New Door Hinge Pin Won't Seat

[tucsonjwt]

I am installing new door hinge pins in my 83 C20 and the Dorman brand replacement hinge pin won't seat completely into the top of the hinge. Is it necessary for that pin to come into contact flush with the top of the hinge? It is in the hinge tight, but it appears to be slightly to large a diameter to pound down flush. Dorman p/n 703-264 for GM cars/trucks. See pic.

[SeanPaintsFlames]

Bigger hammer; maybe some heat.

[tucsonjwt]

The Dorman hinge pins are 9.44 mm at the top of the knurled cap end, and 9.32 at the bottom of that knurled area where it should seat into the top of the hinge. The opening in the hinge is 8.41 mm, so even though I have been whacking it with my mallet - it is not going to seat - close to about a 1/16" difference. Does GM still sell OEM door pins and would they be a closer fit? Dorman is all I have seen for sale.

[tucsonjwt]

Fine print on Dorman part listing, even on oehq.com (Delco parts source):
703-264

[Door Hinge Parts]
Door Hinge Pin & Bushing Kit - Boxed $3.96 $1.95
Door Hinge Parts;{Front; Door hinge hole reaming may be Reqd for installation, 1 Per Veh};DOOR HINGE PIN KIT; Years: 1980-1986;

Has anyone had to ream their hinge holes to install door pins, and if so, how much did you ream them (what size reamer did you use). Seems like you would still want a snug fit.
Thanks.

[lilpoindexter]

I used classic parts, they went in a with a little tapping

[primrrd]

I used to replace a lot of these on the c10 and c1500 style trucks.
They made smooth stock size bushings and the fluted style bushings that could be used when the hole for the hinge pin had worn and wallowed out. I have a drill set that I wrote the size bit on the case that worked for me and walked out to the garage to check it. (I'm pretty sure I was using GM parts for the replacements)
I had wrote: "31/64 for GM fluted bearings "
(on my set this is the one size smaller than 1/2 inch)
this opened up the hole enough to drive in the fluted bushing without damaging it. I think i may have even dressed the stock hole occasionally with a round file to get the smooth bushing to fit in without too much hammering too.
Now the "kit" I would buy came with new pins and bushings and the little retainer, so I never had any trouble with the pin not seating.
Best of luck..

[tucsonjwt]

Thanks for the response. I am looking at hinge pin kit from The Filling Station which seems to cover every GM vehicle since the Great Depression (GM-1081K).
The holes in my hinges are not worn out, so I got the smooth bushings in easily and I don't need the big grooved bushings. Do you think these would slip into the mating grooves in my factory hinges? .34" is about what I measure the opening of my hinges.

(http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000014x

I would prefer to have the grooves on the tops of the new hinge pins fit properly into the mating grooves of the hinges. Wouldn't just jamming the grooved tops of the pins into the smooth steel reamed out openings of the hinge cause the pins to work loose eventually?

[RandyP]

Pins and bushings are still available through GM, and they are fairly cheap.

[tucsonjwt]

Local Chevy dealer says GM no longer supplies the hinge pins, just the whole hinge with pins installed. Does anyone have the GM part number for the hinge pins so I can look online? Thanks.

[tinydb84]

My aftermarket pins from Dorman fit just fine with a couple smacks from a hammer. You could drill it out a hair to make it fit

[wazzabie]

I'm going to take the pin and put it in my drill press. I'll lightly sand down the sherated section near the top.
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[tucsonjwt]

Why not just get the correct pin to begin with? You will have difficulty getting a completely round, perfectly ground diameter - creating uneven wear on the pin and bushing, resulting in premature failure in the future - just my guess.

[Your41Plague12]

Use a 23/64 drill bit on the splined hole of your hinge. It will seat after that. I just did this, and the Dorman pins work great now.