1st Gen Dakota Tech 1987 - 1996 Dodge Dakota Tech - The ultimate forum for technical help on the 1st Gen Dakota.

driver door lower hinge

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 24, 2025 | 03:37 PM
  #11  
HeyYou's Avatar
HeyYou
Administrator
Veteran: Air Force
Community Favorite
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,401
Likes: 4,214
From: Clayton MI
Default

Could you just support the door on something like a jackstand, and weld with it in place?
 
Reply
Old Mar 24, 2025 | 07:32 PM
  #12  
onemore94dak's Avatar
onemore94dak
Thread Starter
|
Champion
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,724
Likes: 153
Default

It doesn't feel like its in the right spot to get the door .....I'm making excuses. I just undid all the bolts on the fender and disconnected the PDC, Washer fluid and the stuff I added from the inside. I had to removed the bezel for the headlight and the cowl. Found out I still need to remove the bumper to get it off. I'll consider it tomorrow if I feel up to going out there and messing with it. And you have to take out the battery because one of the bolts is in the tray. ??
I don't feel like being crouched down like that will let me be stable enough to strike an arc and make a good bead while trying not to burn through. I was thinking I would get it out and have it so I was welding flat which is the easiest position. That bottom tear is humped out like a big round spot. I really could not get it to go in much. It felt a lot worse than that picture shows. The left side (The hinge body is behind it) is actually raised higher than the right in that pic and it should be reversed. That vertical crack is not level across except after I beat it up some and only when I pushed the door outward which I was kind of doing w/o thinking about it to take that picture.
 
Reply
Old Mar 25, 2025 | 03:15 PM
  #13  
onemore94dak's Avatar
onemore94dak
Thread Starter
|
Champion
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,724
Likes: 153
Default

I took HY's advice this morning and welded it in position. It worked and it closes right. I had to futz with the welding a few tacks at a time and put the bolts back into the fender loosely while I waited. It doesn't look great but it is welded and feels solid. I'm letting it dry off since I washed away the grease so I can paint it. The difference between drvr/pasngr hinge is one of them is upside down compared to the other. IDKW Maybe they can be flipped for either side? Pic later.
 
Reply
Old Mar 25, 2025 | 08:21 PM
  #14  
onemore94dak's Avatar
onemore94dak
Thread Starter
|
Champion
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,724
Likes: 153
Default

The camera battery died after one pic and it is blurry. I put it all back together. She seems good.
While I was working I remembered that the door alignment started to look funny when I opened and closed it about a year or so ago. I discounted my calibrated eye judgment. That may have been a clue to the developing problem. There was no visible to me exterior damage. When I started trying to figure it out watching the hinge the door body flexed inward. At least I beat the rain.
 
Reply




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:12 PM.