Door Hinge Help

I was attempting to remove the doors off my donor vehicle today, but I ran into a road block. The FSM's (Factory Service Manual) instructions state:

(1) Remove the door restraint (check) retaining pin (Fig. 1) with a punch.

(2) For vehicles equipped with power windows and power door locks, remove the trim panel and disconnect all components. Slide the wire harness out of the boot and door.

(3) Remove the door hinge bolts, plates and shims (Fig. 7). Remove the door from the vehicle.

Step 1 took 5 secs.

Step 2 involved a lot of cursing (I have power everything), but was completed successfully.

Step 3 would be easy enough except there's not enough room between the hinge and the door to get a Torx socket & ratchet in there for 2 of the 3 hinge bolts.

In this picture, the hinge bolts (Torx) are highlighted in yellow and the red represents the pin that runs up the middle of the hinge.

Question 1 - What tool is everyone using to remove these bolts?

Question 2 - Is the center pin removable?

there is a short socket Torx bit that you can buy, also I have heard of using a wrench on the shaft of the torx bit. some have also said you can get a better look at the heads of the bolts with the fenders off.

I believe the pin can be removed but it is very very difficult.

http://mikestrawbridge.com/blog/2010/07 ... -cherokee/

A Gearwrench on the end of the Torx bit works great. Buy the Sears Torx bit, loosen the set screw, and remove the Torx bit from the chrome socket (holder). Now you have Torx on one end and hex on the other.

Yep,

what everyone else said,

just the Torx tip, with a wrench attached.

Even if you could somehow squeeze a short Torx socket + ratchet in there, beware,

as you back the bolt out, you get less and less room to remove the tool/bolt.

Slight thread derail....

does anyone have a source for replacements for the "door restraint (check) retaining pin" from step one?

(I guess I could look in the 'Help' section at the auto parts store :dunno: )

I'm using 1/4" bolts in both my DD Jeeps,

and the clunk-cluunk noise every time I open & close the doors is getting old. :ack:

Buy the Sears Torx bit, loosen the set screw, and remove the Torx bit from the chrome socket (holder). Now you have Torx on one end and hex on the other.

I noticed that Craftsman Torx tips are permanently pressed in their chrome sockets now (for the last 4-5 years atleast).

Before that they would easily pull out (for replacement) with a pair of pliers.

They are still removable, but with a little more destructive force,

IIRC, a flat punch, and a sledge hammer will drive them out from behind.

Yep,

Slight thread derail....

does anyone have a source for replacements for the "door restraint (check) retaining pin" from step one?

(I guess I could look in the 'Help' section at the auto parts store :dunno: )

The name of the pin is "Pin, Check Arm" as listed in the parts catalog and is Part #5501 2900

Found this write-up and in that write-up he used "The Doorman part number is 38439 (also known as Help parts)".

Hope that helps ya out :D

Yep,

Slight thread derail....

does anyone have a source for replacements for the "door restraint (check) retaining pin" from step one?

(I guess I could look in the 'Help' section at the auto parts store :dunno: )

 

The name of the pin is "Pin, Check Arm" as listed in the parts catalog and is Part #5501 2900

 

Found this write-up and in that write-up he used "The Doorman part number is 38439 (also known as Help parts)".

 

Hope that helps ya out :D

It does!

Thank You!

(I've been meaning to ask this for a while).

:cheers:

FYI: in the end I took a sawzall to the hinges since I wasn't keeping the donor vehicle anyways :yes: