| Adjusting the door hinges [message #214878] |
Thu, 18 July 2013 15:46  |
 |
RF_Burns
Messages: 2277
Registered: June 2008
Location: S. Ontario, Canada
Karma: 3
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On the hinge side of my door the curve of the door matches the curve of the body, but the door is set in about an 1/8"+.
Initially the door was cock-eyed in the opening but I found a PO had added a flat washer on each mounting bolt between the hinge and the door jam of the upper hinge. Removing the washers allowed the door to sit square in the jam.
On the latch side the door matches up pretty well. However at the hinge side it sits in far enough that the weather-stripping has been pounded flat. Also there is no space for the hinges of Paula's yet to be installed screen door. A bodyman friend of mine confirmed my observation that the best fix is to elongate the hinge mounting holes to allow the door to be moved out flush with the body. The door side would seem to be the easiest as the aluminum frame is thinner than the body side.
Has anyone done this before? Tips, suggestions on how to?
Or am I missing something here?
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Adjusting the door hinges [message #214887 is a reply to message #214878] |
Thu, 18 July 2013 18:22  |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Bruce,
Go here and read "Recurve..." for the "right" way to do it.
Ken H.
On Jul 18, 2013 1:46 PM, "Bruce Hislop" <bruce@perthcomm.com> wrote:
>
>
> On the hinge side of my door the curve of the door matches the curve of
> the body, but the door is set in about an 1/8"+.
>
> Initially the door was cock-eyed in the opening but I found a PO had added
> a flat washer on each mounting bolt between the hinge and the door jam of
> the upper hinge. Removing the washers allowed the door to sit square in
> the jam.
>
> On the latch side the door matches up pretty well. However at the hinge
> side it sits in far enough that the weather-stripping has been pounded
> flat. Also there is no space for the hinges of Paula's yet to be installed
> screen door. A bodyman friend of mine confirmed my observation that the
> best fix is to elongate the hinge mounting holes to allow the door to be
> moved out flush with the body. The door side would seem to be the easiest
> as the aluminum frame is thinner than the body side.
>
> Has anyone done this before? Tips, suggestions on how to?
>
> Or am I missing something here?
>
> --
> Bruce Hislop
> ON Canada
> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
> Hubler 1 ton front end
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
| [GMCnet] Fwd: Re: Adjusting the door hinges [message #214888 is a reply to message #214887] |
Thu, 18 July 2013 18:24 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
|
Senior Member |
|
|
As usual!
http://gmc.dwinchester.com
KH
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Ken Henderson" <hend4800@bellsouth.net>
Date: Jul 18, 2013 4:22 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Adjusting the door hinges
To: "gmclist" <gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org>
Cc:
> Bruce,
>
> Go here and read "Recurve..." for the "right" way to do it.
>
> Ken H.
>
> On Jul 18, 2013 1:46 PM, "Bruce Hislop" <bruce@perthcomm.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> On the hinge side of my door the curve of the door matches the curve of
the body, but the door is set in about an 1/8"+.
>>
>> Initially the door was cock-eyed in the opening but I found a PO had
added a flat washer on each mounting bolt between the hinge and the door
jam of the upper hinge. Removing the washers allowed the door to sit
square in the jam.
>>
>> On the latch side the door matches up pretty well. However at the hinge
side it sits in far enough that the weather-stripping has been pounded
flat. Also there is no space for the hinges of Paula's yet to be installed
screen door. A bodyman friend of mine confirmed my observation that the
best fix is to elongate the hinge mounting holes to allow the door to be
moved out flush with the body. The door side would seem to be the easiest
as the aluminum frame is thinner than the body side.
>>
>> Has anyone done this before? Tips, suggestions on how to?
>>
>> Or am I missing something here?
>>
>> --
>> Bruce Hislop
>> ON Canada
>> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
>> Hubler 1 ton front end
>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
>> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Adjusting the door hinges [message #214907 is a reply to message #214889] |
Thu, 18 July 2013 21:13 |
 |
Richard RV
Messages: 631
Registered: July 2012
Location: Full-timer for 12 years, ...
Karma: -17
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Hello Bruce. If the door curve is correct and there's a uniform inset, then you might be right about having few options. Elongating a hinge hole is pretty quick with a pneumatic die grinder and a carbide burr. You don't need or want a large burr. A smaller burr is less likely to get away from you and it removes material plenty quick for what you'll be doing. I like a conical burr for most things, but you might prefer a cylinder.
http://dewitt-tool.com/burrs-doublecut.aspx
You may want to insert some shim material in the elongated holes to help insure the bolt stays seated in its new position.
Richard
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach under construction;
‘76 Edgemont waiting its turn
|
|
|
|
| Re: Adjusting the door hinges [message #214981 is a reply to message #214889] |
Fri, 19 July 2013 12:17 |
|
Richard RV
Messages: 631
Registered: July 2012
Location: Full-timer for 12 years, ...
Karma: -17
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| rf_burns wrote on Thu, 18 July 2013 17:16 |
Only fix I can see is to move the door outwards at the hinge side.
There is no adjustment on the hinges so only thing i can see is to elongate the hinge bolt holes in the door to allow it to move outwards slightly.
|
Bruce,
I just took a look at the door hinges and there is another option.
The dogleg hinge leaf is not a 90 degree angle. It's a bit more obtuse. If you removed the hinge pins and the door, then removed the dogleg leaf you could bend it closer to 90 degrees in a press. That would effectively move the hinge side of the door closer to the hinge pin, which is what you're looking to do.
Bending the leaf would also draw the door a bit closer to the frame on the hinge side, so you might end up having to shim one of the leafs to get the spacing right.
