G-body hinge pin replacement
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 11
From: Baltimore, MD
G-body hinge pin replacement
I am new to gbodies, and my 1987 Monte Carlos drivers door is alittle saggy and is tough to close. Is that common to these things? If so how easy is it to replace these? I found some YouTube videos on newer Chevy trucks, but nothing that old. Any suggestions?
pritty easy i had to do it on my 89 blazer(same style hinges) but with the monte you could support the door with a jack unbolt the hing and do it on a bench it would probably be easier that way
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 126
From: Niles, Ohio
One thing that I do when replacing them is to move up to the ford pins and bushing, they are 7/16ths instead of 3/8ths. So usually they hold up better, and if the hinge is chewed out at all its easier to just drill it out for the bigger size.
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 206
From: Little Egg Harbor NJ
Ha ha ha well hit the liquor store before you break out the tools for this one. The good news is that its worth the fight to save $50 a hinge. You'll need 2 types of bushings,there are brass and sintered bronze. The bronze have are splined and they will go on the lower side of the lower hinges.
You'll need a few specialty items on this deal. You can take a 2x4 (lay it with the wide side up) and screw another 2x4 onto each side of it (stand these vertically). This will cup the lower dege of the door. it should look like this l_l now just screw some small scraps on the underside to keep it from sliding off the saddle of your floor jack. This rig should be 2-3 feet long. The other tool you'll need is a hinge spring compressor. These look like a cheesy little v made out of sheetmetal. You can get them for 20-25 bucks. Mine is a lisle that i got on ebay but sears and some other places have em too.
Before you go gettin in over your head start by takin a sharpie and scribing a line all the way round the hinges and bolts. Believe me you'll still have a little trouble gettin the alignment back even with the lines as a cheat. Next you'll have to unhook any wiring i.e. power locks,power windows and if you have a remote mirror on the pass door you'll want to release the control **** from the dash. You can choose to wing it and leave the wires attached but don't cry to me when you're fixin wiring.
Now you're ready to unbolt the doors from the hinges. The bolts should be 7/16". There are 3 on each hinge. Move the door away from the car and scribe the hinge on the post as well. This is where you can opt to cheat. CAREFULLY DRAPE A RAG OVER THE SPRING AND USING A PRY BAR FORCE IT OUT OF THE HINGE BUT THEY CAN PACK A ITTLE PUNCH SO BE CAREFUL. If you choose the safe route use the compressor to remove it. Now unbolt it from the post. These bolts should be 7/16 as well but i have found some that have 1/2.
Clamp the hinge in the vice with the narrow end of the pin sticking up. You'll notice there are 2 small ears on the pin that keep it staked in the hinge. You'll need to grind these of (i prefer a cutoff wheel)and do not cut into the hinge itself. Now turn it over and using a hammer and chisel or air chisel if you've got one get the pin unseated. Keep driving the pin out by chiseling against the wide flat head on top of the pin. Do not hammer the pin out cause you will bend the hinges. Now that the pin is out you'll need to knock out the bushings. You can use a hammer and punch,the chisel method or anything else you have layin aroundto drive out the damaged bushing. DO NOT DAMAGE THE BORE. Look carefully at the bore to determine if it is oblonged. If it is you should consider using another used hinge. I had to make a good one out of 3 bad ones. Also now is a good time to look at the roller pin for the door check. These often wear heavily. Also look closely at the staked end of the pin that the door check swings from cause these tend to wear out of the bore. I think you may be able to get these from motormite but i typically just grab another hinge.
Lookin at your hinge pin bore you will notice that the lower bores are larger. If you have an oblong bore you can attempt CAREFULLY to redrill the bore to accept the larger bushing. Be aware that the bore must be exactly in line otherwise the hinge will bind and the bushing will wear rapidly.
Use red loctite in the bushing bores before driving the bushings in to prevent them from spinning in the bores. It only takes a small hammer to drive them in and YOU MUST DRIVE THEM PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. They are very soft and will deform if the go in crooked. Make sure you clean any loctite from the pin surface in the bushings. Use white lithium grease inside the bushings and on the pins. Be liberal with the grease. Now that you've punched in the new bushings align the hinge halves and drive the pin thru them. The pin should go easily. Do not hit them hard you will bend the hinges.
Now you can reattach the doors to the car in the same order you removed them. Now the fun part reinstalling the springs. Extend the compressor as far as you can and try to get as many coils in it as possible. You will notice that one of the spring perches has a bump on it that centers the spring on the hinge. Slip the compressed spring onto that end first and then work the other side into the hinge. If you have a faceshield this would be a good time to wear it. I have had a spring fly over 20 feet when it got free during reinstallation. When you have it back in put your doors back on the old marks. Carefully close them the first time to ensure they aren't going to hit the fender or quarter panel. Once you know it latches check your alignment and adjust as necessary.
