Driver side door is torn at hinge

[tophat36]

I was planning on replacing the driver side door hinges and noticed that the area next to the hinge is torn a good bit. How do I go about getting this repaired since I don’t weld?

Also, what is the best way to remove a door that has power windows and locks? I have only seen videos with no power. This is starting to look super involved and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. I wouldn’t care so much if it was the passenger side, but I would like the door to actually close well and I think it’s just going to get worse. I don’t want to go to the trouble of changing the springs and pins for it to not fix the problem. I’d rather just replace it all.

Would it be easier to try and find a new door instead?

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[edgephoto]

If you don't weld then replace the door. How rusted is the door otherwise? If not rusted why not remove the door and take to a body shop and let them weld it up for you?

 

[bucket]

Cracks like that are caused from letting the door fly open and bounce off the hinge stops.

 

[TotalyHucked]

^This. That door's been flung open a whole lot through it's life.

If it were me and the truck looks pretty decent/paint matches, I'd pull it off and take it to a shop to have it welded back up, then reinstall. It's not fun getting a power door off but it's not the worst job either. Gotta take the plastic kick panel off and find the wiring, once you get the plastic piece off you'll see the metal kick panel/side of the cab. There should be an opening toward the top that you can find the wiring through. I don't remember off hand where exactly the connectors are but they're somewhere down in there or might be just up in the dash.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Ricko1966]

I was planning on replacing the driver side door hinges and noticed that the area next to the hinge is torn a good bit. How do I go about getting this repaired since I don’t weld?

Also, what is the best way to remove a door that has power windows and locks? I have only seen videos with no power. This is starting to look super involved and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. I wouldn’t care so much if it was the passenger side, but I would like the door to actually close well and I think it’s just going to get worse. I don’t want to go to the trouble of changing the springs and pins for it to not fix the problem. I’d rather just replace it all.

Would it be easier to try and find a new door instead?

You must be registered for see images attach

Removing the door is basically the same with the exception of you have to go inside the door disconnect all electrical connections,pull them through the door at the boot. Leave the wires on the front floor board draped in between the door and the post. Disconnecting the wires usually will be pull the harness off the back of the switches,disconnect the wires at the lock actuator and the window motor.

 

[YakkoWarner]

Some of the switches have (unless its fallen off) a small retainer clip that you need to take off to disconnect the wiring from the switches. Not hard to do, but check before just yanking the wires, or you might just end up with a handful of bare ends.

I was at a salvage place last weekend looking for switches and saw some that still had the little spring loaded retainer clips - I had never seen them before so I learned something new that day.

 

[Sad Sack]

Some of the switches have (unless its fallen off) a small retainer clip that you need to take off to disconnect the wiring from the switches. Not hard to do, but check before just yanking the wires, or you might just end up with a handful of bare ends.

I was at a salvage place last weekend looking for switches and saw some that still had the little spring loaded retainer clips - I had never seen them before so I learned something new that day.

Kinda, but may not be doable, but sounds like a good time to put in quick disconnectors on wires going to door...maybe in case the door has to come off again.

 

[Ricko1966]

Kinda, but may not be doable, but sounds like a good time to put in quick disconnectors on wires going to door...maybe in case the door has to come off again.

I would not do this.^^^ it is one more point of failure,actually several more points to fail,3 on each wire 1st where you crimped or solder the connector to the door side wires 2nd where you attached the connector at the vehicle 3rd where the 2 connectors join. And the factory connections are not hard to undo. You will spend more time doing the quick connects,than just taking the wire off in the door.

 

[Sad Sack]

I would not do this.^^^ it is one more point of failure,actually several more points to fail,3 on each wire 1st where you crimped or solder the connector to the door side wires 2nd where you attached the connector at the vehicle 3rd where the 2 connectors join. And the factory connections are not hard to undo. You will spend more time doing the quick connects,than just taking the wire off in the door.

Good point! I like to think that "while I'm in there" what can I do extra. Haven't taken a power door off yet and was just toying around with the idea.

 

[Grit dog]

I would not do this.^^^ it is one more point of failure,actually several more points to fail,3 on each wire 1st where you crimped or solder the connector to the door side wires 2nd where you attached the connector at the vehicle 3rd where the 2 connectors join. And the factory connections are not hard to undo. You will spend more time doing the quick connects,than just taking the wire off in the door.

True story however I wouldn’t be afraid to do it and if one does a quality job, it won’t fail before the crusty 50 year old wires are junk.
But if one is just gonna crimp some cheap bullet connectors on with a pair of pliers, they would be better off not touching them.

 

[TotalyHucked]

I couldn't remember if there were already factory disconnects or not, looks like I was wrong. But I wouldn't think twice about making some, as long as quality connectors are used and proper crimps/soldering is done, it would never be an issue

 

[Ricko1966]

Okay well you couldn't do disconnects between the door and the pillar,so the disconnects would have to be inside the door or under the dash,inside the door,the door panel is already off,so just reach in and undo your factory wires,under the dash would take more time and be a bigger PITA than just pulling the door panel. Now if you were to change doors,you'd still have to pull the door panel and retrieve your one off custom door harness,and transfer it to your new door,or make sure whatever ever door you buy has enough harness with it to mate to your underdash quick disconnects. The hole while you're trying to cut strip and graft to crusty old wiring which will it more difficult.I can't see the appeal.Seems like making more work,not saving time. But to each their own.

 

[tophat36]

If you don't weld then replace the door. How rusted is the door otherwise? If not rusted why not remove the door and take to a body shop and let them weld it up for you?

I don’t have a reference for what is bad shape for a door. I suspect my door is decent enough to keep. What does it cost to have a body shop do something like this? How long also? I don’t have anywhere to really store my truck with the door off.

 

[Radiohead]

We have a heat spell coming up for a few days. I'd be more concerned about tweakers than the rain.

Can you put up one of those tent garage things where you're at?

 

[bucket]

I couldn't remember if there were already factory disconnects or not, looks like I was wrong. But I wouldn't think twice about making some, as long as quality connectors are used and proper crimps/soldering is done, it would never be an issue

There actually are harness disconnects, iirc. They are just hard to access. Maybe @Camar068 still has the pictures I sent him.