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OK guys, about ready to tackle my badly sagging door hinge. I have seen several different solutions since I think one of the hinges is actually welded on.
What have you guys found as a good solution/replacement to fix this common problem?
My driver side door was pretty saggy after 177k, but you should not replace the hinges. There is a $20 kit with new pins and bushings. It made my door good as new, took some time but do not waste your time/effort/money on replacing the entire hinge, because there is a 99% that only the pins and bushing are bad, not the whole thing
While it is possible that the hinge as bent as well as needing new pins, you sill do not need to replace the hinge. Start by replacing the pins, if that doesn't quite do it there is a door alignment tool that acts like a pry bar to bed the hinges back right, most body shops have one and might let you use it in the parking lot if you ask real nice.
I replaced my upper and lower bushings to fix a sagging door. I still had a sagging door. My lower door hinge that is bolted to the body needed replaced. If your bushings won't stay in the hinge when you go to replace them, it may need the hinge replaced. FYI
I didn't say this, but when my dad and I took them out he just slid a large screw driver into to control it when it popped out, then for putting it back in... We put it in a bench vice and tightened it down, then held it in place with 4 zipties. Very dangerous and I am not responsible if you get hurt, but even when we cut it down to one ziptie it could hold the spring.
If you don't have access to a spring compressor... well... Try what I just said
No no no no, that spring can seriously hurt you. A hinge spring compressor can be bought from places like harbor Frieght or northern tools for like 5 bucks. Do not risk doing it any other way unless you have amazing dental insurance. Or have a fetish for eye patches.
If you don't have the specific door spring compressor tool, I've also seen it compressed and held in place with wire.
A ladder and some strap hangers are also handy to support the door while you work on the hinges.
Where did you source the replacement lower door hinge piece?
For the love of god if you have 91-92 rs door trim take it off before you do the ladder/strap trick. That's an extensive and hard piece to find. Ask me how I learned that.........
I parked mine under the beam in my garage, then used some ratchet straps up over the beam. With the straps tightened and a floor jack and a piece of wood under the door you can push out the pins and have the door supported and suspended. The jack and straps give you a few inches of wiggle room to wheels the door away from the car while you make your repairs. I have a 91 and didn't have a problem with my door trim using this method of dual support from above and below. Put a couple layers of painters masking tape on your fender and door edges too...just in case you get a little crazy trying to line the door back up.
OK, finally getting around to this. Finally got the car running NOW time to do the hinges. Got the kit and it's all rigged up and supported but how the hell do you get the old pins and bushings out? Thing looks damn near rusted in there? Any tricks?
Also, it looks like the Dorman kit came with the parts to re-do the top and bottom hinges. Those top pins look impossible to get out..?
Correct, each Dorman kit does one door top and bottom. I believe you have to grind the top ones out with maybe a Dremel. I haven't done this job yet. Hopefully soon. Show some pics if you can. I'd like to see how you have the door supported.
Correct, each Dorman kit does one door top and bottom. I believe you have to grind the top ones out with maybe a Dremel. I haven't done this job yet. Hopefully soon. Show some pics if you can. I'd like to see how you have the door supported.
No idea how I'm going to do this without removing the door. If I do have to grind those top pins off, it's pretty tight in there.
I used a Dremel tool to grind off the swaged ends of the of pins. Then just find whatever you can fit in there to tap them out. There really is no easy way to do it. Good luck.
Yip, works pretty well too. Would work better on a concrete floor, but any surface will do. You don't have PERFECT control of the door like you would a door dolly, but this is pretty controllable all things considered. I moved my door backwards 1/8" and up 1/8" (PO had it screwed up so bad...), and also removed the lower hinge, painted it and replaced the pin and roller. If you replace hinges be sure to mark where the old ones were (that is, if they were in the right place, and mine weren't...lol). I had an easier job to a point though because my lower hinge was not OE. It was a replacement, drilled and bolted to the door like a 4th gen, so easy to take off.
Looks like the ladder method may be the way I'm going to go. Any tricks to getting that lower pin out without removing the hinge? I thought about after having the door supported and the swaged ends grinded off that I would cut the pin in half and try to get it out that way.
