Door Hinge Spring--Found a substitue

[Trace 300 Hurst]

The hinge spring broke on my 70 300, and I looked and looked for a replacement, or even an old hinge for sale. Problem with an old hinge is if it's NOT a passenger side, it's been opened as many times as my broken spring has, minus that last opening before it snaps.

So imagine my surprise when I found a near-identical replacement at my local Home Depot for a few bucks! I mic'd the dimensions, including the all-important wire diameter. Bingo.

I know other years and models have different springs vs. the one for the very, very long two-door cars, but at least you have a chance of finding a match to your particular spring at the Depot's fastener isle.

 

[stubs300]

You go into any Ace hardware store and you'd be surprised what they have for hard to find stuff that you'd never know the difference from factory. I'm talkin about clips, nuts, bolts, oddball stuff, God knows what else. Here's a prime example.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

I installed the spring, and it works quite well. The full-open detent is solid, but the half-open detent is a little soft. You have to "find" the half detent and it does hold, but once the big door starts to swing with it's own inertia it goes right by the half position in either direction. Maybe all two-doors do this, but anyway, the full position is just fine.

I was able to remove the hinge without removing the door. A helper would have been handy for moving/holding the open door for you, but I did it myself.

• Support end of open door with some "up" pressure.
• Remove the six bolts. Bring all your 9/16ths sockets and wrenches to the task, along with some "tight quarters patience" for 10 degree wrench swings.
• Jack the door up as high as you dare to open the area of the lower hinge as much as possible. Lots of slop in that upper hinge......
• With no spring in the hinge (cuz it's broken), you can easily "close" the hinge and it will slide out, with the door side leaf just barely catching on the weatherstrip.
• Installing the Home Depot spring is easy. You only need to stretch it about 1/4" to get it on the pawl/lever/detent thingy. I have a spring puller, but a loop of coathanger will work just fine. Not a "hook" of weak coathanger, but a closed loop.
• Wirebrush and lightly lube the six bolts. Chances are you'll be able to run them in with your fingers.
• To install, have the hinge fully closed. Install pillar bolts to snug so the hinge doesn't flop around. Then, open the hinge against the spring detents (it's not very difficult, but needs some ooomph) and work the door leaf past the weatherstrip to the fully open position.
• Now spend the next couple of hours trying to align the damn door.
• AS YOU TEST FIT, DO NOT CLOSE IT WITHOUT KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE FORWARD EDGE. THE FORWARD EDGE IS NOT YOUR FRIEND AS YOU NATURALLY CONCENTRATE ON THE REAR OF THE DOOR AS YOU CLOSE IT.

 

[stubs300]

I installed the spring, and it works quite well. The full-open detent is solid, but the half-open detent is a little soft. You have to "find" the half detent and it does hold, but once the big door starts to swing with it's own inertia it goes right by the half position in either direction.

I have always found, regardless of Marque, that the middle detent never really held the door at all. As you say, a soft spot, as where the full open detent would secure the door open. I've never been able to figure why that is? Glad it worked out good for you.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Good observation, thanks. Yeah, "soft spot". You can **put** the door there and it will stay, if you're not pointing uphill at all. But I wouldn't trust it and a tiny breath of wind vs. my shin bone. Good news is the full detent is just fine with this Depot spring.

And it was awful having that broken spring. The door wouldn't stay open at all unless you were pointing downhill. And there's no downhill here at the beach in Florida!

I just tried my passenger door, and the half-step isn't as soft (has a bit more detent action). But that might be because my driver hinge is now fully cleaned and lubed, with the roller turning easily---but the passenger unit has 48 years of filthy, dry innards!

 

[stubs300]

I take you've never worked a door on a A100 pup or van? There is no detents at all on the doors! And if the straps are gone it will open 180* from closed.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

I take you've never worked a door on a A100 pup or van? There is no detents at all on the doors! And if the straps are gone it will open 180* from closed.

Nope, I tend to avoid them!

 

[stubs300]

Hey, whatever makes your kitchen sink.