Quote:
Originally Posted by 83GMCK2500
These hinge bushings have some kind of voodoo going on. In looking up the P/Ns for my '96 there are two sizes listed.
15025841 - BUSHING, FRT S/D HGE PIN (UPR/LWR) (13.5 MM)
15025842 - BUSHING, FRT S/D HGE PIN (UPR/LWR) (12.45MM)
Now, those are from the regular EPC, which also mentions that there is a TSB associated with these items... #02-08-64-016 (pdf), linked for reference, includes interesting door hinge history notes. Reading through the TSB there are teflon bushings and bronze bushings. Also with different number, but no notation of diameters that I saw.
What did you use to compress the door springs? I know there is a specialty tool, and I've seen some interesting methods on the interwebs...just curious how you pulled it off. Also, can you confirm for me where the bushings are all located? Both hinge halves, just the body half? The EPC has a crummy pic and my truck is not 100% accessible right now. Reminds me I need to add the striker bolts to my parts order, my strikers have flat spots on them, unacceptable. |
My answer will likely confuse more than illuminate. When I bought these new doors I assumed they were 88-94 doors since they had the stainless steel flag mirrors on them. I was wrong they are 95-up doors. My first clue was seeing door speakers. I say all of this because it may have affected the whole deal. My buddy sold me the bushings pictured up above on the premise that they were for my 90 model truck. I do not know if the doors being 95-up affected them not fitting.
Each hinge has a big bushing and a little bushing. Notice the greater O.D. of the hinge pins near the head compared to where it necks down the rest of the way. Each pin requires one big bushing and one small bushing to allow for the thicker neck on the pins. I say "big" and "small" meaning I.D. and O.D. both.
The pins are installed opposite of each other. On the upper hinge, the pin is installed upwards, that is head down toward the ground. Once installed you put one of the little sheetmetal clips (pictured above also) onto the pin to keep it from ever gravity falling out. The lower pins are installed downwards, that is, head up. Again, remember each place will have a large and a small bushing, the large always being on the head side of the pin. So, the upper hinge has small bushing on top and large on bottom while the lower hinge is the opposite.
The bushings install into the truck side on the upper hinge and into the door side on the lower hinge. I don't know why GM didn't just put all of the bushings in either the door or the truck, but I'm sure there was a reason. I trust GM engineering way beyond my own head scratching, slack jawed, junior college education I have.
To compress the spring, I bought the tool. I tore a 20% off coupon out of a Hot Rod magazine and got it out the door for like 8 bucks or so.
http://www.harborfreight.com/gm-vehi...ool-95344.html
That tool gets mixed reviews on the internet. Some guys say they suck and break easily. Some guys could also break a bowling ball too. I found it to work exceptionally well. I didn't see the logic in buying a 30 dollar SnapOn tool for this since I don't expect to ever install more than half a dozen of these in the remainder of my life. Just open the tool wide, insert spring, tighten the nut, hold up into place and loosen the nut. Takes maybe one minute per spring. No flying springs or pinched fingers or scratched paint involved.