Front door hinge spring replacement

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Backfoot100

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Posts
374
Reaction score
643
Location
Florida
First Name
Eddie
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
C1500 Suburban
Engine Size
Carbed 350
The hinge spring on the drivers door of my 86 Sub is busted and needs replacement. I never realized what a PIA it is to not have the door stay open before. I've been scowering the threads, wiring diagrams and component locator views to get a game plan in place.

I was originally thinking that I had to remove the front fender to get at the hinge. That in turn means I need to remove the cowling as well as the headlights, bezels and trim around the headlights. I'm reading that it may be possible to leave the hood in place and prop it up but it's probably easier to remove that also.

After looking at the component locator views it looks like there should be wiring connectors just inside the kick panel coming from the door. If that's the case, I'm now thinking that it'll be easier to remove the door to get at the hinge. Keep in mind I have power windows and locks. See the attached locator view.

So what do the experts say? Fender or door? Which one is the right way to go?

You must be registered for see images attach
 

yevgenievich

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Posts
4,781
Reaction score
3,300
Location
Texas
First Name
Viktor
Truck Year
sad
Truck Model
very sad
Engine Size
less sad
Just take the hinge it self off. There is just enough room to do so. Or take the door off, but would have to drill out the rivets that hold the pass through rubber conduit piece. Wiring harness does disconnect on inside and hole is large enough to pass the connectors. Mark things for easier alignment
 

shiftpro

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Posts
4,855
Reaction score
6,085
Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
Do not need to remove anything! You can get one end of the spring in place and pry bar to get the other side in. Sorry I can't explain it better, and it has been a while but I have replaced several this way. You're creating a whole world of work taking off the door. I know it doesn't seem likely possible but it is.
 

Aceroth

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Posts
1
Reaction score
0
Location
NorCal
First Name
R
Truck Year
73
Truck Model
Blazer
Engine Size
388
+1 to just removing the hinge. There are a bunch of youtube videos on this. The only trick to it is that there is one bolt that you have to get from the inside.

I'm sure there are guys here who are skilled enough to change springs with it on the truck but those springs are no joke and I dont want to find out if I'm one of them.

You can get new springs for 10 or 15 bucks for both sides or get new hinges for like 30 bucks each. That was an easy call for 20 year old me and it's an easy call for 45 year old me. Just not the same answer.
 

shiftpro

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Posts
4,855
Reaction score
6,085
Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
It's like pulling the engine to change the oil...
Please don't advise someone to do more work when it's not required.
 

Backfoot100

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Posts
374
Reaction score
643
Location
Florida
First Name
Eddie
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
C1500 Suburban
Engine Size
Carbed 350
Thanks for the feedback gents.

I did already look at several you tube vids on changing the spring which included the pins and bushings but all of them had the fender off already. Ill have to search again about actually removing the hinge. I did see where the one bolt is accessed from inside too so I'm prepared for that.
The forward most bolt on the hinge seems to be the problem child. It's accessable when the door is open and going between the door and fender with a u-joint socket is about the only option but it still looks really tight. Ill have to look at revisiting that.

I already have the spring from LMC and the pins/bushings are fine. The hinge is solid with no sag at all so the only issue is the spring at this point.

I'm not so sure I'd try changing it with the hinge on the truck. That just seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

Ill keep you all posted.

Thanks again.
 

shiftpro

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Posts
4,855
Reaction score
6,085
Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
Thanks for the feedback gents.

I did already look at several you tube vids on changing the spring which included the pins and bushings but all of them had the fender off already. Ill have to search again about actually removing the hinge. I did see where the one bolt is accessed from inside too so I'm prepared for that.
The forward most bolt on the hinge seems to be the problem child. It's accessable when the door is open and going between the door and fender with a u-joint socket is about the only option but it still looks really tight. Ill have to look at revisiting that.

I already have the spring from LMC and the pins/bushings are fine. The hinge is solid with no sag at all so the only issue is the spring at this point.

I'm not so sure I'd try changing it with the hinge on the truck. That just seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

Ill keep you all posted.

Thanks again.
I slept on it last night and I remember a bit more. You get the spring in place and the top can get hooked in, but sitting high. Then with the big pry bar you can swing the lower part of the S over the location and with one hand on the bar, the grabs a hammer and taps spring down into place. What looks impossible
is really not that difficult.

