replacing door hinge pins

[ashman]

The doors on my '72 blazer sag pretty badly and my hinges are pretty sloppy. I was just going to replace them all but each hinge is $35 and hinge pins are only $10. Has anyone had any luck replacing just the pins?

Also, how did you get the pins out? I beat the crap out of one of mine and it didn't budge at all.

 

[rjfguitar]

Not sure on a 72 but I've done a couple of 80's GM trucks and a Ford. It was easy. Get the clips off and pound out the pins. If the bushings are shot, the pins should drop out pretty easy, since there is so much slop in them. On my Ford they were so bad, the pins fell out when I popped the E clips off.

Take the doors off the truck and then pound out the bronze bushing (whats left of it) and carefully pound the new bushings in place. Don't forget new strikers, that can make a big difference in how well it latches without having to slam the door.

Also don't forget to have a partner for this job, especially if you have nice paint. Getting the doors on and off is a 2 man job.

 

[ashman]

The hinge is off the door already and I was pounding on it while holding it in a vise. no bueno.
The first gen door hinges are quite a bit different than 80s trucks.

The part that connects to the door is sloppy but the part that connects to the truck won't budge. I guess I can try heating it with a torch...

 

[badmix]

Take it to a body shop, they will charge 10-20 a side, money well spent. I attempted to do my hinges on my 84. besides the door weighing a ton and it being ackward, it wasnt worth the aggravation, the body shop used air tools to get the old one out and new one in.

 

[76k5blazerr]

I have never worked on a first gen k5 but I just did the pins on my 76, really man the pins are not what's causing the door to not shut smooth, it's the bushings. They will wear out and that's what causes that slop. This is how mine was, yours may be different like you said. And while your at it and have the doors off, I don't know if you ever take yor doors off in nice weather but I do and the quick release hing pins are a great mod, there's a write up off it on here, not hard at all to do and very cool.

 

[rampage]

Pounding on it will mushroom the tip and make it near impossible to get out. Two options- one is heat from a torch as you mentioned. The other is to press it out. I'd put a socket or something that just fits over the pin head and put it in a vise to see if it'll press out that way.

 

[ashman]

I realize it is the bushings that are the problem, but the pins have to come out to fix that.

I don't think the quick release mod is going to work on my first gen hinges but I may look into it once I get the pins out. Unfortunately it doesn't look like dorman makes the pins I need. #1stgenproblems

Pounding on it will mushroom the tip and make it near impossible to get out. Two options- one is heat from a torch as you mentioned. The other is to press it out. I'd put a socket or something that just fits over the pin head and put it in a vise to see if it'll press out that way.

I'll try the socket and vise method. That sounds promising.

 

[rampage]

Can I change my answer? Instead of using a socket that may break or shatter, try finding a nut that fits over it.

And if you want to make a MacGyver press, put your hydraulic jack under your truck and jack against something flat like your axle spring. So it'd go jack, door hinge, nut, axle spring. Just to be careful wrap the nut/hinge with a little duct tape so there aren't any projectiles if the contraption slips out.

 

[ryoken]

if the contraption slips out.

that's what she said!!!!!

 

[rampage]

that's what she said!!!!!

Always practice safe jacking. That's why you wrap said nuts and contraption with protection to contain any projectiles from going to undesired locations. That's how accidents happen.

 

[ashman]

This thread has taken a very weird turn...

lol

 

[badmix]

Better to call it a "contraption" then a "thingy"

 

[ashman]

Can I change my answer? Instead of using a socket that may break or shatter, try finding a nut that fits over it.

I made a few attempts at this last night. Unfortunately using a socket or anything else like that was a no go. Due to the design of the hinge there just wasn't a way to support the socket all the way around so that was a no go. Best I could do was clamp it into the vise.

I tried heating the hinges and on one I was able to get it good and glowing and pop the pin out but the next one I tried was a no go. I heated it several times but it just wouldn't budge.

Long story short, I ordered new hinges this morning. If you can't fix it, throw money at it.

 

[rampage]

Well nuts!

 

[ramack]

Better to call it a "contraption" then a "thingy"

Tool, isn't that what people are calling it?