I like the gm bushings and pins over the aftermarket. The price difference is small but the fit and quality is much better. By now you're likely slurring when you speak and i gonna gues it took a 6 pack to get thru the first door.
You'll need a few specialty items on this deal. You can take a 2x4 (lay it with the wide side up) and screw another 2x4 onto each side of it (stand these vertically). This will cup the lower dege of the door. it should look like this l_l now just screw some small scraps on the underside to keep it from sliding off the saddle of your floor jack. This rig should be 2-3 feet long. The other tool you'll need is a hinge spring compressor. These look like a cheesy little v made out of sheetmetal. You can get them for 20-25 bucks. Mine is a lisle that i got on ebay but sears and some other places have em too.
Before you go gettin in over your head start by takin a sharpie and scribing a line all the way round the hinges and bolts. Believe me you'll still have a little trouble gettin the alignment back even with the lines as a cheat. Next you'll have to unhook any wiring i.e. power locks,power windows and if you have a remote mirror on the pass door you'll want to release the control **** from the dash. You can choose to wing it and leave the wires attached but don't cry to me when you're fixin wiring.
Now you're ready to unbolt the doors from the hinges. The bolts should be 7/16". There are 3 on each hinge. Move the door away from the car and scribe the hinge on the post as well. This is where you can opt to cheat. CAREFULLY DRAPE A RAG OVER THE SPRING AND USING A PRY BAR FORCE IT OUT OF THE HINGE BUT THEY CAN PACK A ITTLE PUNCH SO BE CAREFUL. If you choose the safe route use the compressor to remove it. Now unbolt it from the post. These bolts should be 7/16 as well but i have found some that have 1/2.
Clamp the hinge in the vice with the narrow end of the pin sticking up. You'll notice there are 2 small ears on the pin that keep it staked in the hinge. You'll need to grind these of (i prefer a cutoff wheel)and do not cut into the hinge itself. Now turn it over and using a hammer and chisel or air chisel if you've got one get the pin unseated. Keep driving the pin out by chiseling against the wide flat head on top of the pin. Do not hammer the pin out cause you will bend the hinges. Now that the pin is out you'll need to knock out the bushings. You can use a hammer and punch,the chisel method or anything else you have layin aroundto drive out the damaged bushing. DO NOT DAMAGE THE BORE. Look carefully at the bore to determine if it is oblonged. If it is you should consider using another used hinge. I had to make a good one out of 3 bad ones. Also now is a good time to look at the roller pin for the door check. These often wear heavily. Also look closely at the staked end of the pin that the door check swings from cause these tend to wear out of the bore. I think you may be able to get these from motormite but i typically just grab another hinge.
Lookin at your hinge pin bore you will notice that the lower bores are larger. If you have an oblong bore you can attempt CAREFULLY to redrill the bore to accept the larger bushing. Be aware that the bore must be exactly in line otherwise the hinge will bind and the bushing will wear rapidly.
Use red loctite in the bushing bores before driving the bushings in to prevent them from spinning in the bores. It only takes a small hammer to drive them in and YOU MUST DRIVE THEM PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. They are very soft and will deform if the go in crooked. Make sure you clean any loctite from the pin surface in the bushings. Use white lithium grease inside the bushings and on the pins. Be liberal with the grease. Now that you've punched in the new bushings align the hinge halves and drive the pin thru them. The pin should go easily. Do not hit them hard you will bend the hinges.
Now you can reattach the doors to the car in the same order you removed them. Now the fun part reinstalling the springs. Extend the compressor as far as you can and try to get as many coils in it as possible. You will notice that one of the spring perches has a bump on it that centers the spring on the hinge. Slip the compressed spring onto that end first and then work the other side into the hinge. If you have a faceshield this would be a good time to wear it. I have had a spring fly over 20 feet when it got free during reinstallation. When you have it back in put your doors back on the old marks. Carefully close them the first time to ensure they aren't going to hit the fender or quarter panel. Once you know it latches check your alignment and adjust as necessary.
I like the gm bushings and pins over the aftermarket. The price difference is small but the fit and quality is much better. By now you're likely slurring when you speak and i gonna gues it took a 6 pack to get thru the first door.
Thread Starter
|
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 11
From: Baltimore, MD
Wow thanks Montecarloconvertible. We should save that in the "How to" vault for future reference. I am going to take a closer look tomorrow, but on initial inspection, the bushings/holes seemed pretty enlongated, at lease on the top hinge. The door is pretty bad, I have to give it a good hard slam to lock, and even then it still looks and feels loose. I will get into it tomorrow and report back what I find!
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