Culprit: 1987 Caballero
Problem: Sagging passenger door.
Complaint: Slamming at 3:00 AM.

How does one go about replacing the upper pins in the door? I have to SLAM the door in order for it to close and coming home at 3:00 AM wakes the kids across the street...has twice already and I try to be a nice guy. Where can I get replacement parts? Any help would be appreciated.

They are still available from GM but not cheap. I tried the new pins and bushings on mine but no luck. I finally just got new ones.

I tried the new pins and bushings on mine but no luck. I finally just got new ones.Wha?! New ones didn't work so you got new ones?! :huh:

Do you know the part number / approx. price?

I tried just new pins and bushings first.. Then got complete new hinges when the pins and bushings did not fix the problem.

If i remember right about $110 each.. Like i said NOT cheap!

There's a junkyard near my house with 2 5th gen Elkys. I could run over there and grab you a couple. Then you could give me some money and I could send 'em over to you.

How does one go about replacing the upper pins in the door?
http://elcaminocentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=150

Or you could build something simular to this....

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=2276&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=608&iSubCat=609&iProductID=2276

and still have your friendship and straight hinges when you are done. This tool allows you to move the entire door out of the way (keep all electrical attached) and could actually do both hinges at the same time

Or you could build something simular to this....
That looks pretty easy to build but I'd still be worried about the jack tipping over if only one person was working on the door. These are heavy, awkward doors on the 5th gens.

It's not hard to do at all if you have a friend.

Be careful the springs on the hinges are VERY strong i have a friend missing a knuckle and some other skin from doing this on his Elky.

I compressed the door spring in a vise & saftey wired the middle several coils so it would go right in. Then I just cut the wire. It worked well for me.

If you secure it to the floorjack it will not tip over.

For my fourth gen, had to take the doors off or cut the pins (already been replaced, had to lift out from the top, but the door body was blocking it from lifting out), so off came the door. Drilled out a few oblong holes and put in the super fat bushings from the dealer (maybe you don't need a new hinge?). Luckily, was able to recruit another guy, three of us in total to get that SOB back on. Clumsy and heavy, but pins and bushings did the trick. Dang near smashed my hand when my neighbor wasn't paying attention. Too bad the door panels are practically falling off. Oh well, one thing at a time I guess. Good Luck.
J

After reading this thread I just replaced both upper pins and bushings. I could not do it with the hinge in the door. Frankly don't see how it could be done on a 5th gen as my bushings required a press to get them it. I left the bottom hinge intact though with the door supported by my floor jack. Had the Mrs balance it for me. Getting the hinge out was awkward, but I finally did. Replaced driver's side and passengers (which was worse than drivers).

One piece of advice, get a pack of extra bushings. If you have to press them in they may crush.

When I got it back together, the doors were misaligned, which I figured was due to my taking off the hinges. I knew I would not get it back right, so I took it to a body shop. The guys there had all types of cars and insurance work piled up, but one look at my ride and three of them flew to it and had me out the door after lunch. Bill: $57 which I thought was reasonable.

One thing about the shop though, if you've never seen the lever deal they use to straighten sagging doors, you may want to do like I did; leave the car so you don't see it in action. It will make you think they are going to rip the door off.

Total cost, both doors less than $100. Doors work great now.

If anybody is looking for a tool to compress the spring in the lower hinges, MAC Tools has one, part number is: DST2190. Worked like a charm when I re-did my pins and bushings.

...I just replaced both upper pins and bushings. I could not do it with the hinge in the door. Frankly don't see how it could be done on a 5th gen...
Trust me, it can be done in under two hours with two people without removing the hinge from the vehicle. The big advantage to doing it that way is not needing to realign the door afterward.

I agree with Ernie. It was easier than I thought it would be.