Suburban Barn Door Removal?

[Big T]

Thanks for taking the time to post all these pics, very helpful. Thinking of the same project myself. Saw a set of barn doors on Craigslist (mine are rusting out bad on the bottoms) and wondered how difficult to not only get mine off, but the ones from the vehicle getting scrapped as well.

Easy to get them off: your only option is to cut the hinge as they're welded to the body (despite the two bolts holding them). I followed the Dremel cut and pin drill out instructions here. I broke several bits doing the drilling. This was the hard part of the job.

 

[ABurbAgain]

Easy to get them off: your only option is to cut the hinge as they're welded to the body (despite the two bolts holding them). I followed the Dremel cut and pin drill out instructions here. I broke several bits doing the drilling. This was the hard part of the job.

I don't have a Dremel tool, but the bushings (at least the top flanges) on my current door hinges are pretty much wasted away and leaving a gap that a sawzall blade should slip into. I've got an angle grinder and everything else I should need. If I can buy the doors, that'll give me an excuse for a new set of drill bits as well. Got about 4 misc sets, but they are all getting pretty well aged and dull. I'll check into the source mentioned earlier for the new pins too. Glad I found this forum.

 

[Big T]

I don't have a Dremel tool, but the bushings (at least the top flanges) on my current door hinges are pretty much wasted away and leaving a gap that a sawzall blade should slip into. I've got an angle grinder and everything else I should need. If I can buy the doors, that'll give me an excuse for a new set of drill bits as well. Got about 4 misc sets, but they are all getting pretty well aged and dull. I'll check into the source mentioned earlier for the new pins too. Glad I found this forum.

Got two white barn doors from a Suburban that's lived in California its entire life. $25 for each, but boxing and shipping them to Ohio would be a killer.

 

[SC170nFL]

Just picked up a pair of doors from the local you-pull. Doors were priced right at $40 each. Used the sawsall for junk yard removal, but removal of the pins has been giving me a fit. Guess I'll continue trying to drill them out.

 

[hockeydude]

Hi Turbine Doc, I am about to try to remove the hinge pins. Looks like you had to apply heat to the hinge from the metal discoloration. Someone suggested to me to drilling straight down through the pin with successively larger drill bits, so the material collapses towards center and pops out with a few hammer whacks...is that fantasy? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Big T]

Hi Turbine Doc, I am about to try to remove the hinge pins. Looks like you had to apply heat to the hinge from the metal discoloration. Someone suggested to me to drilling straight down through the pin with successively larger drill bits, so the material collapses towards center and pops out with a few hammer whacks...is that fantasy? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

This^^^^^is how you do it. The pins are tough to drill and I broke several bits. Good luck.

 

[vette man]

Thanks Turbine Doc for really good pictures and advice am in the middle of removing pins from donor door, great fun drilled to almost through don't want to come out need to buy steel rod and give it another try...........Vetteman

 

[Big T]

I'm back doing this project. Was never happy with the peeling clear coat, so bought another clean blue door at a boneyard. Also replacing a rear driver's side door as it had a bubble of rust coming through. Much quicker and easier for me to replace with matching blue doors than to do rust repair and repaint.

 

[traumachsr]

Hello group, so I have been reading about the hinge removal of the barn doors, so I purchased a pin removal tool, the pins that came with the tool are bent and unusable, I was just able to get the top one off (far right pin). I'm just wondering if it's supposed to be one piece or two?
Thanks.

 

[Will L.]

I ain't neverseen one quite like that before!

Yeah, should be straight. And 1 piece iirc.

 

[Big T]

Hello group, so I have been reading about the hinge removal of the barn doors, so I purchased a pin removal tool, the pins that came with the tool are bent and unusable, I was just able to get the top one off (far right pin). I'm just wondering if it's supposed to be one piece or two?
Thanks.

So what's this pin removal tool? First time I did this job, I drilled out the pins and that was a PITA. I'm always interested in new tools, so please show and tell me where I can buy.

 

[jrsavoie]

So what's this pin removal tool? First time I did this job, I drilled out the pins and that was a PITA. I'm always interested in new tools, so please show and tell me where I can buy.

The pin removal tool my friend made was a Minnie C press

 

[Big T]

The pin removal tool my friend made was a Minnie C press

Have no idea what a Minnie C Press is.

 

[jrsavoie]

Have no idea what a Minnie C Press is.

It looks like a ball joint press only much smaller. IIRC it was cut out of 3/4" bar stock. Probably 3/4" x 3"