- Article/photo's courtesy of
- Nick Reynolds, AKA B_To_C
Quick Release Door Hinge Pins
If you have ever wanted to take the doors off of your Full-size Chevy / GMC Truck or Blazer, Read on. This article will show you how to create quick release door hinge pins, so you can get those doors off and back on within a matter of minutes. This is an extremely easy modification. It should take you no more than one afternoon to complete both phases, assuming that you have all the needed parts and tools on hand.
Parts Needed:
1. Universal Door Hinge repair kit. These can be found in any auto parts store in the "Help" section. Remember you will need two of these for each door.
2. A Mini Hitch Pin. The shaft should be small enough to fit through a 5/64" hole. You can find these at any hardware store. You will need two per door.
3. You may also need some washers. These would need to have roughly the same Inside Diameter as the Outside Diameter of the Hinge Pin.
Door Hinge repair kit
Mini Hitch Pin
1. Angle grinder
2. Drill or Drill Press
3. Vise or Vise Grips
4. Safety glasses
Tools Needed
The setup I used is shown above. It would have been nice to have an actual vise to secure the pin in while I worked on it. But the Vise Grips got the job done, with minimal hassle.
-The Dirty Work-
Step 1: Grind off the splines on the top of the hinge. These are used to keep the hinge from popping out. But because we want our hinges to pop out, we have to grind these off. Shown below is the hinge before and after grinding.
Before
After
Step 3: Make sure your mini hitch pin fits, and you have yourself a quick release door hinge. Simply repeat these 3 steps for however many pins you need.
Hole Drilled in Pin
Quick Release Door Hinge
Now that you have made your pins, you will need to install them on your truck. This is the most challenging part of the process, though it is still very easy to do.
Parts Needed:
1. The quick release door hinge pins you made in Phase 1.
-If you have power doors-
2. Electrical connectors (which you can plug and unplug) for 14-16 gauge wire.
Tools Needed:
1. A ratchet with a 9/16" socket.
2. An open or boxed end 9/16" wrench.
3. Angle grinder or Sawzall.
4. Hammer and flat head screw driver
5. Safety Glasses.
-If you have power doors-
6. Wire cutter / Crimper
Tools Needed
Tools Needed
Pre- Door Removal: It is probably a good idea to roll the window down, this way the glass inside the door is less likely to be broken while the door is off.
Step 1: Cut the wires. If you have power windows / door locks / mirrors you have to cut the wires before you take the door off for the first time. Simply cut the outer sheath, and cut all of the wires. NOTE: MAKE SURE EXPOSED WIRES ARE NOT TOUCHING! RISK OF ELECTRICAL FIRE! (if battery is not disconnected).
Step 2: Make alignment marks on the door and hinge assembly (Shown below). These are critical to maintaining correct alignment when you bolt part of the hinge assembly back onto the door.
Cut Wires
Alignment Mark
Door Supported
Door Removed
Cut Pin
Bushing
Step 6: If you have power doors, attach your connectors to both sets of wires now.
Female Connectors
Male Connectors
Step 8: Get the door in position and install your quick release pins. NOTE: the bottom pin goes in like normal, but the top pin needs to go in UPSIDE DOWN.
Close Up
Quick Release Installed
Doorless