Door alignment

[blacknome]

That's a great topic. Thanks.

What is the special tool everyone is talking about? It looks like it would be difficult to get in there with the spring compressors I've seen.
Couldn't you avoid elaborate door hanging schemes by just supporting it from the bottom and doing one pin at a time?

Door Spring Compresser is $8.99 from Princess. I used it to get the spring out and my biggest screwdriver to get it back in. However I don't think you can get around removing the door to replace the bushings because the replacement bushings all drop in from the top.
Really the door only has to pull back a couple inches so placing it on straps is better than lifting from below because you can swing the door using rope or straps.
When I did it I recall putting the window down and taping the straps together thru the windowframe to keep the door from "kicking-out".
On a difficulty scale of 1-10 with 10 being hardest it was a solid 6 with the most difficult part being the support of the door.

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product ... pring-Tool

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I will be putting up a how-to in the General procedures section tonight. I just did both doors today. The bushing go in from the top and bottom so the door must be separated from the hinge enough to remove/replace the bushings. Overall it was fairly easy.

[MountainManJoe]

Awesome. Thanks Lifted. And thanks for the tool link blacknome. I this forum.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

It's done...located in the General Procedures here.

[MountainManJoe]

I think I'm SOL. There is no play in the hinge pins. The bottom outside hinge body seems to be flexing against the door.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

The hinges on my doors flex a LOT too! I don't remember the SPB ever doing this. Seems like the PO used the door as his support to climb in rather than the grab handles or steering wheel.

[MountainManJoe]

It could be from wheelin' too. All that flexing will weaken metal. I'm going to wait till Spring to do this. It's too bloody cold out and it's not hurting anything in the meantime.

[astroturf]

In the meantime, you could try this...

http://www.eastwood.com/e-z-store-door- ... -tool.html

[MountainManJoe]

that'll do shack jit

[astroturf]

Er Um OK...

Go finger it out fer yerself then smarty britches!!!

gOOD lUCK cHUCK

[MountainManJoe]

Jim, I think that tool is for cars with adjustable hinges. Our Astrofaris have a retarded fixed spot welded design which does not allow for normal wear and tear.

I noticed that actually both my doors hang. When I get to it, I'll replace the door pins and bushings and that will probably do the trick. The strip of reinforcing metal inside the door is flexing too, but to fix that, the door has to be taken apart, re-welded, and repainted at about $250/door. Or gamble on a JY door. I'll be happy if I just get the doors to open properly. Such cosmetics can wait for warm sunny days or heated garages.

[astroturf]

Well Alrighty Then

[MountainManJoe]

We finally had "t-shirt weather" this weekend, so I decided to launch mission door bushings.

First, the supplies...

* Dorman front door hinge pins + bushings. $5.50 per side.

* Door spring compressor tool. $5.00 at Princess Auto

* Solid brass punch set (also called drifts). $10.00 at Princess Auto

Both these tools just happened to be on sale. Sweet!

[MountainManJoe]

Since I have nothing the hang the doors from, I did it differently from other members here. Read on!
(I apologize for the slight blurriness. I had to borrow a camera, and it kinda sucked)

The spring tool is an absolute marvel of technology. It made the removal+replacement super easy. Position it over the spring so that you enclose almost all of the coils. Otherwise it won't work. Use a hammer to drive the jaws deep into the spring.

Then use a 1/2" wrench to tighten the jaws until the spring easily lifts out. Set aside for later. (somewhere safe in case the spring decides to come out)

Next, I removed the door trim. There are two torx bolts in the handle under some plastic covers, and one philips screw beside the tweeter. The rest is held with clips. Peel off the foam membrane and unplug all electrical connectors.

Now the hinge pins. I ripped out the retainer clips with needle-nose pliers. No need to be ginger here.

Then, support the door from below, and drive the pins out.

[MountainManJoe]

I inserted a punch into the hinge to hold the door steady, and pulled all the electrical plugs through the round opening.

Then, balancing the door (which is still supported from below) with one hand, I removed the punch with the other, and carried the door away. Now I have plenty of room to work!

Next, drive out the old bushings.

This one was in pretty bad shape.