How to change the hinge pins in a VN Commodore

[savage1987]

I finally got around to doing this nasty job as slamming the door every time was feeling wrong. I didn't have a hinge pin removal tool, whatever that is. This guide's for the driver's door only, but they're all pretty well the same.

You need:

• new hinge pins, 2 per door (~$4 each from Holden)
• small flathead screwdriver
• hammer - a few different sized ones are ideal
• large pliers
• semi heavy duty vicegrips - needle nose vicegrips probably won't be strong/long enough
• bit of broom handle or similar wooden drift, I used one about 20cm long
• grease
• someone else to help control the door would be handy, but I managed on my own

Step 1:
First you need to remove the small black plastic covers on the top and bottom of each hinge pin. These are simple to undo, just lever them up with the small flat-blade screwdriver.

Step 2:
I chose to remove and replace the lower pin first. Clamp your vicegrips carefully onto the exposed pin before the flared end. I say carefully because it's easy to take paint and galvanising off in this step, leaving the metal prone to rust. You may have to hold the door back against its stop with your knee while you do this.. I did to avoid damaging the paint. Once the vicegrips are on nice and tight, pick a suitable hammer and give them a bash. Persist until the pin is out, the door won't move while the top pin is still in.

Step 3:
Give your new hinge pin a quick layer of grease, doesn't need to be thick but ensure you cover it pretty well all over. You can leave the exposed bit near the flare to hold on to if you like, that doesn't need grease as it's not inside the hinge. Line it up and give it a couple of gentle taps with a hammer (I used quite a small one for this) just to get it started. Get the door roughly lined up with its hinge and put the wooden drift on top of the pin. Again, I used wood to avoid paint damage. Tap it with the hammer until you feel the bottom of the pin come out just slightly. You can tap it back up if you go too far. Put the plastic caps back onto that pin, you're done here.

Step 4:
Using the same vicegrips and hammer method, remove the upper pin. Support the door with your other hand the best you can to avoid possibly slightly bending your new lower pin; this is where an assistant would be handy, to steady the outside of the door. The wiring tunnel between door and body could get in the way here, just push it behind the pin, you can get it out past it.

Step 5:
Grease up your new hinge pin the same as before and line it up, give it a few taps to get started, being careful of the wiring tunnel. Again, I used the little hammer. Once you've got it started, sit that bit of wood under it and give it a few good knocks until the pin just starts to come through the top side of the hinge. Replace the black plastic caps, this pin's done too. That's the hard part done.

Step 6:
Test shut the door to make sure it still lines up. Should do, unless your old pins were absolutely destroyed. You'll probably hear it squeak or moan or make some weird noise, just keep swinging the door around until the grease works in. It may still sound a bit raspy, which is normal as the new pins will wear in over time.

Step 7:
Get hold of some touch-up paint if you've got any and carefully tidy up any paintwork you may have damaged with the hammers or vicegrips etc.. don't want rust in the door jambs.


Congratulations, your door should be closing like brand new. If it's not quite, you're not alone, neither was mine :-D On my car the door was still a little harder to close properly than the rest, but nowhere near what it was before. I'm very fussy though, so a little playing around with the lock striker had it all sorted out. I just had to move it toward the outside of the car by a fraction of a millimetre. Voila!! New door hinges!!

Sam

[Nevyn]

good thread Sam....but Hlden here quoted me $7.50 for each hinge, after telling them what u paid they came down to $5.50.......may have wored out better if I got u to get them for me and post them over

[savage1987]

haha devastating! Mine were $4 each pin, so $32 for the whole car

[kym192]

wouldnt it be better and quicher to just purchase the door pin remover tool a lot quicker then multi grips, there on fleebay for 30 i think last time i got them they were

[50LTRv8]

wouldnt it be better and quicher to just purchase the door pin remover tool a lot quicker then multi grips, there on fleebay for 30 i think last time i got them they were

Yes it is, I have posted a guide on this too

[xCalliba]

wow, i was going to tackle this little job in the coming weekends... thanks for the thread!

[savage1987]

glad this write up finally helped someone out


Sam