How to Replace the Door Hinge on a Dodge Ram
by Chris MooreThe hinges are critical components to supporting the doors on your Dodge Ram pickup truck. If the doors appear to leaning downward when open, this is causing a strain on the body and can damage other components. This often means the door hinges need to be replaced. In some cases, it might not be an entire hinge but the pins that connect the two parts of the hinges together in the middle.
Step 1
Remove the inner trim panel from the door by disconnecting all components on it (like the window crank or power window controls), removing the screws on the panel and lifting it off its retainers. Disconnect all electrical connectors within the door and push them through the door opening.
Step 2
Support the door by either raising a jack underneath it, hanging it from a support beam with a strong rope or having an assistant hold on to it.
Step 3
If the hinges are in good condition and the hinge pins are what need replacing, grasp the flat end of the pin with a pair of pliers and drive the pin out of the hinge with a punch and hammer. This likely means needing to hammer upward, especially on a top hinge.
Step 4
Mark around the outer edges of the hinges and their mounting bolts with a marker. Remove the nuts on the mounting bolts at both ends of the hinges and remove the hinges; you might need to pull the door back to separate the bolts from the hinge.
Step 5
Place the new door hinge in place, using the marked areas as a guide, and replace the bolts and nuts. For hinge pins alone, drive the new pins into their holes within the hinge, with the punch and hammer in the same position the old ones were. If the pins pointed downward, hammer downward; hammer upward if the pins pointed up.
Step 6
Reconnect all electrical connectors within the door and remove whatever is supporting the door once you know the door is securely fastened. Replace the trim panel on the door.
References
- Chilton Dodge Pick-Ups Repair Manual; 2005
Tips
- Always disconnect the negative cable from the battery before working with any electrical connectors.
Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver Jack stand or rope Marker Wrench Punch and hammer Pliers Door hinge/hinge pins
Writer Bio
Chris Moore has been contributing to eHow since 2007 and is a member of the DFW Writers' Workshop. He received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Texas-Arlington.
