Door Hinge Pins

[FellowTraveler]

That's an old carpenter's trick.

I've had to do this too on a few GMT400's I have owned.

 

[Big T]

Revisiting this. Completed passenger side and need to redo driver's side. This job is a royal PITA. I have broken countless bushings. Would be nice if they just sold the bushings separate. I can see that the bushings on the driver's side are broken, so they have to be redone.

I'm using a combination of engine hoist, floor jack and my wife to get the door in position.

 

[Will L.]

Iirc the dealership did sell them separate, but cheaper to buy the whole kit aftermarket.

 

[Husker6.5]

Soak the bushings in non-detergent 20 weight oil for a couple of hours before installing them so the oil can soak into the pores of the sintered bronze bushings. Not only will it help tremendously in keeping the hinge pins lubed, but it also makes installing the bushing easier, too. I used a 12" Channel-Lok pliers with a small block of wood between the jaw and bushing (to prevent damaging the bushing with the steel jaw) to press the new bushing into place. All four went in easy between the pre-lubing and the leverage the long handled Channel-Lok gave me. Easy job to replace all four front hinge pins and bushings on my Suburban by myself using just a floor jack to hold the door weight as I changed them out one at a time.

 

[Big T]

Got both sides done. 50% loss rate on the bushings. Presaoaking them probaly would have helped. I covered them in grease. Though the door rattle is much reduced, it did not get all of the door rattle especially out of the passenger side.

 

[1999gmc]

I only use dealer bushings anymore(been a mechanic for 24 years). I have had same problem with aftermarket bushings breaking trying to install them. Never broke a dealer one. Also on your door rattle, do you mean when you hit a big pothole or something you get that thump from the door like it bounces up and down? If so, mine quit doing that after I changed both door weatherstrippings.

 

[Big T]

I only use dealer bushings anymore(been a mechanic for 24 years). I have had same problem with aftermarket bushings breaking trying to install them. Never broke a dealer one. Also on your door rattle, do you mean when you hit a big pothole or something you get that thump from the door like it bounces up and down? If so, mine quit doing that after I changed both door weatherstrippings.

When I am offroad or on a rough road, it rattles. There's still play in the door after this install.

 

[Will L.]

Crappy bushings will do it. How worn is the door striker? (The round pin in the door jamb the latch grabs.)

Good new pins and door striker usually tightens everything up.

I dont get the soak bronze in oil thing. That is why they are bronze- they are self lubricating. Here in the desert, oil on the hinges or pins is a big no-no. The oil attracts fine dirt and the dirt wears them out very quickly. If anything gets added to brass or bronze as a lubricant it is graphite or teflon.

The oil in high humidity places may work great, idk.

 

[Big T]

Striker pins are worn. Where do you get new ones?

 

[Husker6.5]

Striker pins are worn. Where do you get new ones?

Last resort is Dorman. Otherwise a dealership or LMC. Also, if the pins are worn, there is a good chance that the latch is also worn and/or the mounting screws have loosened slightly.

 

[Husker6.5]

The same reason you have bronze valve guides, @Will L. , because the bronze holds oil. If it didn't your valve guides would be worn out in just a few thousand miles.

 

[Will L.]

That makes sense on the valve guides- never thought of it like that.
We used to get strikers from napa- never asked the brand.

 

[Big T]

Last resort is Dorman. Otherwise a dealership or LMC. Also, if the pins are worn, there is a good chance that the latch is also worn and/or the mounting screws have loosened slightly.

Latches are also worn. Where do you get those?

 

[WarWagon]

I would revisit @1999gmc comment about weather stripping. Our climates dry rot it badly and it is the shock adsorber for the door. You would be amazed at how much tighter it makes the doors with new GM weatherstripping. I have to slam my doors with new weatherstripping. Be prepared to spend $$$ as they are proud of them... of course it was the last thing I thought about after replacing pins, latches and the striker including adjustment. I did all the doors, the tailgate, and the strip under the hood to the cowl on our burb. The doors take the main strip and then a upper strip - they always need both done.

It's one of the best immediate improvement things I do to vehicles.

 

[Big T]

One step at a time, based on incremental cost. Today I ordered the Dorman striker pins, $12 with shipping from Rockauto. I got this.

 

[1999gmc]

I would revisit @1999gmc comment about weather stripping. Our climates dry rot it badly and it is the shock adsorber for the door. You would be amazed at how much tighter it makes the doors with new GM weatherstripping. I have to slam my doors with new weatherstripping. Be prepared to spend $$$ as they are proud of them... of course it was the last thing I thought about after replacing pins, latches and the striker including adjustment. I did all the doors, the tailgate, and the strip under the hood to the cowl on our burb. The doors take the main strip and then a upper strip - they always need both done.

It's one of the best immediate improvement things I do to vehicles.

And its nice to have the "POP" when you pull the handle to open the door. Old weatherstripping didn't do that. Not that there was anything dragging, but you would hear the click of the door latch releasing, but had to pull the door open. Now when you hear the click, the door pops open.