Replacing door hinge pins...

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Mar 15, 2005 | 08:01 PM

DonBecker

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Jul 2004

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Replacing door hinge pins...

...any tips?

I have the drivers door ripped off, the top hinge pin comes out fine, but the bottom is really stuck. Thinking of maybe getting a C-clamp to press it out abit?

BTW, I bought new door springs as well, could I put those in with the door off? Looks like it would be abit easier...

Thanks,

-Don

Mar 15, 2005 | 08:57 PM

rponfick

Drifting

Joined: Nov 2002

Posts: 1,692

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From: Loveland, CO

Try a punch on the bottom end of the pin. I just replaced mine and I wish I hadn't started. The top pin barely came out without chipping the paint on the fender edge. I could not get new pin in without fiberglass damage, so I installed it from the bottom. Now I will have to spot weld on top to keep it in place. The lower one went in OK, but then noticed that the pin did not move when the hinge did. The serrations on the hinge body must have sheared off and now the hinge pivots on the bracket instead of the pin and bronze bushings. Plan to spot weld pin to hinge to get pivoting back where it's supposed to be.

Mar 15, 2005 | 09:29 PM

DonBecker

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Jul 2004

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Yeah, the top hinge has to come out. The trick I heard though, was if you can take a part off the flange/head of the pin, you can make it past the fender. Those pins are some hard metal lol...

Mar 15, 2005 | 09:31 PM

Chuck Gongloff

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Joined: Apr 1999

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From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida

You should have ground/cut the top of the pin, making the "O" look like a "D". The flat part of the D would clear the fender edge without gouging the paint. Same goes with putting the new one in. Chuck

Mar 15, 2005 | 09:34 PM

73'Vette

Racer

Joined: Dec 2003

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From: Haslet,Texas

This is the method I used.

Mar 15, 2005 | 10:23 PM

ksbunting

Melting Slicks

Joined: Apr 1999

Posts: 2,675

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From: Sudbury MA

I replaced my pins on my 68 a few months ago and at that time Chuck was kind enough to post the tip about shaving the head of the pin into the shape of the letter "D". I did as he suggested and it worked like a charm; no chipped paint, no tools flying around the garage and I didn't need to install the pin upside down. This is a great trick for replacing that upper hinge pin. Thanks Chuck,