Chevy Silverado comprises big and small parts. We pay interest only when one of them stops functioning.
One such car part is the door hinges. It is a must to know how to replace door hinges on Chevy Silverado.
Your Chevy may experience problems in operations, such as opening and closing. It may be due to the inappropriate positioning of the hinges.
Fixing this problem may require restoring the hinges. It is not an impossible task, but you need an assistant to complete this task of replacing the car door hinges.
However, it is a common part and an important part. If you wish to replace the Chevy Silverado door hinges, we have everything covered relating to hinges.
Additionally, it is an all-inclusive guide covering the tools required for Chevy truck door hinge replacement and includes answers to all crucial frequent questions that come to anyone’s mind.
Table of Contents
Automotive Door Hinges: What and Why
Automotive door hinges hold the car door securely and facilitate movement. The car door hinges assist in the door’s smooth functions, closing, and opening.
It is found attached to the bonnet, boot lid, and the door of the car. The automotive door hinges are gaining popularity in the global market.
Automobile production is rising all over the globe that there is anticipation for more avenues to more people using the automotive door hinges.
The market of automotive door hinges is segmented on the basis of application, material, geography, and end-user. The automotive door hinges vary in materials.
It is segmented as aluminum alloy and stainless steel. The automotive door hinges are categorized on their application basis as boot lids, bonnets, and doors.
Relying on the end-user basis, the market of automotive door hinges is further segmented into passenger, commercial or off-road highway vehicles.
How to Replace Door Hinges on Chevy Silverado
As the first step, ensure to have sufficient room to open the doors of the Chevy truck fully. Only then, you can get easy access to the hinges.
The steps to replace door hinges on Chevy are:
Step 1: Remove door spring, bushings, and old hinge pins
- Remove the retainer clip of the hinge pin on the top using pliers and screwdriver.
- Wiggle it loose using the screwdriver, grab it and keep hands loose to work using pliers.
- Remove the Chevy door spring that appears behind the hinge. Locate the spring end and insert it between the hinges of the screwdriver. Ensure the spring comes out, by keeping the door for leverage.
- Spray on the bottom and top of the pins some penetrating oil, continue the same at the bushings. It helps to hammer the pin and to take it out easily.
Place the extension on the pin top and carefully dislodge the pin using the hammer. Take care to not hit your windshield or even any other part of the Chevy door or body.
Step 2: Grab your assistant
- Dislodge the retainer clip of the hinge pin that is in the bottom. Use pliers and screwdrivers. Begin wiggling it loose using the screwdriver tip and grabbing it; try to work with loose hands using the pliers.
- Place the jack such that you hold the door end and it offers support to handle the weight as the pin at the bottom comes out. This is the time you need your assistant’s help very much to hold the door. Only then it does not fall and stays upright on the jack.
Pro tip: Using a 2 x 4 wood piece is always helpful in distributing the weight of the door equally.
- Spray on the pin top and bottom some penetrating oil. Also, apply the same on the bushings. It helps them as they try taking out the pin.
- Hammer carefully to dislodge the pin from the bottom. Also, ensure your assistant is firmly holding the door on the jack giving the right weight support.
- Ask the assistant to wiggle the door gently. You can see if the pin is on the hinge, straight, or is it binding.
- Once you notice the pin, use pliers and grip the pin top and start loosening it. Tap the pliers using the hammer and you will notice the dislodging of the pin. Finally, remove the pin.
- Use a flathead screwdriver and try loosening the old bushings out. Now replace with new hinge pins and bushings and place the Chevy truck door back together.
Pro tip: Use a rag so that the paint is safe on the Chevy truck door. Cover the area before you start hammering the pin upward and learning how to install door hinge on Silverado.
Step 3: Putting Back Together
- Insert new bushings, but take care to consider different sizes and the place or position on each hinge.
Pro tip: For the top hinge, the common rule is that the larger bushing is for the hinge bottom part and the smaller bushing is for the hinge top part.
- For the bottom hinge, commonly, the larger bushing fits on the top hinge part and the smaller bushing takes to the hinge bottom part. However, the hinge bolt head in both cases is the larger among two bushings.
- Hammer gently the four bushings so that they fit exactly into place. Bear in mind, the bushings are a vehicle part of the hinge and not any truck door part.
As the door weight is on the jack in the balance still, you may take the assistant’s help and align the hinges. Start sliding into place the hinge pins through the bushings.
- It is always bottom first and later the top. Gently tap a hammer, and then firmly hammer finally so that it engages the pins to fit in the bushings.
- Place over the bushings, the retainer clips and use a small hollow piece or socket to hammer retainer rings. It will keep the pins perfectly seated, such that they do not come out.
Step 4: Reinstall a Door Spring
It is possible to reinstall the door spring using a door spring GM tool or even without it.
- Fortunately, if the particular door spring tool of GM is available with you, it helps in replacing door springs.
- Even if you do not possess the spring tool of GM, compressing the spring using a vice helps. There is a need to use plastic zip-ties so that they stay compressed until you install them.
Pro tip: Install loosely three zip-ties before compressing the spring and the moment you get the spring hold in the vice, tighten them. Hold the spring carefully by the side, and not the ends. It is because the zip-ties may break.
Wear eye protection glasses while pushing into place the compressed spring.
