How to Fix Chevy S-10 Door Hinges
by Eli LaurensThe Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck and it's variants were manufactured with twin-hinged doors, and the hinge pins can wear out after repeated use or abuse. The pins are easily replaced, and will correct the known problems of door sagging and misalignment. The average backyard mechanic can complete this repair in about fifteen minutes for each door.
Repairing Chevrolet S10 door hinges
Step 1
Relieve the weight of the door on the hinge by raising it up with the floor jack. Only apply as much pressure that is required to give relief to the hinges, too much will bend the hinge the wrong way or damage components.
Step 2
Punch out the pin for one hinge. Using the screwdriver and the hammer, place the tip of the driver onto the top of the pin, then hit the handle of the screwdriver with the hammer. Some pins come out easily, some take a bit more force. There is a small brass rung that holds the pin in place, but it comes off as the pin is hammered out and it cannot be reused. Vice grips may be necessary to twist and free the pin.
Step 3
Line up the hinge pin holes and insert a new pin. It can be hammered into place, and secured with the vice grips. Spray a liberal amount of white lithium grease onto the pin where it meets the hinge.
Step 4
Repeat the process for the lower hinge, after checking the floor jack's position for the pin weight.
Tips
- Step 1 can also be applied to re-welding the upper hinge support to the body; instead of replacing the pin, weld the point of contact for the hinge.
Things You'll Need
- Floor jack
- Towel
- Screwdriver (large and heavy)
- Vice grips
- Four pound hammer
- White lithium grease
Warnings
- Use safety protection when working on a vehicle
- Do not let the door down from the floor jack while the hinge pins are removed
Writer Bio
Eli Laurens is a ninth-grade physics teacher as well as a computer programmer and writer. He studied electrical engineering and architecture at Southern Polytechnic University in Marietta, Ga., and now lives in Colorado.