having massive trouble taking off driver side door hing!

[cackler slayer]

I just went and picked up some new door hinges for the driver side door for my 92 x and am trying to swap them. the bottom hinge is a piece of cake but the top hinge is a different story! the stud that goes through the body and has the nut on the inside is a massive pain the @$$!! has anyone replaced this? Any advice will be greatly appreciated and possibly might save some tools from being thrown lol!

 

[solitary ogre]

on my right side door i removed the glove box and used a 1 1/4" hole saw to drill through the plastic and insulation to get at the nut with a socket. i dropped the nut and had to get a new one. using masking tape to hold the new nut on the socket so it won't fall down the hole.
i've not yet tried the left side but i notice the previous owner has cut a slot behind the upper plastic molding that runs between the dash and door. i guess he reached in with a box end wrench to get at the nut. the slot is about 1" wide by 1 1/2" tall. it looks like it was cut with a dremel or something similar. hopefully this has not compromised the structural integrity of the door frame.
another way of fixing the door hinges is to buy a bushing kit and replace both bronze bushing and install the new pin that comes in the kit. there is a how too section someplace here if you do a search.

 

[SPORTEXP]

Mine needed adjustment, so I had to go through the pains taking task of removing the emergency brake pedal bracket and what ever to get to the nut behind all that junk there.

Good Luck

 

[solitary ogre]

i unscrewed the plastic door post cover and snapped this picture. not sure if it is a good idea to cut there or not. this was done by the previous owner i guess.

 

[cackler slayer]

i had thought about cutting a small hole like that one in the pic but i wasnt sure if it would screw with the structure of the frame either? i can get a socket and a smaller extension on the nut part way without removing any of the e-brake assembly but the wad of wires that are down there are right in the way of getting the rachet on and being able to turn it without the socket coming off!

 

[DeRocha]

I assume you already read The Door Hinge Pin replacement thread correct?

 

[solitary ogre]

i had removed the right side door hinges before i found this website. now that i can see from DeRocha's pictures it would be easier to leave them in place and change bushings and pins. even with that slot cut in my door i don't wanna fiddle fart around with it. when it comes time to repaint my explorer, i'll likely weld up that hole.

 

[cackler slayer]

the hole that the pin went through was so far gone that if i would have put new pins and bushings in it wouldnt have solved the problem. the holes where very wallered out! i ended up cutting the small hole in the side of the door frame and had the hinges replaced in mins.

 

[DeRocha]

the hole that the pin went through was so far gone that if i would have put new pins and bushings in it wouldnt have solved the problem. the holes where very wallered out! i ended up cutting the small hole in the side of the door frame and had the hinges replaced in mins.

That's all you can do when the hinges are that far gone.. Did you take any pics, and how did you cut the frame? I'm thinking I should link the hinge replacement info to the hinge pin thread so others can find the info easier..

 

[solitary ogre]

'91 explorer's right side upper door hinge access hole with glove box removed. the nut is in the shadows deep down in the hole about 2 to 3 inches. most likely you'll drop the nut removing it. use masking tape to hold the new nut to the socket so it doesn't find a new home at the bottom of the door post hole.
sorry for a crappy picture, my camera is so big it won't fit into the glove box hole without a struggle. i used a white LED flashlight to light it up 'cause my flash was not able to open in the confined space.