Door Pins and bushings

Has anyone replaced the door pins and bushings on a 5th Gen. It's about time for me to give this a try and I'm looking for all the helpful tips and trick I can get....

Haven't done it yet either, but also getting ready to. Purchased the pin kit and an extra set of used hinges to rebuild, this way I don't have to take the doors off until I'm ready and it'll be just bolt the rebuilt ones on and put doors back on. Have you seen the price of new hinges, outrageous! Spent about $36 for a kit and hinges.

I've done several of the driver side upper hinge pin and bushings. It seems to be the only one that ever needs replacing. It's possible to do it on the car too. Get a new pin and some standard size and oversized bushings from your GM dealer or the HELP packages in any good parts store. Total parts are under $10. The best case scenario is that you only have to replace the pin and stock bushings. Worst case is the pin has worn through the bushing and damaged the hinge. Sometimes opening up the bushing hole and installing oversized bushings is necessary. I'll try to go step by step and not forget anything important.

1. Get a friend to help. A real big, dependable type of guy. The door's awkward and heavy.
2. Open the door about half way.
3. Support the outer end of the door, right at the corner with a floor jack and a piece of wood. I use a 4X6X12
4. Cut the crimped "tabs" from the top of the pin, or cut the whole top of the pin off.
5. Have the helper get a good hold on the door. Explain what you'll do to him if he drops the door.
6. Drive the hinge pin downward and out with a drift. This is where the helper is important because the door is now supported by only the jack and the lower hinge and can tip easily.
7. Have the helper very slightly, and very slowly, lower the outer end of the door with the jack so you can access and remove the two old bushings.
8. Install the two new bushings.
9. Have your helper slowly raise the outer end of the door high enough to install the new hinge pin from the top down, opposite of the original pin.
10. With a drift and a hammer, drive the hinge pin downward until the knurled end is set in the hinge.
11. Lube the new pin and bushings and check the adjustment of the door striker.

Total time: about 2 hours

:mrgreen:

Excellent Ernie, that's exactly what I was looking for...good directions.

Thanks

Ernie,

Thanks for the information re hinge pins. Replacing the pin in the driver's door was something I have been meaning to do, but procrastinated until I saw your post. My Elky is an '83 and some aspects were a little different but not materially.

The greatest difficulty was that I had to enlarge the upper bushing hole and that was really a bear with the door on. Didn't have a drill bit of the right size that was long enough to reach down past the door edge. I finally "McGyver'ed" a Dremel grind stone in a 10" piece of dowel that allowed me to use my drill to grind the hole just large enough to take the bushing with the help of a BFH.

Because I didn't have to take the lower pin out I was generally able to manipulate the door by myself using the jack approach you suggested. But my overall time was about three hours.

The door closes much better now. I expect the wind noise will be cosiderably less now,too.

Thanks again for sharing your experience; it helped immensely.

Dan

Ernie, Thanks for the information re hinge pins.

:D I'm glad it helped. Now it's your responsibility to pass this info (and your experience) on to others. There's lots of sagging drivers doors out there.

It's easier to do them before the pin starts wearing into the hinge like yours was. Once it wears into the hinge you have to open up the hole for the oversized bushing. The next time you do one it will be faster, now that you know what to expect.

:mrgreen:

Any helpful hints for replacing the doors and hinge pins for a 75 Classic, the alignment between the fenders and original doors is good, but the doors are about a quater of an inch concaved into the body where the striker and door come in contact. I just bought the doors from AllMetal in Texas for $400 for the pair, with glass and rust free, shipping included!!
Couldn't pass that deal up.
thanks
tom

5. .......... Explain what you'll do to him if he drops the door. :mrgreen:

I love that statement. :lol:

When you replacd the hinge pin did you also replace the round bearing that rides against the spring loaded door holder opener? Did you buy a hinge pin kit ? Where ? Does it come with the bearing or is that a seperate item? I've been procastinating for a long time also. Thanks for any info.

No, I didn't replace the round bearing. Yes, I bought a hinge pin kit. I got it at our local "Schucks" auto supply; it was with the "H.E.L.P." parts display. It didn't come with the round bearing; I don't know if that is a separate item 'cause I didn't look for one. Does seem reasonable that there could be one, though.
Good luck.
Dan

When you replacd the hinge pin did you also replace the round bearing that rides against the spring loaded door holder opener?

No, it usually doesn't need replacing.

Did you buy a hinge pin kit ? Where ?