Looks like the ladder method may be the way I'm going to go. Any tricks to getting that lower pin out without removing the hinge? I thought about after having the door supported and the swaged ends grinded off that I would cut the pin in half and try to get it out that way.
I cut the thing off with an air dremel (lower pin).. just went quicker.
Also, as a not.. check just under the lower hinge and make sure it did not "cave in". Apparently someone either sat on my door or water was in the door for a while causing the metal to bend inwards which causes sagging (previous owner).. Using an alignment tool can pop it back out once new pins are in / door is bolted back in place.
OK, that was the worst job EVER! Good Lord it took me 6 hours. What a major PITA! Anyway, the sag is gone but the door really needs to be shut hard for it to engage properly. Almost a slam to get it engaged.
Could this be the latch going or gone bad? No idea how long it was bad and how many times it got slammed with the latch closed. Help! Ideas?
Just the one door. It's just such a bitch to get in there with any kind of Dremel or other tools. Had to cut one of the upper pins by hand with a hacksaw blade. Brutal! Eventually just removed the door. If I ever have to do that again, it will be too soon!
Let's put it this way...I would rather go get a double root canal than do that job again! However, the ladder worked out great and I used a floor jack under the door as close to the car as I could. It's just so tight in there to try and grind the uppers off. I went through a ton of grinder bits for the dremel. I think they got too hot and the glue holding the stone onto the shaft got soft and the stone kept falling off. Just a major PITA!
Yeah, sounds like you need a new latch. They are hard to come by w/o paying a mint usually. I'd like to put a new one on my drivers door, but don't want to spend $50-90 for a latch. You might try taking it off, cleaning, and re-oiling if you can't or don't want to get a new one.
Maybe you can adjust the latch. I saw three screws on mine.
If you see the bottom of the door dragging badly on the car than its possible the hinge is bent.
Body shops have this tool that can raze the door a little bending it back in place.
Or buy this one.
You just unscrew it with the star socket on mine, is yours different? The striker nut is SUPPOSED to adhere to the inside of the door jamb so you can just unscrew it and screw it back in. However, I've noticed mine is loose so I don't take it all the way off. IIRC, if it comes loose or drops, you can reach it from inside the sail panel by taking the rear speaker off, maybe use an extension with a magnet on it? But either way, there is no adjustment on that, it just screws and unscrews.
Last edited by TheExaminer; Sep 13, 2015 at 11:27 AM.
I replaced my upper and lower bushings to fix a sagging door. I still had a sagging door. My lower door hinge that is bolted to the body needed replaced. If your bushings won't stay in the hinge when you go to replace them, it may need the hinge replaced. FYI
Turns out this is my problem too. Where did you get that new hinge piece?
Be thankful you can get them at all -- my '02 T/A needs one BAD and they're discontinued with no one making them aftermarket. I'd gladly pay twice that if I could find a new one for my 4th gen.
And I have seen people weld on thick washers or thick pieces of metal and drill new holes to repair hinges that are wallowed wider than the bushings.
I've done exactly that a couple times. Drill the washer or whatever and fit the pin first. Then after you figure out how much "lift" you need spot weld the washer. Remove pin, weld, grind, paint. Then re-install pin in repaired hinge.
The door on my 85 Trans Am was sagging badly too, I had to get another lower hinge as mine had wallowed out and the new bushings would not stay in. The question I have, there were four bushings in the kit I bought, two that I pressed into the new hinge and two thinner, smaller ones. Are these used on the part of the hinge that is welded to the door? The pin is a little loose on the welded part of the hinge.
I don't have any reference pictures since my PC crashed, but I believe you are correct. 2 bushings for the hinge part on the door and 2 bushings for the hinge part on the car. I have to do mine this year...
Whats the best way to do these bottom hinges? All I can seem to find is the one Im pointing to. What about the one with the bushing on it? The Rail bounces along it. Geting some gouging now on the metal frame (took ground effect off).
Is the dorman 38401 this pin? Lower hinge
lower hinge. ignore the text in pic. when uploaded to facebook, stupid filter applied.
Where can I find this pin and bushing? lower hinge
