Due to the amount of miles travelled by a truck, it is not uncommon for either damage or wear and tear to affect the door of the vehicle. This can lead to the need to change the hinge pin. Although replacing the entire door hinge is an option, this can be expensive and time consuming. It is, however, possible to simply change the hinge pin instead; this is a job that can be carried out by the truck owner and a helper. This article looks at the process of changing the hinge pin in a damaged truck door.
Get A Replacement Pin Kit
The replacement pin kit should not be expensive, and by taking the vehicle to a truck dealer, they will be able to match the exact kit requirement to your specific truck make, model and year. Once you have the replacement pin kit, you can commence work on replacing the damaged hinge pins on the truck.
Begin With The Lower Door Hinge
Assuming that you do not have access to an engine hoist to bear the weight of the door, you should have a helper instead. This also means that you will be required to change the hinge pins one at a time. You can purchase a pin removal kit from vehicle outlets or simply use a hammer and screwdriver; although, doing it this way may take you longer. Get your helper to support the door, and allow it to hang slightly out of alignment; this will give you enough 'slack' to be able to remove the pin. Once removed, you can insert the new top pin.
Insert New Top Pin
The pin kit that you purchased comes in two parts; a top pin and a bottom pin. The top pin is inserted first, and the bottom pin is then seated in the top pin. The insertion of the top pin into the hinge will be made easier by having your helper constantly adjust the door so that you can align the pin correctly. Once it is in place, the bottom pin has to be inserted into the top pin. To do this, cover the bottom pin with a cloth and gently tap it into place.
Repeat For Top Door Hinge
Once the pin is properly seated, you can move on to the top door hinge and repeat the process. Remember, it may take a little force to get the bottom pin to correctly seat in the top pin. This is normal as the pins are meant to be tightly fitted together.
If you do have access to an engine hoist, you can replace both the top and bottom door hinge pins at the same time. For more information, contact a business such as Duns Bros.
Share6 March 2015
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