Author Topic: help with hinges....desperate....  (Read 958 times)

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Offline mike alain

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help with hinges....desperate....
« on: Thursday,November 19, 2020, 01:46:40 PM »
Folks,   ok I have all the nuts  very very lose,  not on threads anymore,  I have drilled out the cotter pin,   nothing moves, I do not know what to do next,  the shop manual  does not tell me.   really need some help... the door is removed,  broke the body to get it out,   now what????

Offline Grumblebuns

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #1 on: Thursday,November 19, 2020, 02:00:43 PM »
Mike,  :Welcome:

Sorry to hear of your problem with the damaged body. Can you post some pictures of the situation, will be helpful in figuring what to do next.

Offline Sandyman

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #2 on: Thursday,November 19, 2020, 02:16:25 PM »
Sorry to hear that you are having door hinge problems. The not so destructive method for removing but sacrificing the hinges is to cut the shaft above the door and below the door. Use penetrating fluid and vice grips to loosen the upper part of the shaft and tap the lower part of the shaft out with a drift. RD enterprises sell stainless steel replacements. Subject to confirmation by other forum members I seem to remember that the bottom of the pivot pin shaft has a threaded hole so you can attach a slide hammer to help remove the pin. Good luck.
Sandy

Offline Sandyman

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #3 on: Thursday,November 19, 2020, 02:17:52 PM »
Mike, Where in this tiny country are you?

Offline BDA

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #4 on: Thursday,November 19, 2020, 02:25:54 PM »
 :Welcome: Mike!!

As Grumblebuns said, pictures would help for specific advice but in general, you should not be afraid to cut up the hinge pin. I used a hacksaw blade in a handle (as opposed to a hacksaw “frame” saw). A sawsall (Harbor Freight has them for $25) could be a good investment.

In case you are unaware, the bottom of the hinge pin has a threaded hole that you might be able to use to your advantage.

Offline BERNIEHUMBER

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #5 on: Thursday,November 19, 2020, 04:52:14 PM »
HI Mike:
Sorry to hear of your grief!
I had the same problem and I ended up drilling a hole in the fiberglass body directly above the hinge pin and driving it out with a drift.
It still took copious amounts of Kano Kroil Penetrating (swear by it) and less than genteel persuasion to remove the pin.
Then came the redoing of the bobbins in the fiberglass as they were part of the problem.
Good luck as it is a time consuming problem to resolve.
« Last Edit: Thursday,November 19, 2020, 05:00:47 PM by BERNIEHUMBER »

Offline dakazman

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #6 on: Thursday,November 19, 2020, 06:08:31 PM »
 :Welcome:
 
  Mike,
  I hope you like working with fiberglass and the wonderful smell of resin.
 We like pictures! We can get to the problem solved faster.

Dakazman

 

Offline Bainford

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #7 on: Thursday,November 19, 2020, 06:29:36 PM »
Welcome to the forum, Mike.  :beerchug:
The Twin Cam plays the symphony whilst my right foot conducts the orchestra. At 3800 rpm the Mad Pipe Organ joins in.

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Offline lotusfanatic

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #8 on: Monday,November 23, 2020, 03:38:06 AM »
Hello Mike,

 :Welcome:

Mark

Offline Nisswa Collision

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #9 on: Friday,November 27, 2020, 07:45:34 AM »
When working on the door hinges, I was impressed by the simplicity but a guy sure has rethink normal car door knowledge. I don't know how common it is but I suspect everybody has a similar problem as I did. After using a Sawzall with a 10" steel-cutting blade to saw the pin top and bottom. (simple-easy) I found that, of course, the steel pin and bushes were rusted together and the pin had been spinning in the body biscuit when the door was opened. This wore the biscuit pin hole oblong. The fix was easy. I bought a pair of bronze bushing's at the local hardware store that fit the new stainless pins and then drilled out the biscuit, first with a small drill and then progressivly larger bits until I could tap the bushing in the body. Now this changes things. Before, the rusty door bushings kept the pin from spinning in the bushes where they were designed to and turned in the body instead. Now with the bronze bushes in the body, the pins will still want to turn there and I really can't see a problem with that. If the bushes wear out, just drill again for a thicker bushing when that day comes. I still think it's a better solution than the 2 piece pins due to safety. Another thing. I did a full frame-off restoration and while the body was off I alligned the empty doors perfectly, all the time knowing that when done assembling the doors, the added weight of latches glass etc would make them hang down at the back and allignment would have to be redone. Still a good move as the doors were all alligned except for the rear hang which was easily corrected with a floor jack supporting the door while I moved either the top or bottom hinge/bush depending on wether the door was too far forward (move bottom bush) or too far back (move top bush). This worked well. Another tip. I bought a pair of the best wrenches for doing this from a bicycle supply. Very pleased with that purchase.

Offline Richard48Y

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #10 on: Saturday,November 28, 2020, 01:14:50 PM »
I have not tackled my doors yet beyond a few applications of penetrating oil s prep.
But the bronze bushes seem the way to go.
I have a lathe so would make my own from Oilite bronze.

Offline GavinT

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #11 on: Saturday,November 28, 2020, 06:24:31 PM »
[...] Now this changes things. Before, the rusty door bushings kept the pin from spinning in the bushes where they were designed to and turned in the body instead.

Hi Nisswa,
Someone on this forum (can't remember who) fabricated a bracket that attaches the pin to the body so that the doors rotate on the pin. Perhaps they'll chime in.

Offline BDA

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #12 on: Saturday,November 28, 2020, 07:42:40 PM »
I thought someone should mention that as far as hinge options go, there are two.  r. d. enterprises sells stainless steel replacements for the stock hinges. Lotus-supplies.com sells a brass hinge “system”.

I have no experience with r. d.’s hinges but several people on this forum have used them and like them. I bought the lotus-supplies set. It has an advantage over the stock hinge design in that once your door is aligned, you can take your door off and you’ll only need to adjust the height.

Offline Gary t

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #13 on: Saturday,November 28, 2020, 09:24:55 PM »
I remember the post (no idea who it was) but I plagiarized the idea. The top of the pins (on my car)  are accessible  with the front  dust shields removed. I filed small flats on the tapered end of the pins then fabed a pair of springy wrenches that would engage the new flats on the pins. Then riveted the handle to the top of the door opening in front of the hinge.
Hope it works
Gary Toffelmire
54/1173

Offline EuropaTC

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Re: help with hinges....desperate....
« Reply #14 on: Saturday,November 28, 2020, 10:24:58 PM »
[...] Now this changes things. Before, the rusty door bushings kept the pin from spinning in the bushes where they were designed to and turned in the body instead.

Hi Nisswa,
Someone on this forum (can't remember who) fabricated a bracket that attaches the pin to the body so that the doors rotate on the pin. Perhaps they'll chime in.

Was it my post you're thinking of ?  Not a separate topic but as a reply to someone else's, my post/pictures are about half way down. It's a loose arrangement, very simple to install/remove and completely stops the pin from rotating.

Brian

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1130.msg9553#msg9553