How to Replace Door Pins on a Chevy Silverado

by Don Bowman

Replacing door pins on a Chevy Silverado is not a very challenging process, although the door is very heavy and awkward. One person can do it, but a helper to assist in supporting the door makes the job much easier. When the door pins wear out, the door will not line up with the door striker properly. The actual pin isn't the problem as much as the brass bushings in the hinge.

Step 1

Open the door all the way, and put the window down. Place the jack under the door and center it so the door will be balanced fairly well when removed. It is a good idea to put a towel or something similar on the foot of the jack so it does not damage the paint on the bottom of the door.

Step 2

Raise the jack to touch the bottom of the door, then keep lifting until the door is level. That is usually about an inch or two. Knock the pins upward and out of the hinge using the hammer and drift. Use a helper to support the door at this point so it does not fall off the jack when pulled back.

Step 3

Pull the jack handle, and bring the door out just enough to separate the door hinge from the frame hinge. At this point, the door's front edge will lean against the front fender if there is no helper. If you are careful and have the jack centered, the door should stand up on its own. Be careful not to scratch the paint on the fender.

Step 4

Remove the brass bushings from the door hinge. Sometimes they will come out with little effort and other times they seem to be welded in. Tap them from the bottom upward, using the drift. If they fail to come out, use the chisel to tap the head of the bushings until they break, at which point they will come out. They have splines that hold them in the hinge.

Step 5

Install the new bushings. These bushings are not strong, so tap them in gently. Center the drift so the edges do not break. One bushing goes in the top of the hinge on the door facing down. The second bushing is a little trickier. It must go on the bottom of the door hinge facing up. If it goes in tight, that's good; however, this bushing may not stay in. In this situation, hold the bushing with a finger until it is between the section of frame hinge where it will not fall out or you can glue it.

Step 6

Move the door in, insert the door hinge in the frame hinge and line up the holes. Insert the bottom pin first, and try to line up the splines under the head of the pin with the splines cut by the last set of pins. Use the drift to hammer them in with just enough force to drive them down. Do not go crazy with the hammer. You do not want to bend the hinge; just use small taps until the pin is seated to the head. Do the same with the top hinge.

Things You'll Need

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