I wish someone else here would chime in... I'm sure I'm not the only guy here who has figured this out.
 

idahovette

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2016
Posts
6,452
Reaction score
13,785
Location
Weiser Idaho
First Name
Perry
Truck Year
1975-1979
Truck Model
K20-K10
Engine Size
350
Back in the day our guys in our Chevrolet body shop did that very same thing. No door removal . Can't beat flat rate that way!!
I slept on it last night and I remember a bit more. You get the spring in place and the top can get hooked in, but sitting high. Then with the big pry bar you can swing the lower part of the S over the location and with one hand on the bar, the grabs a hammer and taps spring down into place. What looks impossible
is really not that difficult.

I wish someone else here would chime in... I'm sure I'm not the only guy here who has figured this out.
 

chengny

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2012
Posts
4,086
Reaction score
1,008
Location
NH
First Name
Jerry
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K3500
Engine Size
350/5.7
1. This may be the most critical step - get a plan in place to support the door while the upper hinge is off and the spring is being replaced. Those MF'in doors are GD heavy.

2. Locate the "hidden" bolt. It is accessed from inside the cab - through the A pillar. There is an opening way up on the inside wall - almost up near the grounding bus block - that hole allows access to the bolt head. The bolt heads are all 9/16" IIRC.

3. Release the 2 easily accessed bolts (the ones that screw into the pillar), and then remove the one that is threaded into the hinge plate from inside the cab.

4. At that point, the hinge can be removed from the door (3 more bolts) and taken to the bench - where the spring can be replaced.

5. Reassemble

You must be registered for see images attach
 
Last edited:

Backfoot100

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Posts
374
Reaction score
643
Location
Florida
First Name
Eddie
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
C1500 Suburban
Engine Size
Carbed 350
Success guys!!!!

I ended up using a combination of different suggestions. I first tried to get the spring in like Shiftpro and Idahovette suggested without removing anything. That didn't go so well.
I had the spring hooked into the bottom of the hinge and was pushing it up and then tried to figure how to get a pry in from the top to get it into its final resting place. It looked like the most logical way to try and install it in my feable mind. I was obviously wrong. Sometimes, admittedly I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

So I took the dash and kick panel apart and got the wiring connectors disconnected, which was a real bitch by the way. Got the door supported and took the bolts out then. Before I drilled out the rivets for the wiring grommet so I could remove the door completely, I realized that there was a quite a bit more room to get at the hinge so I took a second shot at putting the spring without without removing anything else.
This time I was able to get the spring in just like it was originally suggested...from the top. The spring dropped in from the top and then I pried from the bottom. Once it was levered over far enough a few light taps from the bottom with a hammer while still having pressure on the lever and it was done. It was truly effortless. I bolted the door back into place and hooked everything back up.

Afterwards I took a few pics to try and show how I levered it for others benefits.



You must be registered for see images attach



You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach



The pics show the spring in place already but I wanted to show where I was prying to get it into place. Now knowing what I did and how to do it, it would be easy to do it without removing anything as suggested.
The only issue I forsee is getting the right pry. You need to be able to get around the little wheels on the hinge (as pictured) while levering against the spring. A little experimentation to find the right lever will take a lot longer than actually putting the spring in.

Thanks again to all for your assistance.
 

norman baker

Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Posts
45
Reaction score
12
Location
ellijay,ga
First Name
norman
Truck Year
1976,1981,1982,1984 1985
Truck Model
k20 ,c10 ,c10,c20, c10
Engine Size
none, 250 ,305, 454, 305, 454 ,
great job
 

shiftpro

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Posts
4,855
Reaction score
6,085
Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
:favorites13:
If I did one, say... yesterday... I could have been more helpful describing the game. I'm sure the next time I need to do this I will be puzzled for a bit.
You're going to appreciate this job every time you swing that door open and it doesn't swing back shut on your leg.
 

rpcraft

Full Access Member
Joined
May 31, 2016
Posts
1,329
Reaction score
507
Location
Texas
First Name
Robert
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
Jimmy
Engine Size
LS 6.0 364 CID
Back in the day our guys in our Chevrolet body shop did that very same thing. No door removal . Can't beat flat rate that way!!

Can't beat flat rate so much they no longer do it...
 

rpcraft

Full Access Member
Joined
May 31, 2016
Posts
1,329
Reaction score
507
Location
Texas
First Name
Robert
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
Jimmy
Engine Size
LS 6.0 364 CID
Why in the world is anyone still using photo bucket?
 

Backfoot100

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Posts
374
Reaction score
643
Location
Florida
First Name
Eddie
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
C1500 Suburban
Engine Size
Carbed 350
Why in the world is anyone still using photo bucket?

Probably the same reason I still have a hotmail account and a carb sitting on top of my engine.....LOL.

I hate EFI and back up cameras and figure if you need a car that can parallel park or brake by itself you shouldn't be driving.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
41,857
Posts
903,628
Members
33,370
Latest member
mitchell1128
Top