Can you remove lower door hinge with front fender still on..........

[bandit67]

Hi Guys, the spring detent rod is busted on my 72 and I need to remove the lower hinge..........but does not look easy with the fender still in place...........can it be done with simple hand tools.  Probably will need new bushing and pins also........thanks........John

[Judhudson]

It should be.  I mean, I didn't have to take off my fenders on my 73 when I took both hinges off.  I just had to use wrenchs and small rachets.  I do believe that I loosed the bottom of the fender off so it could lift a few inches making it easier to get access.

[Nacho-RT74]

Yes of course... first remove doors from car leaving hinges on car, than you will get plently room to remove hinges from car.

Now, JUST remove lower Hinge ... mmmmmm don't think so... upper hinge could it be damaged tryin to support all the door weight. In fact door could it be bended at upper hinge area. You can get damage also on fender.

HOWEVER... make marks where hinges are located, because if you remove without mark with a sharpie or something, THEN REMOVE the fender will be mandatory to get again same location without damage anything on installing and alignment job.

Of course once you get rebuilt hinge will need to be aligned anyway, but will be just small touchs.

[bandit67]

Well, when it comes to realigning doors, I sux.  Soooooooo, I leave them on IF possible. That is why I want to remove the hinge ONLY.   The doors are big and heavy , but now I use the hydraulic push cart from Northern and have no problem supporting them  during the removal. And usually the alignment stays good.   Just have never done it with the fender in place.   Thanks for the input........J

[Nacho-RT74]

remove completelly door won't be a hard aligment job... for a while you have a starting point,  leaving the upper hinge on place. Align the door on hinge door side itself is not really a big deal.

Trust me when I say remove completelly the door, leaving untouched the upper hinge on car and marking with a sharpie the lower one position before remove from car to save from heavier damage everything including yourself

[bandit67]

I was able to remove the lower hinge WITHOUT removing the door or fender. Did not even have to loosen the lower fender bolts.  Now that I had the hinge removed , I now see that one can drive out both the small drive pin that holds the spring plate and drive out the roll pin that supports the door roller with the hinge still  in place.  Door works good now, and no need to use a screwdriver to pop things back in place in the door is opened to far...................J