DOOR HINGE REMOVAL - 1971 A-BODY

[Hueydriver]

I am getting ready to rebuild the lower door hinges on my 1971 Duster and just want to confirm I need to actually remove the door to get the hinge off the car. Unless someone has a way to remove the hinge with the door still connected to the upper hinge. Once I have that confirmed I believe I will have everything else under control.

 

[Alaskan_TA]

If it has not been done yet, the upper hinge may be most or part of the problem?

It carries most of the weight when the door is open.

That said, I have removed hinges for rebuild before by opening the door, supporting it well and then removing, rebuilding and reattaching one hinge at a time.

 

[Hueydriver]

How do you get the lower hinge off? One the inside hinge (the one connecting to the body) the most forward bolt is inserted from the outside. I cannot see how to access the bolt head with the door still mounted.

 

[MoparLeo]

My specialty. Rebuilding door hinges on the car is like rebuilding and engine in the car. You will get the same results. The proper way is to bore and ream the pivot pin holes to the next oversized pin diameter. You won't know that until you disassemble the hinges. Like not knowing how much you need to bore a cylinder to make it round so you then know the correct piston size. And that is not a rebuild only a lower pin replacement. Often A-body lowers are cracked in the middle of the door side lower and the door check rollers are frozen. We replace everything, not just a couple of pins.
The lower hinges support the doors weight, that is why they uses steel on steel pin. The uppers locate the door and use softer bronze bushings.
If you want more, correct information. Contact me. My hinge info is a "sticky" on this site.

[email protected]

 

[Hueydriver]

I already have the rebuild kit with the reamer tool and the larger hinge pins. My question still remains, is it possible to remove the lower hinge with the door still attached to the upper hinge? Or does the door have to be removed to get to the forward bolt in the inner portion of the lower hinge.

 

[MoparLeo]

Get out your service manual for removal, install instructions. The door needs to be removed. Not hard but you should have a buddy.

 

[Hueydriver]

Thanks to everyone for your input. Once again the members in this forum have stepped up and assisted me in keeping my MOPAR up and running.

 

[moparmat2000]

If you remove the front tires, and remove the inner fender splash shields that shield the hinges from splashing water etc, you have straight in access through the wheel house area to upper and lower door hinge to door bolts with door closed, and those upper and lower hinge bolts that are visible from the hinge side in the jamb

 

[Ironracer]

If you remove the front tires, and remove the inner fender splash shields that shield the hinges from splashing water etc, you have straight in access through the wheel house area to upper and lower door hinge to door bolts with door closed, and those upper and lower hinge bolts that are visible from the hinge side in the jamb

Sneaky... love it

 

[MoparLeo]

Or you can follow the service manual instructions and just remove the kick panels inside.
Click on the attached file in post #6 . for factory recommended door removal procedure.
We are here if you decide to have a complete rebuild done.

 

[harrisonm]

Personally, I would remove the door. It really does not take that long, and if you mark the hinge's position, realignment does not take all that long. Just my opinion.

 

[Hueydriver]

Again I want to thank everyone for their input. I had already figured removal of the door was the way to go and all the responses I got support that approach and provided the techniques needed to make it quick and easy.

 

[Hueydriver]

OK - this is how it played out. I ordered a hinge restoration kit from
Restorations by Rick Kreuziger - Product and Component Restoration Detailed Information (restorick.com) . As recommended I removed the door to access the lower hinge, used Ricks kit to ream the holes, installed the larger pin, installed the new "S" spring, checked and lubed the original rollers, and reinstalled the hinge and door. Total man-hours expended was about 45 minutes and the door now hangs straight and closes as it should. I almost think I should add a post to the "How to Articles" list for replacing/rebuilding A-Body door hinges. Thanks again for all the input and help.