ok well my door sags, and creaks so im going to buy the door rebuild kit how hard is it to do never done a door before and how do you do it??

 

no idea, but it's my next project too...

if you do a search, people say to use a drremel to get rid of the old ones...

not sure how I'd support the door, etc....

I do know it's way easier to get at the hinges with the fender off...

 

ooh thanks for letting me know the fenders are comming off this weekend....so what parts should i buy from kragen or the stealership

and i do have a dremmel and its been the best damn tool ive boughten

 

There are two pins, upper and lower. Upper has to be cut off, lower can be bought at any auto store for $8 and can be tapped out. I replaced the lower and the door sagged 2 weeks later. So just do both and save some time. Also, the spring is absolutely impossible (for me) to get back in.

 

I havent replaced the upper pins but I did do the lower ones. They are pretty easy. I would get a spring compressor tool because the springs are a pain to get back in. I still need to put my other one in lol. But basically you just tap the pins out with a hammer. Use a jack to lower or raise the door. I dont know if Kragens or the stealership has a whole rebuild kit but I know tds does. Thats where I got all my parts and they are in CA too

 

I got a hinge pin kit off ebay or something... (prolly paid too much and didn't get greasble ones)

Being as this is my daily driver, I think this is gonna be a saturday job... I've taken doors off before, but we just cut the wires and ****...

How is a jack gonna stop the door from falling over?
I think I might build myself a little jig out of wood just to hold the door...

that way I can just unbolt the whole thing, do the work with it only sort of attached to the car.

 

The jack worked for me since I only did the lower pins. Oh and get lots of PB blaster!

 

What is PB Blaster?

 

tds is??? where

 

You can suspend your door beneath a ladder. Just set the ladder with the legs on each side of the door and strap it up.

 

Definitely, one hinge at a time.

 

TDS is one of the board sponsors, their is a link to the page up top. PB blater is a penetrating liquid, it helps break the pins loose.

 

if you cant get a spring compressor you can compress the spring in a vice and wrap a very strong piece of wire around it. when you put it in place cut the wire and it will pop in place. just be sure to wear safety glasses in case it pops out and comes at you. i did mine that way and had no problems. i know its not the best way but it works.

 

That stong piece of wire got stuck in there, I had no way to get it out so I had to pull the spring out. Maybe I'lll have the dealership do it, they charge like $10.

 

The GM Door Spring Tool is really a must have to get the spring back in safely. I need to write up an instruction on how to use the tool since the one supplied by the manufacturer is a bit lacking. I've had no trouble removing the spring using the tool, but reinstalling it was a pain until I came up with a method.

Here's the trick I've discovered: To remove the spring open the tool using a wrench. Install the tool on the furthest coils you can. Make sure the tool is fully inserted into the spring coils. Compress the spring until the coils are collapsed solid using the wrench. Don't over-tighten. Once you've removed the spring, open up the tool with the wrench and remove the spring from the tool. Now reinstall the tool onto the spring one coil further apart than you used to remove it. When you again collapse the spring fully solid it will install easily into the tabs that hold it. Fully open the tool. You'll now need to hold the spring in place as you pry the spring tool free of it using a large flat blade screwdriver.



Regarding holding the door in place while repairing/replacing the hinge pins and bushings: You can use a floor jack to hold the bottom of the door, but you'll need someone to hold the door steady while you're working on it. Another method that has been used is an engine lift (aka cherry picker) and a nylon strap. I bought a door hanging remover/installer from Harbor Freight. The jack supports the door from below, from the latch and from the top of the door. It is on wheels, so the door can be opened and closed a bit if necessary while working on it. I made several modifications such as lowering the jack mount location since many customers cars are lowered. I also modified the mount for the arm that holds the top of the door so it could be locked into an angle to match the angle of the door.

Lon Salgren
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