Rear lower door hinge removal

[GrahamFountain]

If I take all the bolts into the door jamb out of the lower rear hinge to put the shim the painter left out back, will they just go back in or does the plate fall down at all?

Also, as some of the threads in that jamb plate seem stripped, is it easy to replace or do I have to find a way to re-thread in situ?

Graham

[new to this]

No the mounting plate will not drop,its also held in place by the door courtesy switch,i made up some shims for mine to get the door gaps better,i also had over sized door hinge pins made to take up the wear


If the door jam plate the threads are damaged try retapping them you cant get the door jam plate out,well not unless you want major work cutting the door jam apart

I found there was a problem on my passengeds door jam adjustment it goes in and out,and down but not up,the only one of my door locks not to go up

[GrahamFountain]

Thanks for that.
I thought it probably wouldn't fall out of the way/reach if I took the bolts out. But finding I was wrong would have been really bad. So I thought I should ask.

Graham

[GrahamFountain]

Well the shim helped. But there's far too much slack in the pins to get it right, so it looks like replacement hinges - it would mean the car would be off the road too long to take these off and make up oversized pins to fix.

But the worse problem is the threads in the captive plate are well gone. The top set seem fine, but there's only one bolt holding the bottom hinge and I don't dare tighten that as much as I'd like. I don't seem to have any M8 bolts to try and see if they'll grip - it needs the door off to re-tap the holes if they are too fat - but I don't think they will be; rather, I expect they'll not help being only a few 10s of thou bigger. Anyway, I've ordered 10 off eBay to see.
Anybody tried that fix and did it work?

Failing the M8 bolt fix I guess it's a helicoil to fix the threads - unless there's a better idea out there.
I have a 5/16ths UNC helicoil kit from doing the thermostat housing, and bolts aplenty. And I can't see a reason to get a UNF kit for two or three bolts I hope won't be out very often.
Anybody got an opinion?

Graham

[GrahamFountain]

Got the M8 setscrews today. There're a bit short with the shim in the bottom hinge, so I may get some 5 or 10mm longer ones. But I put one in to replace the UNF that one that wouldn't hold. From I was a little trepidatious of over tightening, but it went in easy and took a reasonable torque for a door hinge, almost like the problem is someone already forced one in before.

Graham

[new to this]

You may be better to go up to M10 bolts

[GrahamFountain]

Are the holes in the hinges big enough, or do they need drilling for clearance?

Graham

[TrustNo1]

M8?. ...try using imperial as thats what was fitted originally I believe and its what I've always used.

[new to this]

M8?. ...try using imperial as thats what was fitted originally I believe and its what I've always used.

Grahams

original bolt threads are damaged, that why i said go up a thread size

[TrustNo1]

M8?. ...try using imperial as thats what was fitted originally I believe and its what I've always used.

Grahams

original bolt threads are damaged, that why i said go up a thread size

But isnt M8 a METRIC size whereas it should be IMPERIAL setscrews.?

[Carledo]

M8?. ...try using imperial as thats what was fitted originally I believe and its what I've always used.

Grahams

original bolt threads are damaged, that why i said go up a thread size

But isnt M8 a METRIC size whereas it should be IMPERIAL setscrews.?

The threaded catchplates are almost impossible to access, the threads are stripped in the original catchplates, how are YOU proposing to get round this? If M8 works, it works! Job done! May not be good enough for a concours purist, but fine for a daily IMO!

Steve

[GrahamFountain]

Actually, if the M8's don't hold, as they are only a tiny bit bigger, going to the next imperial size up, 3/8 unf, might be a good idea. That's because they're the same pitch as 5/16th, i.e.24 tpi. So, if there's any thread left, it's just cutting it deeper. It's also slightly smaller than M10 at 9.525mm diameter.

The question is whether the larger bolt heads matter.

Graham

[TrustNo1]

Actually, if the M8's don't hold, as they are only a tiny bit bigger, going to the next imperial size up, 3/8 unf, might be a good idea. That's because they're the same pitch as 5/16th, i.e.24 tpi. So, if there's any thread left, it's just cutting it deeper. It's also slightly smaller than M10 at 9.525mm diameter.

The question is whether the larger bolt heads matter.

Graham

The larger bolt heads are only an issue on one as its very close to the inner edge so takes a wile to do the bolt up 1/100th of a turn each time.
(can't remember if that was the upper of lower hinge though)

[GrahamFountain]

I bought a pair of right rear hinges off ebay. But looking at the screws that came with, there are two lengths. Does anybody know where the longer ones go? I only got two two longer ones in the set, but there's only 9 of the shorter screws anyway.

Also, any tips on replacing the hinges, like one at a time?

Graham

[Carledo]

The bolts go through the same size flat hinge into the same size flat catcher plate, why should any be a different size? Can't say i've ever noticed any being different when taking them out, but on checking my bolt collection I have found 2 different lengths of painted head 5/16" bolts, so maybe i'm as unobservant as others! Or it could be a year thing, a whatever they had on the line at the time thing, or just the odd size in my box are from a different car, I have worked on other Triumphs besides Dolomites!

Change 1 at a time, leave ALL bolts in the one you aren't changing, lay a towel or similar in the shut and (belt and braces) support the door on a jack and block of wood, but be careful NOT to sit in the car whilst it's so supported!

Steve