Door spring hit me in the face during install w/gm spring tool from advance auto

[Wahoo]

Hi, I'm new to doing door hinge bushings/pins. I bought the GM door spring tool from advance auto and 4 door bushings/pin kits. I wanted to do both upper and lowers since the doors are off.
I started with the passenger upper door hinge, I used the spring tool to remove the old door spring. I put the compressor on the spring but also had to use a screwdriver to help pry it out. This process went ok. I then cut the door pin in half, pounded it out, also punched out the old bushings. Seems like each kit comes with two bronze looking bushings with splines, and 2 that look gray that have no splines.


I popped out 1 splined bronze bushing(bottom) and one gray one(upper). I then installed the new ones with a c-clamp and also gently hammering it in place. One of the gray bushings cracked the lip off of when I tried to use the c-clamp, but the kit came with 2 of each so I used another new one.
I'm just hoping that I did the job right and that these kits normally come with extras. So once those were installed I hammered the pin threw from the bottom up. I really had to wack it to get the splines to go inside.


Without the spring in it seemed like there was some slight play, and I took a video of it to show everyone to make sure if this is normal or not.
I attempted to install the door spring and it popped out of the door spring tool a few times. Then I noticed the tool itself started to bend, I straightened it out in my vice, and attempted a few more times, and the spring did pop out each time I failed, and once it finally hit me in the face, luckily didn't hurt left a very tiny mark above my lip but at this point I got super pissed off and since the tool seemed shot I returned it.


Any tips on this procedure, is there another tool or maybe a better one than the one I got at advance auto? I was going to go to harbor freight for the tool but they discontinued it, so I don't know if im lucky that it wasn't from there or what but the one from advance auto was made in china either way........

Heres some pictures of the tool after using it for an hour or two during this process.













I also noticed this hinge thing on the driver door it seems shot, can it be rreplaced like the pins and bushings?




Heres the video of the play in the new pin and bushings, I don't have the spring in, and maybe thats why there is slight play.

 

[DarthBuick]

Drill out and use oversize bushing or weld and re-drill to factory specs in what I do.

 

[Wahoo]

Drill out and use oversize bushing or weld and re-drill to factory specs in what I do.

do you think its worn or the play is because the door spring is not in yet?

 

[DarthBuick]

worn. But it will be better than it was before. If door is adjusted correctly it may work ok. The striker and latch can wear too and cause closing and fitment problems. They used to have oversize bushing assortment. I would file to fit outside dimensions and you need a better quality spring compressor too.
If done right it will be like new. it takes patients.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Use of the vise is all I do... No need for that flimsy tool.

 

[Wahoo]

Use of the vise is all I do... No need for that flimsy tool.

Like a bench vice? Any more info?

 

[Wahoo]

worn. But it will be better than it was before. If door is adjusted correctly it may work ok. The striker and latch can wear too and cause closing and fitment problems. They used to have oversize bushing assortment. I would file to fit outside dimensions and you need a better quality spring compressor too.
If done right it will be like new. it takes patients.

So is that why the kit had 2 of each style bushing? One with a spline bronze in color and one that was smooth gray? Two of each? One is bigger than the other?

 

[skidlid]

the over size ones have the ribbing on them. I usually put those in most doors. The pic looks like the door spring arm has a bent or worn pin on it, looks funny in pic. The tools generally bend the first time used but will still work. Make sure you put the tool on the very end of the spring, if you don't it will not compress it enough. Also make sure the spring is jammed way in the tool, as you tighten it it will try to pop out. Once you slide the spring into hinge start loosening it with a wrench, once fairly loose slowly pry tool of with a long screwdriver if the spring starts to pull out of hinge push it back in farther and continue prying off tool from spring.

 

[Wahoo]

the over size ones have the ribbing on them. I usually put those in most doors. The pic looks like the door spring arm has a bent or worn pin on it, looks funny in pic. The tools generally bend the first time used but will still work. Make sure you put the tool on the very end of the spring, if you don't it will not compress it enough. Also make sure the spring is jammed way in the tool, as you tighten it it will try to pop out. Once you slide the spring into hinge start loosening it with a wrench, once fairly loose slowly pry tool of with a long screwdriver if the spring starts to pull out of hinge push it back in farther and continue prying off tool from spring.

Did you see my video? The one with the splines is spinning with the pin

 

[skidlid]

You will need to weld up the holes and re drill them to the correct size of the bushing. Unfortunately it has worn past the bushing and into the hinge on the lower bushing and also the top hole without the bushing looks worn and may need to be welded up also. If you don't want to do all that just adjust the door up a little ,move lower hinge back towards the rear of the car to make up for the play in the door hinge. This would get you by.

 

[Wahoo]

You will need to weld up the holes and re drill them to the correct size of the bushing. Unfortunately it has worn past the bushing and into the hinge on the lower bushing and also the top hole without the bushing looks worn and may need to be welded up also. If you don't want to do all that just adjust the door up a little ,move lower hinge back towards the rear of the car to make up for the play in the door hinge. This would get you by.

I first installed the bronze splined bushing and i didn't realize I had it upside down. So I tapped it back out and put it in from the bottom up. Then I hammered the pin through which took a lot of blows. Do you think that loosened up the bushing? I mean don't you hammer the pins in?

 

[skidlid]

They should fit right in hole, usually if damaged you should see cracks in the brass

 

[Wahoo]

They should fit right in hole, usually if damaged you should see cracks in the brass

Well since it's the passenger I won't be welding and drilling the holes.

Even though the bushing I initially installed were New, I decided to pull them out and try another set from the pack, and then also slowly and gently hammer the pin through. It has a little less play now, but I did notice the bottom hole with the bronze splined bushing it was worn a little, so that's probably the problem. Since it's the passenger and it's not that bad I'll leave it as is.

I bought another door spring compressor tool from Napa, it's beefier, and used that to install the door spring. It was nerve racking but I also used a C_clamp to pull the last bit of coil over the round bump thing. So passenger all set! With the spring in you don't have the leverage to jiggle it and check for play, the door is off.



The passenger lower has barely any play so I'm not going to bother with it.

The driver that roller/cam thing involved with the door spring, the pin for the roller is shot and also the hinge hole is elongated from the wear. I don't think I can replace it pic below.



If I can't replace it where do I get a New hinge for a reasonable price?

 

[hiboom]

When I install the spring I use bench vice tighten and run tie wire through the spring in two places put sting in cut tie wire and pull out with pliers as far as the hinges surly some one reproduces them or oversize bushings if the rest of hinge is reuse able

 

[TexasT]

free image host


screen grab

This is the tool I picked up from my matco guy years ago. Your tool didn't look as thick in the metal.

 

[Wahoo]

I did return the one from advance auto, and picked up Napas door spring tool, and even though both were made in china, the napa one seemed beefier, and didn't bend.

Any recommendations on where to get a door hinge?

 

[TexasT]

A post in the part wanted section.
Or contact one of our car parters that sells on the board in the for sale section.

 

[salvageV6]

G body parts had the hinges listed on their site.

 

[Wahoo]

G body parts had the hinges listed on their site.

I couldn't find them yesterday, I was looking under Buick but I imagine maybe a different model might have them listed, I'll have to check later

 

[turbo39151]

Just Call Brian and tell him what you need. He doesn't have all the inventory listed online.