Hinge Pin Lessons and Hints (Page 1 of 3)

I've also tried the Eastwood tool on a "tight" lower hinge on my 62. The hinge pin didn't budge, and the pin on the tool mushroomed instead. Still working on an impact tool bit...

Yeah I dont know If I Ever mention my Dad and what he Does . Or Did before he Retired . But he worked for a utilitys company that pump,s natural Gas from Texas too So Cal . Was A Mechanic on Big 2 Story Turbine Engines . Piston,s stand About Chest High on these Turbines . But they use  Nitrogen Too Freeze Things too shrink fitt like piston pinns etc Heat Expands Cold Shrink,s , I see Stuff like Gears On Crank,s Being Beat on , or pressed on ? I Heat mine they fall on . Gotta wonder what all that beating is Doing too The Crank Deflection ? Only thing with heat . Is ya Gotta be carefull you can change the Metallurgy of the Metal . Another trick I use is the Rust treatments that turn rust too primer or Black << This black then chip,s or work,s away fairly easy usually leaving hard stuck, rusted parts . Rust free wich is generally easier too remove . Sean

John: Yes, I purchased the reamer from WW at the same time as I purchased my first set of 2nd over-size pins (remember, I had to replace two that I had "trouble" with; each pin was measured before installation and they were well within 0.0005 inches of each other, the limits of digital calipers). The pins were labeled and actually measured right at 0.321 inches in diameter. The reamer was labeled as 0.322 inches. I can't remember what the reamer cost at the time (probably 6 or 7 years ago) but I know that it was less than the current price of $29. http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/Detai … =HPREAMER2

The door was removed from the car. I had the outer, A-pillar side of the hinge mounted tightly in a vice. The reamer that WW supplied was circular in cross section (no square end to grab with an adjustable wrench) but it was still easy to secure it in a large tap wrench similar to http://www.doityourself.com/invt/5430905

Oil can at the ready (filled with kerosene, but cutting oil would have been a good choice, too), I very slowly began the reaming process. I barely applied any pressure to the reamer until I was certain that it was 'biting' into the hinge bore. More oil to cool and flush chips and a bit more pressure. The reamer sort of "self-aligned" in the bore once it had reamed about an eighth of an inch or less, the bore serving as a 'pilot hole'.  It didn't take but just a minute or less for the reamer to complete the first half of its journey and into the remaining bore of the hinge. It cut very easily with only modest pressure.  Once I had the first pass done, I passed the reamer all the way through rather than try and back it out. That is always a good idea with reamers if the situation allows for it; i.e. not in a blind hole. If you have to "back out", never turn the reamer in the 'non-cutting' direction, in this case counterclockwise; you will damage the cutting edges. When I completed the first complete pass I did a trial fit of the pin in the hinge. Nice! .....I then did the second hinge.

On to the captured portion of the hinges on the door. Same procedure, as above.

The old pins that I removed were "originals" as near as I could tell from measuring them. Most of the wear was on the center part of the pin, the part in contact with the center bore of the hinge. The upper and lower portions of the pin are basically stationary in the hinge due to the knurling of the pin which 'locks' the pin in the hinge.

My hinges were pretty worn by WW's standards and hints, and that is the reason I went with the 2nd O.S. pins. And there might have been some temptation to "pre-drill" the bores just to prepare them for the reamer but fortunatley I obeyed the WW caution and resisted. I'm sure that drilling would have spoiled the job. If your pins/hinges are not "too bad" I guess that you could try the 1st O.S. but I wanted to avoid the added expense of trying and then needing the 2nd.

Hope this helps.

I should also clarify something I said earlier in this thread... the "cold/cooling" I described was there to counter the heat generated during the removal and installation of tight pins. It is often necessary to use heat an PB Blaster to loosen a rusted hinge. But what I was trying to convey was how I dealt with heat generated by the friction of removing/installing a tight pin. Clear as mud, right? Oh well......

Clancy

Well I guess I have that job to look forward to on my 56 Bug drivers side door. Looks like the best way is to remove the door and hinges. Not looking forward to it.

As usual, things don't always worked out as planned.  WolfsBurg West does not have 1st or 2nd size over pins.  They also said they no longer know of a vendor that sells them.  I found that BFY sells one size over that is .005 over in size, but they sell no reamers.  I don't think that getting a stock pin will cure the slop in my door.  Any ideas?  Anyone have a stock of 2nd overs they got from WW they want to part with?

Last edited by johneliot (2006-07-17 09:12:37)