Blazer door questions

[T HAUS]

Has anyone done anything major to lighten these doors up?? I've got 2 blazers and both have pulled (ripped) the metal where the hinge bolts to the door.

Anyone ever see a fiberglass replacement shell??

OR

Anyone ever use some sort of lightweight replacement glass to help with the weight??

The doors on my 72 are totally rust free, but where the upper hinge on my driver side bolts up, it is ripped prolly 2in or more.
Anyone ever cut this piece out and weld in a stronger piece or put some sort of reinforcement behind it?? I'd sure hate to toss these doors just because of this.....

[BobbyK]

Those pillars that the door hinges are attached to like to rust from the inside out.
That might be the cause of the ripping metal.

[T HAUS]

Thanks Bobby, but it's the door metal that's ripped. The pillars are rock solid.

[bisquik65]

what shape are your rocker boxes? This can cause your body to flex and put pressure on the rear striker.

[T HAUS]

the rockers are near perfect. only some minor surface rust.

The passenger side is not ripped and it shuts very well, but the driver side is bad.

I'm just trying to think of ways to make these doors last for myself and others as well. I figure someone has had the same ideas possibly...??

[bisquik65]

Not the rockers them selves . Under the floorpan the box that bolts to the frame that welds to the inner rockers. that goes from the firewall to the rear just in front of the wheel opening.

[bouncytruck]

My '69 is starting to see the same problem. From what I have seen, it is more common on the drivers side. This would indicated to me that it probably is more of an issue of 32-35 years of the driver using the door to push themselves up into the seat - Especially if the truck is lifted!

I would imagine that a structural bracket could be welded in inside the door itself, but that would be fairly expensive. You could probably replace the doors with new reproductions and fix the problem for the next 30+ years for slightly more $ and a lot less headache.

[Huck]

Couple of things--this is a common problem on the doors -blazer and truck-especially the drivers side due to use. Make sure you keep the hinges lubed as binding puts pressure on the door side of the hinge. Metal fatigue happens from age and usage. You flex this part of the door every time you open it especially if you let it swing all the way out. Only solution I know is to keep hinges lubed and have good metal on the door hinge mounting pad. Used doors are probably hiding cracks before you use them so check them closely.

[MMGOODIE]

it definitely happens on the truck doors because my PO cut some truck doors for my blazer. I tto am having this problem but mine is on the pass side but like I said these are not the original door so the DS could have been replaced last. I am trying to save up for the doors from LMC...some day.

[bouncytruck]

What's the best lube for the hinges?

[moodyholler]

My drivers door is cracked around top hinge also. It is a rust free California truck and all is structurally sound. I intend to add some type of reinforcement when we paint the doors next month. JAP

[T HAUS]

I am thinking about talking to a local glass guy and see what he might have in the way of lightweight glass or some sort of scratch proof plexiglass.

When you think about the window rolled down and how friggin heavy the window glass is, all of that weight is hanging below and way out on the outer side of the door causing a TON of stress on the hinge and the connecting metal when the door is opened, not to mention like others have said, the added weight of us short folks hangin on the door when we get in..

I still would like to see a fiberglass or kevlar door shell made for these trucks.. Hell, I still want someone to make a damm fiberglass or kevlar TUB for these rigs...