sagging doors
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Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 349
Likes: 1
From: CO
Car: 1990 Firebird
Engine: LS3
Transmission: 4L60E
sagging doors
ok I have been reading through the posts for sagging doors, I couldn't find any clear directions on how to do it, or how hard it is. so is this a project I could do on my own or is it better to have a body shop do it. either way what is the cost difference between the two. and of course lets not forget the frustration value as well (in other words is it a pain to do and is there alot of profanity involved) 
thats the easiest way
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Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 349
Likes: 1
From: CO
Car: 1990 Firebird
Engine: LS3
Transmission: 4L60E
there are two reasons not to do that, one theres no decent j/y around here and two how long would it be before the one from the j/y fails and I'm back at square one?
I'm not trying to flame I would just like new so it will last longer
I'm not trying to flame I would just like new so it will last longer
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 917
Likes: 1
From: Long Island NY
Car: Z28
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
I just installed my hinge repair kit from TDS today. Took all of a half hour with the door off the car.
Ground down the original hinge pins in the top with an angle grinder being careful not to hit the door. Use a punch and a hammer to knock out the old pins once the head is ground off and then remove the old bushings. Cleane up the pin area on the door side of the hinge. Then using a dremel with a sanding drum at low speed open up the hole so the bushing fits and can be turned. Install both bushings with locktite. Now move on to the bottom hinge. Compress the spring using the spring compressor, remove it. Hammer out the pin with a punch and a hammer. Then remove the bushings from the lower hinge and replace them with the new ones. Put the lower body side hinge back in place and hammer the new pin in. Reinstall the spring. Now put the body side upper hinge in place and install both bolts and tighten.
Ground down the original hinge pins in the top with an angle grinder being careful not to hit the door. Use a punch and a hammer to knock out the old pins once the head is ground off and then remove the old bushings. Cleane up the pin area on the door side of the hinge. Then using a dremel with a sanding drum at low speed open up the hole so the bushing fits and can be turned. Install both bushings with locktite. Now move on to the bottom hinge. Compress the spring using the spring compressor, remove it. Hammer out the pin with a punch and a hammer. Then remove the bushings from the lower hinge and replace them with the new ones. Put the lower body side hinge back in place and hammer the new pin in. Reinstall the spring. Now put the body side upper hinge in place and install both bolts and tighten.
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 5,964
Likes: 37
From: Hacienda Heights, CA
Car: 90 RS 'Vert, 88 IROC-Z, 88 Firebird
Engine: 305 ci tbi, 305 ci tpi, 350 ci tpi
Transmission: WC-T5, WC-T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.27, 3.27
I haven't installed one of the hinge repair kits with the door off the car. It probably would be easier with the extra cleareance to get in and grind off the swaged ends of the pins. That is the beauty of the repair kits I sell. You have the option of installing it with the door on the car which saves you the trouble of un-wiring the PDL & PW. Either way it is a huge improvement over GM's method.
Lon
Lon
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