The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors TF Door Dropping Problem ...Hinge/ Bushing?

Guys I need your advice....

Got the truck out tonight after charging the battery and such and moved it down the driveway to make sure everything had survived the winter ok. I also started taking an inventory of all the goodies I need to make the truck presentable so my wife is willing to ride in it.... Replace the hazing and delaminating side door and vent glass [probably buy from a local glass shop if at all possible], new glass run channels, etc. Started looking at the weather strips noticed two different designs neither of which is in great shape [Steele Products or CD?], and so on an so forth.

Then I started noticing how the driver door seems to drop a bit when it opens, and needs a hand up to close. Even then it is hard on the striker yet sitting too low in the opening to seal along the header [even if I had good new weatherstrip ] I played a bit with upward adjustment, there just isn't that much there...

So, I started taking a closer look at the hinges and wonder how do I tell if it needs to be replaced/ rebuilt? I read through all the items on doors here and on the GMC site [they really hate Chevy don't they!] but cannot find a definative to tell if it is a hinge or bushing problem. For some reason I dread the idea of pulling the door off so I really need some advise on how to determine what to do, how to do it, and how to minimize my down time of no door if I need to order parts.... NAPA probably does not have what I need I am guessing.... Thanks.....

no NAPA won't have hinges - or weatherstrip either! your best bet for the rubber is Steele Rubber Products - the most common profile for that seal is a teardrop sorta shape, NOT plain round - yes get the glass cut locally, using your glass for patterns

one check on the hinges is to have someone lift/drop the door from the handle side while you watch the hinges - might be worn pins [possibly replaceable if the bores aren't shot], but it could be the door side of the hinge has some broken/rotted mount points, which isn't uncommon - you should be able to see where the problem is, and there's adjustment in/out, forward/back, and up/down on both hinges

Bill

I'm just being a parrot here, repeating what I learned from someone else. But I thought it was a good idea: before you remove hinges, drill a small (~1/4"?) thru-hole through the hinge and whatever it attaches to. After you remove the hinges and you want to reinstall them, you put a spring-pin in this hole to help align the hinge to its previous location without the endless "a little to the left, a little up, too far, a little down..."

This would apply if you were going to rebush the hinge. Obviously, it doesn't apply to replacing the hinge.

Wish I could claim credit for it. Seems like a clever way to make the job easier.

Bill

Thanks for the responses and the suggestions!

Just went out and there is a lot of movement in the lower hinge, most seems to be within the hinge, but a fit of flex on the interface to the door. So does this make it a candiate for bushing replacement? Any suggestions on where to go for the pins and how longe does it really take to r/r them?

If it so happens that it is "door rot" what can and cannot be done to remedy the situation?

sounds like it may be at least 'door rot' - there's a plate inside the door for the lower hinge that has 3 weld-nuts on it - that plate commonly rots enuff to break free, or 1, 2, 3 of the nuts come free .... you should be able to get an idea of condition by removing the little cover on the inside of the door where the hinge bolts are, and get a better look at what's moving

you should be able to find hinge pins the right size in the generic Help! rack at the local, or the vendors carry them ... not too hard a job

Bill

Bill...the hinge pins ?? Are they hard to install,and what do they actually do. My hinge bolts are spinning and will not tighten,will the hinge pins give my bolts something to grab and tighten? M/G

the 'hinge pins' are the 'rods' that hold the 2 sections together and allow them to pivot - the bolts spinning [door side] means the weld nuts there are broken off their attachment point - on the pillar side they're nuts in cages and the cages [heavy sheet metal] rot

you're faced with the usual TF problem, the lower hinge is prone to corrosion from constant moisture accumulation on that mount plate in the door and in the pocket in the pillar - forget hinge pins, get out the welder

Bill

welder...That was my guess...crapola..I guess I will snag the door with a come along..take the catch plate off first ..snugg it up closed and weld her shut..ha ha ..J/K..weld her while the come along holds the door tight and flush?? Correct...

Red took a look under the access panel and did not see any substantial amount of movement there and none with regards to the bolts to the door. Can I pull the bottom hinge loose on its own and evaluate? Or will this put too much stress on the upper hinge?

Also on a side note it looks like the same hinge is used on boht sides of the vehicle just flipped over LH to RH?