Door Hinge pins...

[tommie]

Any tips?

I need to do them on my 97... doors are sagging some and I am sure the pins/bushings are worn....

If anyone is around Houston with experience replacing them, that would be helpful also....

[FMBL]

I am in the same boat. I plan on doing mine this weekend. I am going to modify my tranny jack to be able to hold the door since I will be doing it alone. There is a vendor on here that has pretty good youtube videos. I also have to replace the driver side ext. door handle. If nothing comes up I will let you know how mine turns out.

[dragginmetal]

I've done a few, and the best tip I can give is DO NOT HIT the bushings hard when installing them. Tap them easy. They WILL break. Then u have to buy a new set just toget 1 new bushing.
Posted via Mobile Device

[redracer95]

Originally Posted by FMBL

I am in the same boat. I plan on doing mine this weekend. I am going to modify my tranny jack to be able to hold the door since I will be doing it alone. There is a vendor on here that has pretty good youtube videos. I also have to replace the driver side ext. door handle. If nothing comes up I will let you know how mine turns out.

i need to replace the bushings on my drivers door also. if you could do a how to video or write up with pics would be very much appreciated.

[tommie]

helpful info... post up some pics when you get yours installed FMBL

[carsinsc]

i've done lots of them. Here is a couple of tricks. Use a engine crane and a strap to hold the door up. put some masking tape on the edge of the fender so it doesn't scratch when the door rubs against it. Try to get the tool to compress the spring in the door. If you can't get a tool, pry it out and put it in a vise to compress it. Use good zip ties to hold it compressed and cut them when it is in. "press" new bushing in a little at a time with flat vise grips.

[BHBurban]

A helper is nice to have around too.

Be sure to pay attention to the taper. one pivot point (lower) is usually larger in diameter than the other. Now is a good time to replace the roller pin as well.

[Mr79C10]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvsIHQJIuxY&feature...

Try this

[tommie]

kind of forgot i posted this thread....

but any suggestions on where yo buy pins??

are the aftermarket pins ok? or gm only??

[dragginmetal]

I've used ones from Ckrestro.com, Autozone, OReilly, and a local GM house. Only difference is the Cap that holds the pin in. They all seem to work fine.

[tommie]

thanks for the info

[Dark Knight]

I would try to find some pins with brass bushings. I think A1 Auto has them. They're not cheap, but a lot better than the crappy bronze ones. I just replaced the ones on my '89 and the door still does not shut good. You can still feel the slack in the hinges.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by Dark Knight

I would try to find some pins with brass bushings. I think A1 Auto has them. They're not cheap, but a lot better than the crappy bronze ones. I just replaced the ones on my '89 and the door still does not shut good. You can still feel the slack in the hinges.

If there's still slack you may need oversize pins.

I've done em on moms 98 Blazer and my Stepbrothers 97 Ram. They were pretty much the same deal.
I just hung the doors from a beam in the barn with a wide binder strap thru the open window. I just ratcheted it up till the pressure was just barely off the hinges with the door all the way open.

The hinge pins on the Ram were worn through the bushings and into the hinge itself. NAPA Dan said they had oversize hinge pin kits.
The oversize pin kit required very specific sized drill bits (the box tells which sizes you need).
I drilled out the oval hole in the inside hinge halves and installed all four of the new bushings with a nut, bolt, and stack of washers.

The oversize replacement pin was splined to keep it from turning in the new outer hole. It was a snug fit so I had to rap it in place with some authority but not enough to bend the hinge. I knocked it down till the E-Clip groove showed and promptly blew the first clip across the barn and out the door. I then carefully installed a clip from the small parts boxes.

I compressed the follower spring with a bench vise and wrapped wire through the coils it to keep it compressed. I highly recommend a face shield for working with that spring. I had a nice shiner where that miserable little critter reached out and bit my face.

The Ram door alignment needed to be adjusted after I was done but I expected that. The Blazer was not worn completely through the bushings so it just fit neatly back together.

[Dark Knight]

Mine weren't worn completely through, but I cracked the bronze bushings putting them in. That's probably why I still have play in them. Oh well. I'll just buy the good kit I found.