doors and then split the rubber at the bottom and put them on that way.....but I just don't remember ever having any problem with them. Good luck, let us know how you make out.....and someone else will surely chime in.

A friend came by and held the door up as I tried to coax the hinge through each grommet, we gave up after about 10 minutes. He suggested removing the hinge pin. I think that might be the way for me to get this done. If I split the hinges, I could mount the halves to the doors on the bench. I'd like to avoid modifying the grommets. Now I wonder how to remove the hinge pins, and can they be re-installed on-vehicle? Still open to suggestions, Thanks.

Sir, I suggest you liberally use some lubrication, which I did, to get the hinges through the grommets, rather than trying to split the hinges by removing hinge pins. Why? Hinge pins would need to be secured after that and I know of no way to do that on mounted doors. Thanks Walter. V/r, Nick

Agree with not taking the pins out. I think I did what Alvin did, cut the grommet as neatly as possible and re-install

A little strategically placed super glue on the reassembled cut can make it look seemless again and moisture proof.

Don`t mess with the pins. I just had to do this grommet install.
I put the grommet on the hinge and installed door(s).
Slid the grommet over the door. It will fit better cut.

I could not get the grommet into the sheetmetal with the hinge in place, the gap is too tight. I looked at another hinge and saw the pin is pressed in tight, so decided to not go that route. I ended up removing the hinges from the truck, installing on the doors. With grommets in place on the truck and some soapy liquid was able to work the hinged doors into place. The results are acceptable. I started one corner of a hinge in the opposite end of the grommet and slid it down into place so the whole end of the hinge cleared the grommet. As I pushed the hinge in, the grommet tended to curl in. I could push the hinge in some, the grommet would curl in, and then pull the hinge out less than I had pushed it in to get the grommet out again. It was hard to get a grip on the grommet with the soap on it. I started the top hinge, then started the bottom hinge, then worked each one into place.

Sounds like you got it licked. I put the grommets on the hinges then worked them into the body. I put dish liquid all over straight out of the bottle. (No water dilution) Slick as snot. Son does body work and has these pvc/plastic tools for glass install and the likes. Look like miniature tire tools. Different sizes. Won't scratch the paint if you slip. Mine went on fairly easy. Takes some finesse. I'm still trying to adjust the right cargo door and have had it off a number of times, getting ready to take off again. Grommets are getting much easier to work with. Now I leave the grommets in the body and just slide the hinge into it. (2 man job)

Richard
azcornman