Weird door pin bushing issue

[someotherguy]

Man, in the dozens of GMT400 bushing jobs I've done, I have never...and I mean never...had a problem with them fitting. Not sure why this happened to you.

Do the hinges appear to have been replaced? Are they welded on, or bolted on? Replacement hinges are bolted, but you almost never, ever see them because it's such a big job (and they're kinda expensive.) I'd wonder if they're replacements, if they use a different bushing size. Never replaced them in that situation myself.

The one thing I definitely have had trouble with is the Dorman detent roller; that POS doesn't fit the truck at all and you end up having to grind out the hole for it. Resist the urge to try grinding just a little and tapping it in with a hammer. You'll damage the roller and it will fall apart almost immediately upon use.

Richard

 

[InsanePyro]

They look like original. For sure not bolted. I ended up using a bushing on the cab and door itself on lower hinge. I did have drill the hinges a bit. But every bushing used was GM. Its all together and looks snug but the door still droops a wee bit. The striker and latch look pretty beat but if I help it the door does close all the way but nowhere near as easily as it should.

 

[someotherguy]

Two reasons for it to still droop after bushing/pin replacement. One is common, one is not...

Very common reason is the hole the small end of the pin goes into is worn egg-shaped. There's no bushing in this spot; it's an interference fit (when it's not worn.) Letting bad bushings go too long wears this hole and lets the pin flop over under the door's weight. Only way to fix without replacing hinges, lift the door gently at the rear with a block of wood and floor jack (or support from above), pushing the pin to the opposite side of the wear. Remove retainer, grind a little clean metal on the pin and hinge, and put a small tack weld in there. Not too much because if you ever need to remove it later there's almost no room to get in there with a die grinder.

By the way that happens most obviously on the top hinge, but can happen on the bottom one, too.

Other reason, not so common, door shell sheetmetal cracks around the hinge. I've seen it more often on 2500/3500 trucks at stock height, or lifted trucks in general, where people tend to hang on the door to get in/out of the truck.

Richard

 

[InsanePyro]

Well I had to drill the bottom hinge so those are definitely round. The top ones were worn a bit but I really didn't think it was that bad. I still had to tap them into place. I do think the hinge is pulling away on the top one though

 

[someotherguy]

You may have misunderstood me. I don't mean the holes where the bushings go. I mean the holes where the tip of the pin goes through; there is no bushing there. It does wear when the bushings are let go bad for too long.

If the retainers on the pins are installed, you often can't see the wear in the hole since the retainer covers it.

Richard

 

[InsanePyro]

So the door itself then? Maybe thats why someone put bushing on the door side on the bottom hinge

 

[someotherguy]

On the top hinge, large side is on the door - and the upper position on the door is the one with no bushing, just the tip of the pin sitting in a hole.

On the bottom hinge, large side is on the body - and the lower position on the body is the one with no bushing, just the tip of the pin sitting in a hole.

Richard

 

[hrkhotrods]

Old post but has anyone found a replacement for the smaller lower hinge bushing? I pulled a set of doors from a 99/2000 Denali to put on my 99 Z56 Tahoe. My original doors take the same Dorman 38416 bronze bushings with pins top and bottom. The Denali doors take a 38416 on the top hinge but they absolutely will not fit the lower hinge. The bushings in that appear to be some sort of nylon with a bronze mesh and thin walled. I guess I'm going to try the dealer tomorrow but was wondering if anyone has found a part number or anything? First time running into this with a 400T.

 

[mars2878]

Old post but has anyone found a replacement for the smaller lower hinge bushing? I pulled a set of doors from a 99/2000 Denali to put on my 99 Z56 Tahoe. My original doors take the same Dorman 38416 bronze bushings with pins top and bottom. The Denali doors take a 38416 on the top hinge but they absolutely will not fit the lower hinge. The bushings in that appear to be some sort of nylon with a bronze mesh and thin walled. I guess I'm going to try the dealer tomorrow but was wondering if anyone has found a part number or anything? First time running into this with a 400T.

any updates?
I have never noticed that situation before.
I used Dorman #38416 in both hinges of the drivers door in my neighbors 89. fit like a glove.
my only w/ the kits overs years is my occasionally damaging a new bushing, but that's on me.

 

[hrkhotrods]

Dealer couldn't help me either. He called GM parts and they told him it was a mid 2000 rolling change... Apparently you have to buy the whole hinge which is $190 or something like that...

I just drilled the hinge to accept the normal bushing. I did purchase GM bushings to use.