So it's that time again. The door is sagging on my 04. The last 3 times I've replaced the bushings I've used aftermarket oversized bushings because in the truck's past they've been let go so long that the holes in the hinges on the body side are out of round...

I'm getting really tired of dealing with these darned things...

Has anyone ever had the idea, or maybe even tried, to modify the hinges to use small needle roller bearings in place of the bushing inserts that constantly fail?

 

Oh! I like this idea. I suspect that after 10 years my driver's door bushings are going too. Can you find any of these bearings that are the correct size?

 

I need to buy a new hinge pin kit so I can take some detailed measurements of the pin, that way I can find a bearing that it fits snuggly into it. I'm not too worried about the outside dimension of the bearing, I know the holes in the hinge halves will need to be drilled out anyhow to accommodate them.

I'm crossed between using a bearing like the one pictured above which almost mimics the original bushings, or trying to find a more common and maybe cheaper bearing that has sealed end caps so they'll be more moisture resistant. But those are usually ball bearings and are much larger, and there may not be enough material in the hinges to drill the holes out large enough to fit that style and still have enough meat left to support the weight of the door...

This has sort of been a pipe dream of mine for a while now lol. The thought crossed my mind the last 2 times I did the bushings...

 

Keep us posted! I'm sure I am not the only one who would be interested.

I like the roller bearing design. Would it have enough protection from moisture if you packed enough grease around it? Will you only put the bearing in the upper hinge or both?