Door Removal

[sam knopik]

Can anyone let me know the proper steps in removing the door?

Thanks,

SK

[grey beard]

Hi Sam,

Pilohouse doors may be removed in either of two ways. Easiest, if they are not too worn or rusty, is to tap the hinge pins upward and out of the hinges. On Montana trucks they come right out with a small ball pien hammer and a numbger two Phillips screwdriver. On Pennsylvania trucks, some will come out with a ten pound sledge and a long punch. Others come out with an air hammer/punch. Still others do not come out at all.

The second way is to remove the bolts from the cab post side of the hinge. Then take a BFH (big fat hammer, what else?) and beat the hinges loose - outward - from the A piller on the cab. Soaking with panther usually helps. These hinges have the unbelievable ability to grow tight to the cab post at these points unlike anything you will ever see. We have also had to resort to a hydraulic porta-power ram to get hinges loose.

In short, when you remove hinges, you just need to do whatever it takes - warm 'em up with the hlue-nose wrench, slug 'em or jar them loose., They will come out.

Easier to put back than to remove if they're rusty, by far. It's one of those johs that separate the men from the boys, if you know what I mean.

[PatS....]

If you take the hinges off the cab post, drill a small hole through the hinges into the post for a small bolt to align the door back to it's original position when reinstalling.

Much easier than fussing with the alignment later.

(drill these holes while the hinges are still in place )

[Merle Coggins]

Don't forget about the door check arm. Best way to disconnect that is to grind off the top of the rivet and knock it out. You can get screw together rivet posts at your local hardware store when it's time to reinstall.

Merle

[Young Ed]

This is what Merle is talking about. I have them on both my car and truck with a little locktite they work great.

[sam knopik]

Thanks guys. I'm making progress on this thing.... I think...