a door hinge question - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

blazer2007 · 10-10-2014, 10:12 AM

I scooped up some doors with electric windows from a 84 and the door hinges are a little different than my 78,the 78 hinges are bolted from the outside and the 84 one bolt is tightened from in the cab by the looks of it.Is it the different in years or are the hinges different for a heavy door with electric windows.

chengny · 10-10-2014, 01:38 PM

Correct, there is one bolt on the upper hinge that faces in the opposite direction from the other 5 bolts. Instead of being threaded into the door pillar like all the others, that one threads into the hinge. It is accessed from inside the cab through a circular opening in the pillar (the access hole is way, way up - almost as high as the dash speaker). Use a 9/16" socket and a 6" extension to release it.

The reason for this configuration is unknown (at least to me). I have read many theories but none that really ring true. My feeling is that it had something to do with the assembly line process - but don't ask me what.

Earlier models do not have that one renegade bolt (like the 80's). The reason; who knows? If we knew why the 70's didn't have a backwards bolt, we'd probably know why the 80's did.

But, to answer your question, the different configurations are according to model year and were not based on whether the door was equipped with PW/PL options.

10-10-2014, 10:12 AM	#1
blazer2007 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: vernon b.c. Posts: 3,022	a door hinge question I scooped up some doors with electric windows from a 84 and the door hinges are a little different than my 78,the 78 hinges are bolted from the outside and the 84 one bolt is tightened from in the cab by the looks of it.Is it the different in years or are the hinges different for a heavy door with electric windows.

10-10-2014, 01:38 PM	#2
chengny Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 349	Re: a door hinge question Correct, there is one bolt on the upper hinge that faces in the opposite direction from the other 5 bolts. Instead of being threaded into the door pillar like all the others, that one threads into the hinge. It is accessed from inside the cab through a circular opening in the pillar (the access hole is way, way up - almost as high as the dash speaker). Use a 9/16" socket and a 6" extension to release it. The reason for this configuration is unknown (at least to me). I have read many theories but none that really ring true. My feeling is that it had something to do with the assembly line process - but don't ask me what. Earlier models do not have that one renegade bolt (like the 80's). The reason; who knows? If we knew why the 70's didn't have a backwards bolt, we'd probably know why the 80's did. But, to answer your question, the different configurations are according to model year and were not based on whether the door was equipped with PW/PL options.



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