Door Hinge repair

[Jack P.]

Hi, need some help and advice before I do anything foolish with my 66 roadster door hinges.

After 44 years , the driver side hinge (s) have developed a bit of an egg in position hole in the hinge bracket . New pin bushings and pins do not help because the pin moves in the bracket hole.

Do I send it out, (where ? ) Can I fix it , or have some machinist fix it ?

Drill out the holes and use oversize bushings and pins if I could find them ?

Your thoughts

Jack

[Timothy B.]

Re: Door Hinge repair

Jack,

Correct me if I am wrong but the bracket is not that thick so machine work may not be the best choice. I would look for some good hinge parts.

[Dick W.]

Re: Door Hinge repair

I would have a machinist install a thin sleeve

[Peter J.]

Re: Door Hinge repair

Jack,
Are you talking about the hinge itself or the door portion?

[Dick W.]

Re: Door Hinge repair

Just had a thought. I believe the pin is a standard size that would be the same as an engine valve stem. I think that a bronze guideliner that is used in a valve guide repair would make a very good repair.

[Edward J.]

Re: Door Hinge repair

Jack, like you said there are oversize bushing kits that are made, I thought I remember getting a kit at the local auto parts store, I think it was from the HELP line, they make many small parts for cars. The last kit I brought was for a Ford mustang with the same problem you had.

[Jack P.]

Re: Door Hinge repair

I would have a machinist install a thin sleeve

That is what I wanted to hear. Could you use one of the pin bushings as a sleeve or would it be to soft.


Jack

[Jack P.]

Re: Door Hinge repair

Jack, like you said there are oversize bushing kits that are made, I thought I remember getting a kit at the local auto parts store, I think it was from the HELP line, they make many small parts for cars. The last kit I brought was for a Ford mustang with the same problem you had.

I thought about it, because my bushings were marked " thin " the problem is, that the door hinge (the heavy part that you attach door to ) is fine, the new pin & bushings tighten everything up as far as that goes.

The problem is in the bracket that attaches to the frame. The hole on the bottom is out of round, and lets the door move up and down,

I was hoping to have the holes drilled and sleeved . I know it is thin metal, but I should try it first , before getting a "new rebuilt one " from a vendor.

Jack

[Dick W.]

Re: Door Hinge repair

Those guideliners are bronze. You drill the parent bore slightly oversize, install the liner, and them machine the liner to the proper size.

http://www.cylinderheadsupply.com/valve-guide-liners.html

[Jack P.]

Re: Door Hinge repair

Those guideliners are bronze. You drill the parent bore slightly oversize, install the liner, and them machine the liner to the proper size.

http://www.cylinderheadsupply.com/va...de-liners.html

Thanks for the reference, looks like a do able job,, I know someone local with the proper equipment to do the job.

Jack

[Jack P.]

Re: Door Hinge repair update

Hi,

I wanted to update you on my hinge repair.

What I discovered : As I got back my hinges from the car from the painter.

It was not the hole in the frame bracket that was out of shape, but the distance between the bracket holes had grown over the years on the bottom hinge bracket on drivers side. This allowed the hinge to move a bit up and down, regular new bushings and the lip that sat in the hinge did not fill the gap. I found Jeep bushings that had a thicker lip that sat in the hinge hole. This thicker lip filled the space much like a shim. The hinge could not move up or down and was locked in place.

I am sure this in not just a problem for my car. Replacing the bushings with new ones will not cure the problem, if the frame bracket is wider from age. You need a shim to take up the space

Jack