[Shawn]

My driver's side door is a lot lower than it's supposed to be, and I'd like to fix the hinges before I ruin the latch. Is it hard to get the doors off with the fenders on? How hard is it to put in new bushings and a detent assembly? Both are shot on mine. DO I need special tools to get the pin out of the hinges and to compress the spring?

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1970 Chevy Custom El Camino
Originally was & will be Green Mist & Silver w/Green Vinyl Top (now black/black)
350ci/300HP 4bbl & Dual Exhaust
TH-350 - 2.73 Posi Rear - Factory PS, PDB, PW, Tilt, A/C & More
My El Camino Home Page
Other Restorations -1969 Snowco Trailer & 1967 Sears Custom 600 Tractor
Team Chevelle Member #995

 

[Clark]

I just did the same job on my 71

Here's what I did.
First, Open your door and trace the outline of the hinge onto the door. What I mean here is, take a pencil and run it around the door hinge where it mates up to the door. You what to be able to put the door back on the hinge in exactly the same place it is now.

Next, loosen and remove 2 of the three bolts on each hinge that holds the door to the hinge. You now need a friend. Have your friend hold up the door while you remove the remaining bolt in the bottom hinge. Then remove the bolt in the upper hinge and gently remove the door. Be careful, it is really easy to scratch your paint while doing this.

Next, get a drill and drill two small holes through each hinge as they are attached to the car. The intent here is to use these holes to line up the hinges in the correct place when you reinstall them on the car. You could also use a pencil and draw an outline of the hinge onto the support structure but I like the drill hole method.

You can now remove the hinges from the car and rebuild them. you will probably have to do some grinding to remove the old pivot pins and roller assy but reassembly is easy.

Reassemble the car is the reverse of the disassembly. If you are very precise when locating the hinges to the car and the door then everything should in theory line up. If the door does not line up correctly you will have adjust it. Be forewarned!! You can adjust the "in and out" position of the door without removing it, but you cannot adjust the "front to back" position with out either removing the door or the fender. Also, its even easier to scratch your paint when putting it back together so be careful.

Oh, I forgot to address the spring. The spring can be a pain. You will find that there are two posts on each of the bottom hinges. One is the pivot pin, the other is the roller post assembly. Mount the hinge in a vice and grind off the tabs that are holding the roller assy in the hinge. Then take a large channel lock and compress the spring and detent arm together. Then take a small hammer and knock the roller assy out of the hinge. You can now gently release the channel lock and the spring will drop free. Grind off the tabs holding the pivot pin and remove the pin. Change your bushings and reassemble in reverse order.

Clark



[This message has been edited by Clark (edited 04-30-2002).]

 

[Clark]

Double post, Sorry

[This message has been edited by Clark (edited 04-30-2002).]

 

[Jeff74]

I just pop out the spring and drive out the pins with help holding the door change bushings and reinstall door. for roller replacement mark and remove only lower hinge on body

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My cars

 

[MAXX2]

We bought the replacement parts from OPG, which were on sale/discounted a few months ago (That word "SALE/DISCOUNT" sure gets alot of attention on this site).

Anyway, while we had everything apart, we ground and sanded all of the corners etc., then beadblasted them in our beadblast cabinet, etched primed and then epoxy primed the hinges and sanded them with 400 before reinstalling them.

The members who advised you to drill a couple of holes are "Right On", as this really saves time.

Note before you disassemble everything what adjustments you need to make to align the doors properly.

We also took several digital pictures of the hinges themselves before disassembling them. It sure makes it easy when you can look at your computer screen as see them. You can also use digital pictures of the doors on you car themselves to see what alignment problems you have.




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Team Members Forever #341

Richard, Judy, MAXX2

'69 Elke (Frame Off); GM HO 350/330-Mildly Ported Vortec Heads-Manley Severe Duty SS 2.02/1.60 Valves, Comp Cams Full Roller Package (Magnum)-Custom Grind CS 3315/3316 HR112-.510/.520 Lift, Edelbrock Air-Gap W/750 Performer Manual Choke-Performer 100 HP NOS, March Pulleys, 4L60 (Non Computer) W/Lokar Shifter, 12 Bolt Posi.

 

[Shawn]

Thanks for the help, I appreciate the step-by-step Clark, I'll print that out and keep it handy while I'm doing it. Shouldn't be that hard of a task. It should give me a chance to clear out the cowl area too while the door's off. I have power windows so disconnecting them will probably be the trickiest part of the whole thing.

Anyone know how to get paint off the rubber boots that route the wiring to the door? Mine are in good shape but have some paint on them.

[This message has been edited by Shawn (edited 05-01-2002).]

 

[more ambition than brains]

Most tool truck sales people,( snap on, mac, and matco) should have a spring compressor tool on the truck. It is made up of two stamped steel channels with notches at one end, center has small collar style bolt. open tool to width of spring when hinge open, slip deeply into into outer spring coil ends, tighten center compression bolt. Spring gets small enough to easily, & safely remove. Works on or off car. Not expensive, mine is 15 years old. Works on almost any door hinge spring. Really handy to have in your tool box.