Hinge pin removal tips and questions

coupe1942

coupe1942

Senior Member
My passenger side hinge pin is giving me a headache in removal of the pin. Although I have tried to center the stud that pushes up inside the hinge pin removal tool onto the base of that pin, I have already bent two of the rods that came with the tool. I have used a flashlight to see that the rod is centered and I have even pushed the tool towards the glass so that nothing moves as the bolt is tightened up on the tool. Somehow something seems to slip when the bolt is tightened and I am not wanting to ruin any more of the small rods provided with the tool while trying to extract that last hinge pin. Any tips on this? Is the other type of hinge pin removal tool better than this one for such?

Also, are those two allen head screws to keep the mirror from moving or do they actually screw down into the holes on the hinge? They seemed awfully small to me when they were fully tightened down at the mirror shaft. I can replace them with longer screws if necessary, but I didn't know if the holes in the hinge were actually threaded or not and if these two screws were simply to lock in the holes to keep the mirror shaft from moving or not.

I soaked the pin overnight in penetrating oil before I began. The driver side hinge pin came out fairly smoothly, but this one is the problem child for me and I don't want to scrape my paint or ruin any more rods to the hinge pin tool if at all possible. I try to keep both the tool and the rod as centered as I can as I tighten that bottom bolt. I have also put oil onto that bolt to make tightening it up smoother.

Any tips would be appreciated. The heat and humidity outside today is a real killer, so I can only work on this project in spurts. My pants legs feel as if they each weigh a hundred pounds with all the sweat when I work out in this heat and humidity. :-(

Thanks.
 

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Drill through each side of the pin about an inch then knock it through with a punch that fits the hole you drilled properly.. The pin metal is soft so they drill pretty easy.. Taking it to about 5/32 will suffice.. No need to go the exact size of the pin... Do yourself a favor and protect around the work area / body with some painters tape and some towels...

I have had the tool fail me many times ... This method always works..
Be careful not to break a drill bit in it as your up stepping the sizes

The idea is after drilling in each direction the pin collapses in on itself when punching it
 
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I also do what Mitch does and drill the pins and punch them out. I usually go to a little larger than 5/32", maybe 3/16". Make sure the drilled hole is drilled in the pins exact center. If you file or grind off the rounded top some, that allows the drill to start easier. The removal tool only works if the pin isn't very tight in the first place, which usually doesn't happen.
Rusty Nelson
 
Aircraft supply company's have long drill bits, 6in and 12 in! It helps keep the drill chuck away from your paint! I fought with hinge pins for a day, then went and bought a air hammer. I had a long set for rivets that I ground down to less than the door pins. When I pulled the trigger that stubborn pin that had heat, oil ,lots of bad words jumped out to a height of about 4 feet. The best 19 dollars I have spent! I now have a long barrel air hammer :-) @ Big Hammer
 
I have success with a 4 inch block of steel, with a 1 /2" hole bored in it. I have someone hold it FIRMLY on top of the hinge, while I RAP it from below, with my short handled, 48 Oz Ball Pein Hammer. ALWAYS worked for me.
Bill W.
 
I do use a towel at the door, but didn't have one handy for the photos taken. I think that the very tip of this pin may be angled a bit. Not the head area, but the opposite tip end.

My hand shakes pretty badly at times, so drilling is a somewhat scary task for me. I did clop the end today with a nail punch and hammer, but I have to admit that I was pretty light on doing so. My black paint does not allow the tip area to show up all that well, but I did try to center the punch as best I could. I am allowing the pin to soak overnight with more penetrating oil. Hoping I can see it better in the morning and see if drilling is the way to go for me or not.

Anyone have any answers about those allenhead screws on the mirror as asked above? Do they thread on into the door hinge itself or screw down just enough to catch inside the holes to keep the mirror shaft from moving?
 
They just tighten up to the hinge pin. Should be no holes in hinge pin. That I am aware of!!! I have used a socket over top of hinge pin Head/ Good C-Clamp/Being careful not to destroy paint,Lots of oil.
 
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pushing from the bottom upward will swell the pin like a rivet. drill the bottom like wrndln said, Then drill the round top of the rivet to remove it. Then push down by flipping the tool over.
 
All good suggestions. The only thing I can add is that with mine I started treating the hinge pins on my 29 tudor with Kroil every evening for a month before I attempted the removal. They all came out with the same tool you have.
 
I've found this type of tool to work better on the really stuck pins. Drilling into the pin a 1/2" or so will help a lot also (might need a longer pin in the tool), but if someone has beat on the pin before it could be swelled up like a rivet on the bottom so then just grind the pin flush with the bottom of the hinge.
Put the tool on the pin tighten up the bolts and smack the bottom of the tool with a hammer to help move the pin up,then tighten the bolts some more and more smacks with the hammer
I always push the pin up because of the knurled section on the top of the pin, don't want to try to push it all the way through the hinge
 

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Phil Brown said:
I've found this type of tool to work better on the really stuck pins. Drilling into the pin a 1/2" or so will help a lot also (might need a longer pin in the tool), but if someone has beat on the pin before it could be swelled up like a rivet on the bottom so then just grind the pin flush with the bottom of the hinge.
Put the tool on the pin tighten up the bolts and smack the bottom of the tool with a hammer to help move the pin up,then tighten the bolts some more and more smacks with the hammer
I always push the pin up because of the knurled section on the top of the pin, don't want to try to push it all the way through the hinge
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This is the type tool I have (pictures in post #10). I have also loaned it out several times. Everyone that has used it say it works very well.
 
I just use an old piece of a cardboard box if needed. You could even put a soft rag on the paint side of the cardboard.
 
1. Over time,the hinge pin can wear a "seat" or ridge that will jam on the hinge itself and make it impossible to remove. You may have better luck driving the pin with the door at different degrees of being open.
2. The Allen screws just hold the mirror against the hinge. I cut out circles of inner tube with a hole punch and put them between the end of the scre and the paint to provide some protection.

Keep in mind there is a knurled area below the pin head you'll have ot deal with and the original pin is not 1/4" You may need to purchase oversize pins when you put it back together.
 

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I have a punch and I did indeed give it a whack or two to see if that blasted pin would budge in some manner. I didn't have any luck and I am a bit hesitant to try that all that often as with my luck, I'll break a window or dent the metal.

I then did what usually works best for me when I am a bit frustrated. I simply put the task aside for a bit. I added more penetrating oil and I have also ordered one of the other type extraction tools to add to my growing parts bin of tools I'll likely only use once in a lifetime. :-)

I have not attempted to drill anything yet, as I await that other tool. The heat is a bit much to be out under that shade tree today, but hopefully the mail man will bring me that tool soon and I can get back to seeing what works out best for me. That one hinge pin is about as stubborn as I am, so the challenge should be interesting when all is said and done.

I have a big hammer, a bigger hammer and the biggest hammer. Choosing the right one for the job may be a hearty task in and of itself. :-)
 
You'll have less chance of damaging anything using the drill method (as long as your vision is good). The tools all have a higher percentage of chipping the paint when pressure is applied
 
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