Considering the Murray's nice paint job I'd stick with the elongated holes. It's a simpler and safer option.
Richard
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach under construction;
‘76 Edgemont waiting its turn
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Adjusting the door hinges [message #214986 is a reply to message #214889] |
Fri, 19 July 2013 12:44 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Bruce,
I'd slept on (=forgotten) your efforts at GMCES. it does indeed sound as
if the next step is hinge adjustment.
Ken H.
On Jul 18, 2013 5:16 PM, "Bruce Hislop" <bruce@perthcomm.com> wrote:
>
>
> Ken,
> If you recall we looked at my door last fall at the GMCES rally.
>
> I found and removed washers that were skewing the door in the opening. I
> also recurved the door slightly using Dan's method.
>
> Now the curve of the door matches the curve of the body, but I can't see
> how anymore recurving of the door (or the body) will fix the inset. Even
> at the hinges the door is inset.
>
> Only fix I can see is to move the door outwards at the hinge side.
>
> There is no adjustment on the hinges so only thing i can see is to
> elongate the hinge bolt holes in the door to allow it to move outwards
> slightly.
>
> --
> Bruce Hislop
> ON Canada
> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
> Hubler 1 ton front end
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
| Re: Adjusting the door hinges [message #214990 is a reply to message #214878] |
Fri, 19 July 2013 13:01 |
roy1
Messages: 2126
Registered: July 2004
Location: Minden nevada
Karma: 6
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Your friend's suggestion is the way to do it. I just elongated the door side on mine yesterday to move the door in at the top and out at the bottom. I used a dremmil to do it. With the 2 bolts removed you can put a bent nail between the door frame and the hinge to gain a space for grinding. One thing I noticed on mine was the door will only move out 1/8 to 3/16 before the hing bottoms on the inside of the door. If the door is getting weak where it bolts to the hinge it would help if you fabricate a steel plate and drill 2 holes for the 2 bolts. I also used thinner bolt heads so the bolts didn't touch the opposing bolts when the door closed. I also needed to tack weld the striker plate and add 2 washers so I wouldn't have to slam the door. I had tried the come along method in the service manual and the wood split. Kind of scary. I tried the method using the 2by4 and the j hooks with the jack it started to deform the door at the hinge so I gave up on that method.
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook
|
|
|
|
| Re: Adjusting the door hinges [message #215000 is a reply to message #214878] |
Fri, 19 July 2013 14:01 |
|
RF_Burns
Messages: 2277
Registered: June 2008
Location: S. Ontario, Canada
Karma: 3
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Richard,
Bending the hinge would move the door forward as well, and if anything the door could go back a bit. I was looking at the reamers and that looks like my best option. Or slow mode with a round file.
Ken,
I'm took a look at the curvature and it looks like the door has relaxed back a 1/16" towards the body after my recurving, so I will redo the curve before attempting to adjust the hinge.
Roy,
Glad to hear someone else braved th3 hinge adjustment before me!
I cheated a bit from Dan W's recurve method. I took two lengths of hole punched steel straps (much heavier stuff than the pipe strap variety) and use a top and bottom door hinge bolt to fasten them to the door. Then I used a vertical 2x4 on each side of the straps. This way I did not have to drill the door and the hinge bolts would be the pivot point for the recurving. Worked well for me, just scary how much I had to bend the door to get a set in the curve.
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
|
|
|
|
| Re: Adjusting the door hinges [message #215040 is a reply to message #215000] |
Fri, 19 July 2013 18:11 |
|
Richard RV
Messages: 631
Registered: July 2012
Location: Full-timer for 12 years, ...
Karma: -17
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| rf_burns wrote on Fri, 19 July 2013 12:01 |
Richard,
Bending the hinge would move the door forward as well, and if anything the door could go back a bit. I was looking at the reamers and that looks like my best option. Or slow mode with a round file.
|
Bruce,
If we're allowed to shim bogie assemblies, we're allowed to shim doors.  But that's hypothetical since you'll be elongating the holes.
If you have access to a die grinder pick up a carbide rotary file aka burr. It's far faster than by hand, more powerful and faster than a Dremel, and certainly precise enough. The burrs last a lot longer than a stone and they're cheap, too.
Richard
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach under construction;
‘76 Edgemont waiting its turn
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Adjusting the door hinges [message #215151 is a reply to message #215147] |
Sat, 20 July 2013 16:23 |
roy1
Messages: 2126
Registered: July 2004
Location: Minden nevada
Karma: 6
|
Senior Member |
|
|
The smaller the grinder the better there isn't a lot of room to work in. The little dremil would be all you need. The aluminum cuts fast. I used a diamond bit I got in Quartzite for shaping stone but just about anything will work.
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook
|
|
|
|
| Re: Adjusting the door hinges [message #215153 is a reply to message #215147] |
Sat, 20 July 2013 16:51 |
|
Richard RV
Messages: 631
Registered: July 2012
Location: Full-timer for 12 years, ...
Karma: -17
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| rf_burns wrote on Sat, 20 July 2013 13:19 |
Richard,
I have an air die grinder, just need a compressor big enough to feed it. I know it will work better than using an electric drill.
I think someone in the past has backed into something with the door open and forever changed some of the door geometry.
|
Hey Bruce. I was wondering about that - whether your coach had taken a hit at some point. The uniform 1/8" inset is the part that I don't understand. I would have figured there'd be some lingering undulation after a hit to the door/frame.
Richard
'77 Birchaven TZE...777;
'76 Palm Beach under construction;
‘76 Edgemont waiting its turn
|
|
|
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
