Driver side door is torn at hinge

[tophat36]

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

Yeah exactly and my neighbor is one of those tweakers…. the truck will technically fit in my garage but it’s tight and my daily driver needs to charge in there.

 

[legopnuematic]

Honestly, if there is no immediate need to take action to make the door operate, just ignore it for the time being. Especially if storage is a concern or finding someone to do the welding needs to happen first.

Maybe stop drill the ends of it to help mitigate propagation of the crack.

Remember, it didn’t crack overnight, and the door won’t fall off tomorrow (I’d hope), just don’t throw it open, jump or hang off or it.

 

[tophat36]

^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.

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Found a shop that charges $125/hr and he thinks it should take under an hour. Since I gutted the interior that kick panel is already removed. I’ll see if I can find the disconnects tonight.

To get the hinges off, is there any way to do that without removing the fender? Looks like there’s a special tool…is that the only way?

 

[legopnuematic]

Unbolt hinges from the door, with door removed unbolt hinges from A-pillar. The upper hinges have one bolt that needs to be removed from under the dash.

 

[Sad Sack]

I made this for my floor jack to help me take off doors and put back on by myself.

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Helps quite a bit.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Found a shop that charges $125/hr and he thinks it should take under an hour. Since I gutted the interior that kick panel is already removed. I’ll see if I can find the disconnects tonight.

To get the hinges off, is there any way to do that without removing the fender? Looks like there’s a special tool…is that the only way?

Just take the door off the hinges first, then you can get tools in there to get the hinges off the door post. Should be a 9/16" headed bolt. I just use a jack and a block of wood underneath for the door to sit on while you balance it and get the bolts out.

 

[tophat36]

Just take the door off the hinges first, then you can get tools in there to get the hinges off the door post. Should be a 9/16" headed bolt. I just use a jack and a block of wood underneath for the door to sit on while you balance it and get the bolts out.

So what’s all this nonsense about needing to take the front fender off to access those bolts? Is that for suburbans or something?

 

[tophat36]

Just take the door off the hinges first, then you can get tools in there to get the hinges off the door post. Should be a 9/16" headed bolt. I just use a jack and a block of wood underneath for the door to sit on while you balance it and get the bolts out.

Also for installing new hinges while I’m at this…what are high quality replacements? Should I get the LMC truck ones or is there a specific brand I need to go with. I don’t want to do this again!

 

[legopnuematic]

You don’t have to take the fender off to remove a door, but it does make it easier. As far as setting body gaps, starting from the back of the cab, moving forward is the “correct” way to do it as the B pillar is a fixed reference, or datum if you prefer.

Especially if you are fitting a new door, the fender is already off, type of deal.

With the fender removed one can remove the bolts with the door closed, grab the front and the handle and open the door and remove it from the opening easily solo. With the fender on you’ll need a helper or a floor jack or jig like @Sad Sack made up.

 

[Ricko1966]

Also for installing new hinges while I’m at this…what are high quality replacements? Should I get the LMC truck ones or is there a specific brand I need to go with. I don’t want to do this again!

Why don't you rebush your existing hinges. In place preferably. Match mark your hinges and door,going back together shouldn't require much if any adjustment..

 

[tophat36]

Why don't you rebush your existing hinges. In place preferably. Match mark your hinges and door,going back together shouldn't require much if any adjustment..

Because I’ve seen and read about people online who did the rebuild only to require new hinges because it didn’t solve the problem. I don’t want to do double the work if after I rebuild them and I have to just replace them altogether…I dunno. Is there a way to know if the hinges themselves are shot definitively?

 

[TotalyHucked]

Also for installing new hinges while I’m at this…what are high quality replacements? Should I get the LMC truck ones or is there a specific brand I need to go with. I don’t want to do this again!

Alot of guys feel taking the fender off makes things easier. I disagree unless you're replacing the front clip. I've hung doors many, many times with the fender still in place.

I have our AMD hinges on my truck, the work great!

 

[Ricko1966]

You have to inspect them if they aren't bent or cracked they are repairable. Since you can't weld,maybe you should just get new ones,if the pin holes are worn out you'll need to weld and redrill,or tack the pins stationary. If the pins holes aren't oblong I see no reason not to rebush.

 

[bucket]

Imho, anyone that wants to work on their own project vehicles would benefit from owning a budget mig welder. Practice gluing some scrap metal together and then put what you've learned to work. In a few repairs it will have paid for itself.

 

[Grit dog]

Is the door hanging, warped, closes like sht? Are the hinge pins loose?
Have you put some pex on the striker and shimmed out the bottom hinge so it closes easier?
Is the door nice otherwise as well as matching?
No context to know whether this is the primary issue or not.