I buy the pins and bushings at the local GM dealer. They are also available in the HELP packages at most auto parts stores.

Does it come with the bearing or is that a seperate item?

www.GMPartsDirect.com GM PART # 20497383 Roller w/pin F/D UPR HGE

:mrgreen:

Well, finally recieved my doors from AllMetal in Texas $400 for shipping, doors and glass(great price!!). Converted passenger door from power window/locks to no power window/locks, no problem...driver side door was a snap..the only problem was matching the upper hinge bolts, passenger side, the bolts in the original door were too large(1/2"x 20) for the new old door(7/16" x 20). Anybody ever run into this problem...??

tom

How about a phone number, e-mail address, or something for AllMetal, I need doors too!

These guys were great to deal with. Ask for Dan 1-800-726-6654

tom

I need help getting the correct pin for the door hinge. I need the upper outside pin and all the dealer has is a kit for the complete hinge for $131. and bushings for .75 a piece. Auto parts has HELP parts for large inner main door hinge #38400, but can not find smaller pin I need. Yes I'm new and have never done this before and it seems running parts is more of a headache than the rplacement it self. Can anyone give me the HELP part # please.
Thanks

I don't know if they are available. I checked my GM parts catalog and I don't find a listing for it. You may have to get a door hinge from a junkyard car to take it off, or bite the bullet and buy another hinge.

Thanks for your quick reply in this matter. Since the elky is the best made most saught after car in America (and not many made) there are not many around here, No. CA I guess I'll have to get a book on cross referencing other cars to pull from like Monty's and Cutless's. What's the book called? Thanks Jon :cool:

Read this first:
http://elcaminocentral.com/postt1936.html

Then read this:
http://elcaminocentral.com/postt1802.html

just as a side note, twoguysgarage.com just had an episode on doors,fenders, hood on 5th gen elky. y'all may want to check it out.

Yeah, that was a pretty good segment from twoguys. You can check out some of what they did on their website at www.twoguysgarage.com
Not a bad site :)

what about removing the fender to do this job ? that way the door could stay closed

?

or is there still no or not much room ?


the roller deal on our 85 is junk its sloppy as hell worn out and rusty

i need ot know where you can get new ones from i cant find that part number on gm parts direct

its no good


whoever said they usually dont need replacing hasnt been around too many cars apparently

i see them busted or missing all the time

commonly

and on all sorts of makes and models

theres quite a few elkies around here and this is just a small farming town,

but theres very litle of anything else around

rare to see an F body or a RWD car older than late 80s

no early 80s and older full size trucks anymore now

all gone

i knwo of about 5 or 6 elkies right off the top of my head right now, two or three are a few blocks from here, and then ours too


all are 78-up

i had a 77 gmc one a few years ago

shoulda kept it now but the floorboards were gone, it came from ohio ran and drove good thoguh. its still around town somewhere yet but someone smashed the windshield


thanks for anything

good luck

what about removing the fender to do this job ?
That would be lots of unnecessary extra work.

the roller deal on our 85 is junk its sloppy as hell worn out and rusty i need ot know where you can get new ones from i cant find that part number on gm parts direct its no good
GM PART # 20497383 Roller w/pin F/D UPR HGE However I think it has been discontinued.

Does it come with the bearing or is that a seperate item?www.GMPartsDirect.com GM PART # 20497383 Roller w/pin F/D UPR HGEAny idea where to get the same part for a 4th gen?

Thanks.

I can't remember where I bought my pins and bushings six years ago.

But it was OPG, or ECparts, or the El Camino Store, or Parts Depot, or whoever.

You can buy these for the/mine fourth generation most places. And I assume for all other models.

The trick is getting them in. It's a lot of work and takes three guys, or a door jack/stand and two guys.

DO NOT TAKE THE FENDER OFF, NO HELP!!!!

Mine need replacing again, wish me luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elky77

Any idea where to get the same part for a 4th gen? Thanks.
I checked my 4th gen parts books but the roller isn't called out as a separate item like it is on the 5th gen hinge. It looks like on the 4th gen the roller is a part of the complete hinge assembly. Sorry.

For what it's worth though, the hinge assemblies for the 4th gens are 9617202 (LH) and 9617201 (RH). The bottom hinge assemblies are 7722088 (LH) and 7722087 (RH). Who knows, they may pop up on ebay someday.

Converted passenger door from power window/locks to no power window/locks,
tom[/quote]

Hey Tom would you like to get rid of your power window stuff?