DOOR HINGE REBUILD?

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vene09

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Dec 4, 2009
9
0
0
IDAHO
has anyone ever fix a door hinge on a cutlass, buick or monte carlo? i need to rebouild my driver side door, its kinda out off place!!! i was wondering if its an easy do it your self, or if you need special tools? or should i just pay do get it fix? my car is a 1986 Cutlass Supreme!!!
 

billyjack

Master Mechanic
Mar 27, 2009
468
55
28
Western PA
Not really a difficult job, just take your time. Patience is the most important tool. I prefer to support the door, and remove one hinge at a time. With the upper hinge on the bench, grind down the staking on the hinge pin, remove the pin, and replace the bushings. Install the hinge and repeat process for the lower hinge if necessary. The only special tool that would help speed up the job is an "s"-shaped or "c"-shaped wrench for the hinge bolts, but it's not absolutely necessary. You'll also need a Torx bit to adjust the striker. I seem to remember a tutorial post in the past. It may be worth your time to do a search for it.

Bill
 

Longroof79

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
G-Body of the Month
Oct 14, 2008
12,156
9,762
113
Gainesville, Fl
Another useful tool in doing this procedure would be a spring compressor to remove and work on the hinges equipped with springs. http://www.hotrodautosupply.com/eshop/i ... oductId=12

Any good body shop supply would also carry this tool. I bought mine from Eastwood.

Jack
 

cdg1984

G-Body Guru
Oct 18, 2009
969
4
38
Evansville IN
Its a lot easier to have someone help you then to do it by yourself and support the door. Just dont make the mistake I did and hammer the pin if it doesnt want to come out. I bent my hinge to hell and had a tough time getting it bent back in place. Also, for me it was easier to unbolt the hinge from the body and take the whole door off.
 

85GPLef41

Royal Smart Person
Nov 14, 2008
2,210
159
63
Colorado
I bought mine from a 4 door cutlass seeing as mine were to shot to repair with the bushings and pins. I supported the door with a floor jack and secured it so it wouldn't fall. I bought the tool and it helped out quite a bit it cost me around $15.00. I brought them to work and used a air hammer and a cutoff tool so it went alot smoother. But it could be done with a hammer and a chisel.
 

Caballero

Apprentice
Oct 12, 2009
58
0
0
gbodies do tend to have problems with the doors hanging don't they. I know mine could probably be tightened up some.
 

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Greasemonkey
Jan 9, 2009
101
4
0
Wisconsin
There are some damn good replacement pins out there now, ones with hardened tool steel shafts & with a grease zerk at one end. Hot Rod magazine did an install of some a few years ago, if I remember correctly they did them on a 3rd gen Camaro(which more than likely have the same pins). I just spent a few minutes Google'n for them, but didn't find exactly what I was looking for...But I know there out there.

For an EXAMPLE, here is the closest thing I could find right now without spending all night:
http://www.mustangsteve.com/hinge.html

pin_bushingson_w_zerk.jpg
 

vene09

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Dec 4, 2009
9
0
0
IDAHO
85GPLef41 said:
I bought mine from a 4 door cutlass seeing as mine were to shot to repair with the bushings and pins. I supported the door with a floor jack and secured it so it wouldn't fall. I bought the tool and it helped out quite a bit it cost me around $15.00. I brought them to work and used a air hammer and a cutoff tool so it went alot smoother. But it could be done with a hammer and a chisel.

whats the tool Call'd?
 

username

Master Mechanic
Jul 21, 2009
347
0
0
Tennessee
I just rebuilt all 4 of mine for around 25 dollars last month.I got the replacement pins from the HELP section of Autozone.They were not the hardest of materials but very comparable to what I removed,and if they lasted for 20+ years running dry I figure these pins will suffice.The only one I had to fudge a little was the roller as I couldnt locate a replacement,but the roller for a 88-9? c/k pickup is the same dimensons save being about 2" longer in oal.I just drilled the hinge for the longer pin length and cut off the excess.I had my doors removed at the time for paint prep so this made hinge refurb easy although it can be done with the doors on the car.This is a very straight forward process of remove and replace,you will need a die-grinder or something similar to remove the staked end of the pin this allows the old pin to come out with a minimum of force.Your replacement pins should have 2 sets of bushings original and oversized,wear will dictate which one to use.Another possiblity is get a set from the junkyard and rebuild them on bench then R/R hinge as an assy.
 
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