door hinges

modeleh · Post by **modeleh** » March 1, 2009, 10:42 am

What is the best way to get the door hinge pins out without damaging things? I need to replace the bushings. Are the pins just pressed in? Is the small disc with the 3 holes at the bottom of the pin a retainer?

Ford4jack · Post by **Ford4jack** » March 5, 2009, 1:07 am

If I remember correctly the 3 hole piece is spot welded on and it holds the pin from turning.
When going thru our 66's hinges I ground that piece off and drove the pin out with a drift punch.

There were no bushings in ours and they were well worn so I ended up drilling the pin holes out to 3/8 inch and cut pins from the smooth shank part of a long grade 8 bolt.
I cut a sprial groove the length of the pins with a cutoff wheel so they would take oil into them in the future and tack welded them in on the bottom.

The hard part was keeping the holes centered while drilling them and I did mess one up but I had a couple of extra hinges to work with.
Never could find a set that were tight after getting them cleaned and swinging well so this is the approach I used to solve the problem.

Hope this helps modeleh

modeleh · Post by **modeleh** » March 6, 2009, 10:35 am

Thanks ford4jack, I took my hinges off the doors and pressed the pins out on a hydraulic press. The 3 hole piece stays on the hinge bracket, I guess it's there to thicken the web of the bracket to give more surface area for the pin to sit in. The local Ford dealer says they have several sizes of oversize pins in stock, so I'm going there today to get some, and then use a reamer to machine the pin bore to size.

The Big M · Post by **The Big M** » March 6, 2009, 10:44 am

Good post, Ford4jack. Is it possible to modify the hinge to accept a bushing?

Ford4jack · Post by **Ford4jack** » March 7, 2009, 9:27 am

Never knew there were oversize pins

But then again our local dealer guy hides when asked about parts that are older than he is.
Sounds like a good way to go.

There's room for a bushing in the hinge Big M but the pin and reamer sounds like the way to go.

Y'all remember to tell folks not to slam the door I've had that problem a few times now.

modeleh · Post by **modeleh** » March 7, 2009, 10:54 am

Well, after getting down to the dealership, of course you always find out what they told you on the phone isn't really how it is... They have replacement pins, all the same size. They have an assortment of bushings with various oversizes of o.d. and the i.d. to fit the new pins.

The replacement pins I had in my hand at the dealer were .003" larger o.d. than the unworn o.d. of my original pins. My hinge arms weren't terrilbly sacked so I got away with just replacing the pins.

After I installed them I tightened the axial play of the mechanisim by peening the bottom of the pin. Sort of like hot setting a rivet. I doub't these hinges will ever have to come apart in my lifetime, but if needed, I'd just have to grind the "peen" off to press out the pins.