Cautiously cut the zip-ties. It helps slightly closing the door and rotates the compressed spring so that you can reach the second zip-tie.
There is no need to cut the third zip-tie, it will break open on its own and close the Chevy truck door, thereby popping the spring securely.
Following these steps teaches how to fix a broken door hinge. On replacing the hinges you will notice the door of your Chevy truck does not sag anymore. It is easier to close and open.
Required Tools
How to replace door hinges on Chevy Silverado is a big question. The main culprit is the bushing and pins playing on the hinges. Fortunately, the door hinges changing is not complicated.
The required tools are:
- Bushings and Pins.
- Hammer
- Flathead screwdriver
- Penetrating oil
- Hydraulic jack
- Safety glasses
- Needle nose pliers
- GM door spring instrument, zip-ties, and sharp blade or box cutter
- A metal rod or long extension so that it enables hammering right on the pin.
- Cardboard, plywood, or carpet to safeguard your windshield
- 2×4 wood scrap pieces, as optional
- 9mm extension for installing retainer clips. It slides on the pin.
- An assistant
Parts Required
New bushings, new door hinge pins, and a new spring.
Buying the door hinge bushings and pins implies you buy the right match. Check the model, make, and year of the Chevy.
Cautions During the Process
- During the process of Chevy truck door hinge replacement, ensure you work on the correct door. Ascertain the door hinges you have purchased are correct. It is possible to do physical checking keeping it to the replacing door.
- Find the right size wrenches by checking the door hinges bolts and door holder. If not the door will slide and fall on your feet.
- Be cautious with the door wiring. It is because the new vehicles have wiring on their doors. It is mostly connected to car control computers. The manufacturers prevent wiring from getting corroded or damaged by enshrouding the wiring in a rubber tube.
- Pulling the rubber tube and separate the car body and the door connector half. As connectors are complicated. Try pulling out the connector and push into the other. However, be careful if it is not a new car.
- The retainer springs and clips are not easy to remove, and they may shoot up at times, so never begin your work without wearing safety glasses.
The tools used for replacing car door hinges are simple. Yet, there is a need to use it carefully so that you do not take away the side paints or scratch the car’s body.
Crucial FAQs
Is replacing door hinges easy?
Replacing the car door hinges is easy. It can be completed within an hour.
However, we have given the step-by-step method about how to replace door hinges on Chevy Silverado. Going through the steps will ensure you do the replacing of hinges flawless.
Should I replace the old door hinges on my Chevy Silverado?
How to fix a broken door hinge is your worry or you wish to know if you want to replace the Chevy Silverado door hinges or not.
In case there are too loud noises from your Chevy’s doors each time you operate, it calls for a replacement of door hinges.
Even after applying lubricant, if the car door is making noise, there is no second call. Take the call and it is the right time for new hinges.
How much does it cost to replace a car door hinge?
The average cost of materials of door hinges is around $13/per hinge.
Of course, it is in the range between $9.90 and $16. The labor and materials total price is $132/ per hinge. Again, it is also in the range of $89 and $175.
The actual price varies as per the job size, location, car door conditions, and finishing options.
How do you fix a car door hinge?
Fixing the car door hinges is possible by either replacing the entire hinge or it can be replacing just the bushings and the pin.
There is a need to replace both or one hinge. However, it depends on the extreme wear condition to understand how to install a door hinge on Silverado.
How much do door hinges cost?
A car door malfunctioning entails obtaining a quote to repair the door hinges. The price for the door hinges is between $400 and $500.
A car owner may calculate the car door hinge total repair cost considering the car door function, the car door components, the replacement parts cost, and the components affecting the actual replacement price.
What are car door hinges made of?
Hinges are made in a range of metals such as brass, stainless steel, copper, pewter, bronze, etc.
There are different finishing types in hinges. The hinges compliment the door and the décor surrounding.
Common finishes include polished, primed, rust-resistant, plated, and more. Different types of hinges include slip joint, spring, butt, and heavy-duty hinges.
The materials include steel, aluminum, stainless steel, copper, alloy, and carbon steel.
What is the best way to replace door hinges on Chevy trucks?
The best way of replacing Chevy Silverado truck door hinges is to try as DIY or to seek professional help.
The door hinges are welded on the truck body and so it may be tough to remove. Opening the Silverado and loosening the fasteners using a wrench, keeping the body frame in balance should be done carefully.
Tighten the fasteners and if possible ask one of your friends to be your assistant throughout the process to help you in replacing the door hinges.
Conclusion
We presume this all-inclusive article on how to replace door hinges on Chevy Silverado is helpful. The market has multiple door hinges, go through the options before finalizing one for your automobile.
Replacing the door hinges is not complicated as it appears. However, it is a must to follow the steps to fix it properly.
Search for Chevy Silverado hinges and check in detail. Before settling for any hinge, ascertain by checking their reviews.
It is crucial to check the parts warranty information while purchasing. However, if you are less confident about fixing the door hinges, or even while buying, contact your garage.
Allow them to suggest a suitable hinge type to meet the requirement.
What is keeping you on hold; if new hinges are the need? It is the right time to replace. Make sure to keep your beautiful vehicle Chevy Silverado in good condition.
Enjoy a thrilling ride!