Door pin replacement

[LotusMonkey]

Has anyone seen posts, or have experience of replacing the door pin on an Excel SE without stripping the door right down to the beam? I am wondering if it is possible, even if great care and a few jacks are needed to support the door.

I appreciate it is not the best way to do the job, but my car is 70 miles away from home and not garaged, so I am trying to find a way to do it in a day, rather than risk the car being left insecure.

Thanks,

Duncs

[MetBlue]

If pin or bushes are worn, you won't do it without a full strip down of the door. There's not enough room to draw the pin out without hitting the fibreglass curve of the door.

If it's just a stiff pin that won't turn in the bush you MIGHT get it free by removing both nuts top and bottom, then trying to draw the bolt up and down with the nuts and washers. It'll only be a temp fix though.

Tony

[LotusMonkey]

Thanks Tony - the door travels ok on the pin but has dropped a bit at the latch, so I think there is wear. If I could compensate for the drop a bit it would help just to get the car to the MOT it needs later in the summer, and take the additional strain off the handle (I currently lift the door a fraction as I open it). Once down at my place, I could then take the time to strip the door down properly.

Duncs

[Pete Boole]

If you adjust the position of the top hinge plate - move it towards the front of the car very slightly - that will raise the latch position.

Pete

[LotusMonkey]

Thanks Pete. Might look at that to minimise the drop.

[MetBlue]

Like Pete said, slacken the top hinge plate, lift the door on a jack and tighten again.
Easy when you say it quick, but access to the nyloc's on the inside of the car is a bit tricky.

Tony

[Alan_M]

Have a look at door gaps. If front bottom has closed in it might be better to adjust the lower hinge bracket, moving it backwards slightly.
You may also need to move top in as well, or as Pete and Tony has said, just the top forward, if door gap opened up at top front.

[LotusMonkey]

Thanks all great tips. The pin definitely needs replacing but one of these options may help as a temporary fix until I can do a full strip down.

D

[LotusMonkey]

Continuing my research on the door pin replacement - parts manual section 10.15A talks about needing a lot of different size spacer washers 2mm (6 per door), 1mm (2 per door) and 0.25mm (2 per door), rather than saying A/R (as required) gives a specific number for each suggesting they are stacked on the pin at top and bottom between the hinge brackets. Is that correct? Or should they just be used as required to get a level at the catch side? Any advice on getting this right welcome!

[MetBlue]

Don't worry too much about the spacers.
If you are getting a new pin, the important thing is that when the top and bottom hinge is tightened onto the pin, there is no excessive end float ( pin moving vertically in the beam as fitted to the car). This would indicate a fractionally longer pin than your original. Here you need more shims.
Equally (probably more ) critical, is that there is some end float. If the new pin is shorter and you used all original shims, the hinge plates would clamp onto the beam and nothing will rotate. Here simply remove some shims.
All the above best done off the car.
The amount of shim above and below isn't too critical - there's so much allowable movement where the fibreglass skin mounts, it's unlikely you will not be able to get shut lines Ok.
Finally, sandwich the thin shims between the thickest. Just good practice.

[LotusMonkey]

Thanks that is great advice. In terms of the bushes - any recommendations for removing the old and inserting the new or is that relatively straightforward. I am assuming they sit in the beam opening so thinking they may be problematic. Duncs