I've seen a few people on here asking if they could fill in the egg-shaped hole in the door hinge with JB Weld, but no one seems to have actually tried it. Well, I tried it today. I had to replace my hinge pins and bushings, which were so far gone the pins started wearing into the hinge, making the hole egg-shaped. So I replaced the bushings, and then filled in the gap with JB Weld. I know the bushings aren't supposed to be "welded" to the hinge, but I figure if these bushings fail, it will wear through right where the JB Weld is, making removal of the bushings relatively easy.

I'll let you all know how well it holds up.

Sorry no pictures, I only have a crappy cell phone camera.

-- Kevin

 

I just did this about 2 months ago on a friends 2000 Bravada. So far, the pins are holding up VERY well. The purpose of the JB weld is to fill the void between the round bushing and the egg-shaped hole. So long as you do not use the door until after the JB weld sets up, it will not distort the bushing.

I did have to use an old dental pick to make sure that the JB weld was pushed up into the recesses on the bushing, but that was more for my own peace of mind, just needing to know that there were no voids.

It is now hard as a rock and there is no flex in the bushing.

The other key to a successful repair of the door hinge pins is lubrication. I use caliper grease on the pins/bushings due to its thick consistency and its tendancy to stay in place.

 

I just don't know why they make these bushings out of such soft material. If these don't last, I have half a mind to make some out of stainless steel on the old metal lathe.

 

The newer replacement bushings are made of harder material. Problem is that all of them are made of cintered bronze which isn't the strongest.

The key to long lasting hinges is lubrication as I said. Lack of maintenance is what gets most of them to the point where we curse them.

 

Anything a manufacturer can do to save a penny they will do it. The bushings are just crap and I have had my issues with the replacement bushings even with some grease used, just a common Chevy issue. If you can make some on a metal lathe and they actually do a good job I'l buy em.