Door hinge pin replace

[1-ton]

I need to replace the door hinge pins on my 85 K30. I did a search and found a few things on this subject, but where not clear on the removal of these pins.

It looks as if there is a flat tab on the bottom of these pins that need to break-off when punched out. Would this assumption be correct?

My truck also has power windows and locks, so the wiring harness weather boot is (of course) in the way of a clean strike on these pins. I may need a long drift pin punch to get past this.

Thanks for any responses!

 

[Polski-Chevy]

http://coloradok5.com/doorhingepins.shtml

It looks like the fastest way to remove 'em was to cut in half with a Sawzall.

 

[Richcz28]

I removed my hinges and pressed the pins out in a vice to start and then used a hammer. I think the little brass bushings around the pin go bad before the pin does. Sawzall would be speedy but this didn't take me long. The top is press fit so it will still be stuck if you cut the pins in half.

 

[diesel4me]

I have used a C-clamp and two sockets to press the pins out,kind of like doing a u-joint...its not easy fitting it in there though ,with the door on the truck...
I had to weld a nit in place of the "T" handle on the clamp,so a wrench can be used to tighten it in those close quarters...

 

[owenst7]

A balljoint press works really really well for this, or you can just use a long drift, or even an old hinge pin and a small hammer. I did see a special tool on the shelf in Summit Racing specifically for doing hinge pins. Pretty sure it was this http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SKG-21835/?rtype=10.

The square bodies are WAY easier to do than the 88-98 trucks. There's about zero clearance on those ones, and they've got a spring that you have to compress, which I also found a special tool for that too at HF (think a valve spring compressor would also work).

 

[1-ton]

Thanks to Polsky for the link on removing the door pins. After sizing the job up more, I figured as well that the doors would have to be removed from the hinges, in order to get at the pins.

A Sawzall across the middle of the pins should allow me to push halves of the pins both down/up and out.

Also, since my truck does have power windows and locks, the idea for cutting the wires, and then reconnecting the wires with quick connect terminal ends in the link posted was a good one too.

The pins should be in no tighter than a wheel stud, since they are splined just like a wheel stud. The bushing the pins spline into are probably so worn out, that the pins will probably fall out when doing this job. Thankx for the replies…

 

[badmix]

I paid a body shop $20bux to do mine. I started to do it myself. Not worth the hassles and trouble. This is one case I didnt mind paying someone else to do the work. otherwise I got no advice on how to do it. lol

 

[1-ton]

I called a couple of body shops on this. One said they would not work on a truck as old as mine, and the other wanted $900 a door.

 

[badmix]

I called a couple of body shops on this. One said they would not work on a truck as old as mine, and the other wanted $900 a door.

Hmm, thats odd. you sure they understood what you wanted?

The shop that did mine used an air chisel to drive the pin out. I replaced both sides but the drivers side is the one that the bushings went bad on (saggy door, etc)