[garrity455]

Hey guys what's up? My drivers door is starting the dreaded sag, and now I have to lift it when I close it for it to close well. What does it take to fix this?

Thanks,
Mike

[JUDGNOT]

New door hinge bushings.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Let me guess it's a firebird....common deal. door hinge pin/bushing replacement.

Another option, I hear that there are some import hinge assy's (already assembled) that can be bought, worth the money,

The worst part is installation. Takes a lot of patience....

[fbody_mike]

Also, do not over look your subframe mount bushings. When I swapped out my 40 yeard old rubber for some solid mounts it made a world of difference in the door closing. Several other have reported the same thing. Does not mean your root cause is not a worn hinge, but the subframe bushings also have an impact on the door.

[garrity455]

Thanks guys. Yes a 79 firebird, you got it. Well I saw the bushings kit is not expensive, but the labor is kind a pain in the butt? I will have to look up the process. Thanks!

[garrity455]

And fbody mike, I will try to check that out too. Thanks.

[rolling money pits]

i might actually be easier to buy the hinges already done, the lower ones especially.

30 YO hinges will have all kinds of wear on them that might not be "fixable" with pins/bushings. if the body of the hinge itself is fubar'd, specifically the hole, that's an issue. if its egged out of shape from the bushing disintegrating, it's pretty much toast unless you weld it back up. usually the detent roller has problems, but there's kits for that. and i've seen the detent arm's pivot all fouled up as well.

IF all that is wrong, youre spending a bit of time and money to repair it, some, or all four.

the uppers may not be as bad, but if they have the same problem with holes for the bushings, it's rinse and repeat....

[boater bill]

Getting new hinges instead of the bushing kit would have kept me out of the ER when I crushed my thumb driving the old bushings out.

Replace the lower hinge, leaving on the upper hinge, then have a friend hold the door open when replacing the upper hinge. This is easier to get the door aligned than by taking the door entirely off and then try to get it right.

Good luck

[72LuxuryLeMansLa.]

My Lemans had some sag on the drivers side. It turned out that the bolts connecting the door to the hinge were not tight and some were backing out. I almost ordered hinges without looking closely at the hinges; I am damn glad I took a look first.

[wrenchmen]

You can also use a floor jack under the door...this way you can raise or lower
carefully and by yourself.

Align the new hinge to the "ghost marks" left by the original and very gently
check for clearance between the door and front fender or you will be doing
body work next.

[Steve C.]

Years ago High Performance Pontiac magazine did a mini tech article on this very subject of sagging doors on second gen Firebirds and how to fix them. You might check to see if the article is avaiable on line in their tech articles on the web site.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Check the bolts first by all means!!! But those F body doors are heavy!!!

I was really glad I bought the hinges when I did.

The factory hinges appeared to be made defectively...I worked on a 78 Camaro that was the same.
The flat metal bar with the scallops cut into it, that contacts the roller, did not run square with the roller (these are the parts that hold the door in the two open positions)
The bar lines up fine on the new hinge on my car, I had to make a spacer for it to work on the Camaro....these parts have no effect of the bushings wear, but don't help the function of the door,............just wondered if anyone else noticed this......