Door Hinge Repair

-
dodgedart1968

dodgedart1968

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2021
Messages
184
Reaction score
44
Location
Amston, CT
I'm replacing the front door hinge pins/bushings on my '68 Dart. I purchased a Dorman kit P/N 38382 to facilitate repair. Rockauto says this is the correct kit.

The upper hinge presented no problems, and the pins and bushings fit correctly.

When I disassembled the lower hinge, there was no evidence of bushings, only worn pins. When I attempted to install the bushings, I found that their diameter was too large to fit the hinge holes. The pins are the correct length, but fit loosely in the hinge holes, and appear to require suitable bushings.

Does the lower hinge require bushings?
Does this kit have the wrong bushings?
If so, where do I source the correct bushings?

20220101_160149.jpg


20220101_160217.jpg
 
The bushing are for hole repair, drill out the hinge to fit the bushing.
 
The op has found out that the "rebuild kit" doesn't work without drilling out the lower hinge. Because it was never designed to use a bushing. Too weak. The lower hinge carries te weight of the door, the upper hinge only holds the top of the door in alignment.
Just drill it out like someone said and now the hinge cannot be "rebuilt" properly as you have now hogged out the pivot pin hole.
Those kits use GM pivot pins and the upper bushings from the Mopar 67 76 A-body upper hinge.
Besides drilling the hole out and you don't want to drill out both side of the hinges, there is nowhere for the bushing shoulder to go, like the upper. You will also have to file/grind one side of the hinge to make room for the bushing shoulder.
We drill the pivot hole to the smallest oversize that will make the hole round and then ream the hole to fit a custom sized pin.
Like boring a cylinder to the smallest oversize not .060 because pistons only come in that size... I will post some picture for you to see. One shows a hinge that was rebuilt with "bushings". The other shows how thin the hinge area is after drilling it out. Too weak now.And a common problem with A & B-body hinges that have cracks in the spring area.
If you want information on a professionally, rebuilt to factory specs, contact me.We also replace the roller/door check pins and springs that are commonly seized causing the main spring to fail as part of a complete rebuild. No pin,hack job.
Wonder why these "pin kits " have no instructions ?? Because they are just parts put in a bag. Mother Mopar never intended the lower to have bushings. So they won't fit without modifying the hinges.
This something you don't see until the eighties and beyond.
Leo
Member pricing.
Check my past customers here and on the other Mopar sites. Over 25 years and 1000's done.


modified hinge.jpg


bad hinge 2.jpg


bad hinge hole.jpg


bad hinge crack 2.jpg


HINGE REBUILD PARTS info.jpg


20200627_200828.jpg


20200627_200853.jpg
 

Attachments

  • DOOR-HINGE-PROCEDURE (1).pdf
    88.3 KB · Views: 107
  • 2021-MEMBER-PRICE-SHEET (3) (1).pdf
    75.2 KB · Views: 100
Personally I would not use the bushings on the hinge that does not have bushings from the OEM.

There are oversized pins available but you will have to search for them.

Then drill out the hinge to fit
 
Back in the 70's we used to drill that be-atch out, and put in a grade 8 bolt with a nylock that my dad brought home from work. We were a little less picky back then, and didn't have as much disposable income.....But, problem solved!:lol:
 
Great fix, just another problem created.
See our site "sticky" in the Classified, Interior parts " section.
Happy New Year and contact me for correct, quality work.
 
@MoparLeo what size are the lower hinge pins you use?

I believe the Dorman set requires a ream of around 13/32"(???).

Is your lower pin the same as factory size, but just needs a SLIGHT reaming of the hole to accommodate the bushing? Or, what is the total hole size with the bushing and lower pin?

Thanks
 
I will make it clear.... we do not use a bushing in the lower hinge. Just a steel pin of the correct oversize, just like the factory. The brass bushings were never used and will not last. Brass is too soft to support the door and will also wear out more quickly.
I use whatever sized pin it takes to make the hole round again. The upper and lower holes wear at different rates because of door weights, amount of lubrication that has been used, how many times the door has opened and closed in the last 50 years etc... In other words every hinge is different and no one knows what size it will need until it is disassembled and measured. The factory pin was a .338/.340 pin. The next oversize we use is a .375 or 3/8" We do have larger but unless the hole is centered and worn evenly there is usually not enough material left to support the pin properly
Then you need the proper sized drill bits and reamers to size the hole for the pin. Obviously the only way someone can sell you a "kit" that will fit is to have you hog out the hole larger than usually needed so that their parts will fit.
Like telling everyone who wants to rebuild their engine that they must bore the cylinder .060 over even if it is only .010. oversize. Because they only sell .060 piston kits.

We don't sell parts. We rebuild door hinges, completely. Not just a pin and spring.

Compare the pin hole sizes.
The upper hinge was the passenger side, the lower was the driver side.
These have not been drilled/reamed to size yet. You can see the difference in the hole sizes and offset. The driver was no good but the passenger was rebuildable.
We will only do it correctly.

20211223_141730.jpg


20211223_141738.jpg
 
Last edited:
Corey,
We got your hinge cores yesterday. Today I have been able to do a partial disassembly and inspection.
It looks like they may both be hairline cracked. I will know better when I do the total clean up/polish. Otherwise they look ok to rebuild.
Here are a few pics. If the cracks are more than superficial they can be welded up since there is no gap in the hinge crack area.
Thanks
Leo

20220106_120538 (2).jpg


20220106_120605 (2).jpg


20220106_120621 (2).jpg


20220106_124058 (2).jpg


20220106_124340 (2).jpg
 
Welding and refinishing broken hinges is not part of a rebuild. It adds 1-2 hrs to a rebuild as well as materials ( grinding discs, wire, etc...) We charge an additional $15. per hinge if needed. Of course you don't have to fix the cracks. Most hinges out there have this damage.
Our policy has always been that hinge cores be undamaged ( cracks etc...) unmodified ( Prior hinge rebuild attempts) Not excessively worn pins holes. Mopar only hinge cores, no Taiwan import stuff.
Check post #8 scroll to bottom and click on procedure link.
Let us know,
'Thanks
Leo
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top