Question-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Hi
91' discovery, has a sheared off pin in the lower hinge.
Have got new, complete hinge in front of me,
how do I change it easilly
cheers
Answer -
Hi Richard,
which door?
Regards,
Sorry silly me,
rear load door, the big one,
the hinge supplied appears to fit a barn
PART #
BHB 700051
with 3 14mm bolts going through it into the doorframe,
and (i'm told) some 'torx' star fixings in to the door itself, and quite a longstrip of hinge actually into the door itself, does that some how fix behind the interior trim, does that need removing, what about adjusting the door for 'square'
any help gratefully recieved
Richard
AnswerHi Richard,
well...good news and bad news. The good news is that I've changed the hinges on my '95 Disco and so I have lots of experience with this. The bad news is that you can't do it alone and its a real pain in the a-- getting it close like it once did. Its possible but very hard.
The design of the old hinges can only lead to the pin being sheared off. The top is exposed to water 'n salt and eventually its going to corrode. The weight of the door is the major reason. The Disco II hinges are designed better and the pin is at least protected by the shaped cap on the main flange. Next time you're parked near a Disco II, take a look ...
When my top hinge sheared off, I ordered the hinge and was given (by mistake) a Disco II hinge. I did not want to wait for the original so I tried it out and it worked.
Two years later, the bottom hinge broke (same place) and this time I tried to use a Disco II hinge. The only difference was a small flange welded to the hinge that butts up against the side of the rear door as the main support slides into the door. The original on the Disco I did not have this small flange so I drilled and threaded 3 new holes to accommodate it.
The length of the hinge tells you how strong it is. Yes, once you've removed the panel, you'll see the bolt heads that screw into the hinge bar. There must be specially designed sleeve that is welded within the rear door that holds this long piece.
I wish I was more familiar with the actual names of the parts of the hinge...just a sec, I'll find the name... ahh...door wing. The long bar-like piece is the door wing of the hinge. The frame wing is the part that attaches to the body of the Disco. The hinge pin is part of the knuckle. The things you learn from a simple google search.
Yes, the hinge is large. It has to provide support for both the door and the spare tire. Make sure the door wing is firmly bolted to the door. I'd even suggest locktite.
If you need to paint your hinge, obviously do this before you start any work. I have a white Disco and decided to keep the hinges black (since they came that way). It matches the bumper and I did not have any paint to make it match the body anyway.
You'll have to remove the sub=woofer, the panel, disconnect the wiring and then remove the door itself from the Disco frame (vehicle side).
Once the door is completely off, you can then remove the hinge from the rear door. Insert the hinge and tighten the bolts. The shims, if any, are usually on the vehicle side and not on the door side. If your Disco has shims, keep them...you may need them.
The door is very heavy. You'll need a volunteer AND a sawhorse (structure to support the door) as you attach the hinges to the frame of the Disco. There will be lots of micro adjustments as you try to match up the door lock and latch.
When you first attach the door to the frame, be careful as you close the door. The lock and latch must line up or you'll damage the lock and door.
I found that shims helped me but they may not be needed for you. The job of making the door true to the frame (square) is a tedious job that requires patience and ingenuity.
Whatever you do, don't let the weight of the door rest on just one hinge. It will cause the hinge to warp and then you'll spend hours and hours trying to align the door. This happened to me on the top hinge. I thought I could remove only the broken hinge on top and let the door rest on the bottom hinge. Big mistake. Two years later, that hinge broke and I think I was more to blame than the rust.
Whenever you're adjusting the door hinges, always have someone holding up the door. Remember, the hinge is like a fulcrum so a little effort will raise or lower the angle of the door as it closes. Tighten and slacken bolts until the door closes properly on the latch. This is the hardest part of the entire job.
I was told that the frame wing bolts are the ones to adjust to align the door. This is true for cabinet doors, front doors and your Disco.
I hope your door closes on the first try.
Best of luck,
JohnMc
