Door Hinge droop

[Angle Grinder]

Wondering if anyone on here has experience of rectifying a drooping door. My situation isn't chronic as the door still shuts without any need to manhandle it, but the driver's door has dropped a few millimetres at the rear edge so it grazes the paint in the bottom corner of the door frame.

[lancialulu]

Look at the hinge pins. Sometimes difficult to drive out.

[frankxhv773t]

I was thinking hinge pins too. also is there scope for realignment where the hinges bolt into the body?

[simonandjuliet]

If you go to a bodyshop, they will probably open the door put 2 hands under the back edge and lift .... and then charge you £150

[Angle Grinder]

So it would be a case of unbolting the door and then using a "punch" to drift the pin out of the hinge?

[Dave Gee]

  No DO NOT unbolt the door - some hinges are welded on

  Drift the pin out with  some one else holding the door the top pin from the top the bottom pin from underneath


 Dave

[frankxhv773t]

If the hinge pin is worn I would expect you to be able to feel the free play by opening the door and lifting the outer edge up and down to reveal the movement. If there is free play then suspect the hinge pin is worn. If the hinge is worn at the pin then the next question is whether the actual pin is worn or the holes in one or both halves of the hinge are worn. Hopefully it is designed so the pin itself is sacrificial and can be replaced. If you don't have a second person to support the door an alternative is to suspend the door by the window frame from an engine crane. If wiggling the door up and down doesn't reveal any play you should suspect an alignment problem. If it is like a Flaminia then the hinge is a separate unit bolted to both the A pillar and the door. One or both set of bolts will allow the attachment point a degree of movement. In turn, slacken each bolt off then retighten it till it just pinches up. You are trying to achieve a tightness that holds the door in place but allows the hinge to move on its' mounting point under force. Get the door how you want it then tighten all the bolts properly. Forgive me if I am teaching my grandmother to suck eggs.

[roddy]

My Fulvia Sport 1600 did have wear in the door and rear hatch hinge pins, so the door dropped once out of the catch, and the rear hatch could chatter on a bumpy surface if slightly open for ventilation.  As Dave Gee alludes to, on my Sport the hinge base plate was hard-welded onto the A post, so the door could not be adjusted - unlike the coupé which has a marvellous range of adjustment.  I remedied the problem by fitting M8 x 70mm stainless steel slotted roll pins, in lieu of the original pins. Copious amounts of grease used when drifting the new roll-pins in.  Certainly solved the dropped door not lining up with the striker plate on the B post.  The only down side is that the door is very very slightly stiffer to move through the open/close arc, but you get used to it.  Cost:- 10 pins for £3.60.

Regards -

[Angle Grinder]

Thanls for all the advice. It seems my only issue now is going to be drifting out the old pins, not much room for swinging a hammer.

[frankxhv773t]

Might an air chisel or a slide hammer provide suitable impact without the swing? You would be approaching it at an angle but it's a thought.