Door Hinge New Idea

[jmccrack]

150941

So here’s an idea. I need some feed back. I am getting ready to install the hardware into the doors and from everyone I talk to a lot of the times you can get the door to fit perfectly like I have now , and then when you bolt the structure in the door starts to twist. Some of you have warned me to make sure the crash beam sits flat against the fiberglass door on the inside or when you tighten the bolts everything will twist and that makes perfect sense. I checked mine and the crash bean is bent a bit from welding so it rocks on a flat surface and the fiberglass is rough and uneven in the door itself. So I propose to mill 2 landing pads as I have sketched out on the photo. And tack them to the part that sits flat against the inside of the door. Reason of course like a 3 legged stool the 2 areas will sit flat against the point they bolt to the FG door and not twist it. The fiberglass provides none of the support for the door hinges anyway. Any thoughts would be welcome.

[jmccrack]

150949150950

So here are the pads i machined tacked into place. They fit flat against the door frame now. Also as you know the one hinge nut is impossible to get to when the crash bar is installed so this is my fix. Just a groove ground in the nut plate and a piece of welding wire tacked in place. The nut plate is free to move but will not fall out.

[edwardb]

Nice work. That should help. I too noticed I couldn't get the frame ends flat against the inside of the door shells. One side was much worse than the other even after grinding off a little metal and also reaching in and cleaning up the fiberglass. Agree that not have them tight and pulling the hinges in would be a problem. I loaded mine up with HSRF and bedded the ends in that. So there's no gap. Hopefully will have the same result as what you did.

[bnelson]

150949150950

So here are the pads i machined tacked into place. They fit flat against the door frame now. Also as you know the one hinge nut is impossible to get to when the crash bar is installed so this is my fix. Just a groove ground in the nut plate and a piece of welding wire tacked in place. The nut plate is free to move but will not fall out.

Great idea with the nut plate wire! I fought that thing more than once:(

On adjusting the twist after all is installed. Loosening the two big bolts and twisting as others have said is the easiest way. I tried a few others before I figured it out. I turned my front tires to a position that when I opened my door as far as I could the bottom of the door would hit the tire. (leave the stop straps off) Then loosen those two nuts and push the top out. Tighten while holding pressure on the top. Check and adjust as necessary. Make sure you have the front of door aligned before you adjust the twist.

After everyone having this same issue sense the first truck. I cant understand why they haven't fixed it yet :(

[Pat Landymore]

150949150950

So here are the pads i machined tacked into place. They fit flat against the door frame now. Also as you know the one hinge nut is impossible to get to when the crash bar is installed so this is my fix. Just a groove ground in the nut plate and a piece of welding wire tacked in place. The nut plate is free to move but will not fall out.


Awesome idea with the wire to retain that nut block!! 👍🏼👍🏼

[jmccrack]

Thanks guys! There are so many great ideas on this forum its to bad they could not be cataloged in one place. My chassis number is 138 I am not sure what number FFR is up to on the trucks. But I am sure even though the have built a few themselves they could not possibly have learned all the small tricks to fitting one of these together. I find the more I go thru the truck forum the more great ideas I find you all have come up with. Put them all together and it sure makes things easier. I hate reinventing the wheel.

[Chris Wingardh]

Awesome Jmccrack, I agree there is so many great ideas on the forum. I will be sure to remember this one. My kit will be here in Oct.

Thanks,

[J R Jones]

jmc, I find that complex and expensive solutions occur to me first, and simple. efficient solutions take longer. Maybe a day later, certainly next morning, solutions arrive.

I suggest a chemical, form-in-place solution. I see no need for frame and door skin serviceability, just assembly.
I would apply a blob of epoxy panel bonder, to frame and skin surface, then assemble with finger tight fasteners. When cured the surfaces are married and ready for torqued fasteners without relative movement.
jim

[chuck35truck]

Are you talking about the 2 big bolts that bolt the 2 pieces of the door frame together? If so, would I need to put shims between the 2 pieces. Your description of how you did it is very clear. I’m just not clear on what 2 bolts you are talking about.

Thank you

On adjusting the twist after all is installed. Loosening the two big bolts and twisting as others have said is the easiest way. I tried a few others before I figured it out. I turned my front tires to a position that when I opened my door as far as I could the bottom of the door would hit the tire. (leave the stop straps off) Then loosen those two nuts and push the top out. Tighten while holding pressure on the top. Check and adjust as necessary. Make sure you have the front of door aligned before you adjust the twist.

After everyone having this same issue sense the first truck. I cant understand why they haven't fixed it yet :([/QUOTE]