Door Hinges...how hard?

[rusty ol ranger]

97 F250 HD (OBS)

My drivers door is hard to shut again. I had maaco replace the pins and bushings a couple years ago...the rigged it up cause the hinge holes were hogged out, the door never was quite right and now the bushings have failed...again.

How hard is it to replace the hinges themselves? It doesnt look to bad...4 bolts each but im mostly worried about A) Alignment and B) Physical door removal as far as the wireing harness goes (power locks and windows)

Input?

 

[superj]

Hold it up with a jack and some 2x4s. Align it with some wood shims. You can get it back to where it is suposed to be by tightening the bolts enough to hold the door in place, but let you move it to adjust it. I have done it on a few vehicles with full sized doors

 

[RobbieD]

When I did pins and bushings on mine I used a come-along suspended from a garage rafter to hold the door up, and a floor jack for the small adjustments. With just a floor jack the door was too wobbly and unstable, especially with the upper hinge disconnected.

I didn't have to remove the door for the pins and bushings. If memory serves, doing a hinge R&R would be much easier being able to get door out of the way as needed. I'd look at suspending it as described, and thus being to pull it back enough to access the hinge bolts. I think the harness would be easier disconnected inside the door, and just pull slack into the jamb as needed.

 

[Bgunner]

pins and bushings I am able to do them myself but hinges I've always had an extra person with me to help hold the door during removal and install. Once installed adjustments are able to be done by yourself but take your time and be fussy as the result seems to be better.

Start with door gaps (hinge adjustments) then move on to the striker seems to be the order in which I get best results.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Are the bolts short enough to get out of the hinge without pulling the fender?

 

[bobbywalter]

usually. just change the top one first. then the bottom one.



the best way to do it is to measure the lip of the fender and pull the fender off. then you shut the door...loosen them up and replace them and then shim the door into position....and initial torque and test minding the fender measurement.

after reinstalling the fender very carefully test open it. if you measured and met it you will be good...but just go slow.