Kadett Door Question

[tomking]

Got a body question for the kadett guys, but may apply to all opels, IDK.
With my 69 rallye apart, and thinking of when I re assemble the doors, I am guessing the hole in the door hinge is slightly larger in diameter than the hole in the body hinge? This is what allows the door to freely swing? Is that correct? Then is it adviseable to install a grease fitting in the door hinge so it can be lubricated periodically? Or is it unnecessary? Thanks.

[namba209]

Tom, can't tell you about Kadetts, but, GTs have a zerk fitting in both upper and lower door hinges. So maybe they needed it and it wouldn't hurt to install them, if they are close to being the same. HTH.

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by tomking Got a body question for the kadett guys, but may apply to all opels, IDK. With my 69 rallye apart, and thinking of when I re assemble the doors, I am guessing the hole in the door hinge is slightly larger in diameter than the hole in the body hinge? This is what allows the door to freely swing? Is that correct? Then is it adviseable to install a grease fitting in the door hinge so it can be lubricated periodically? Or is it unnecessary? Thanks.

Tom;
If I remember correctly, Kadett hinges are just like Manta/Ascona hinges in that they are real compact and just have a large lock pin driven down through them. No room for a grease fitting.

[opelspyder]

Yes , the kadett hinge pin is a hollow pin, there is a special tool for removing them. To put a fitting, you would need to drill into the side, as if you put a zerk from the top, you would only pump grease into a hollow shaft. I don't know about clearances though for a fitting in the side
Keith

[GTJIM]

I reamed mine out to 11/32" straight through with a K-Line Chevy bronze valve guide reamer then turned up a new pin from the shank of a long 8mm Allen head capscrew (5/16" would do too!). Next, I fitted it with less than 0.001" clearance - nice thumb-press, sliding fit and held it in the upper hinge arm by a dob of MIG weld ... just like Opel did on the GT.
Drilled a 3/32" hole in through the centre hinge arm, with a small counter sink so that a needle nose grease gun tip can be used to grease it.

Just before you start - open the door and check where you can get a grease gun lined up with and mark the position to drill the greasing hole ... nearly had two holes in one of mine.

Good to go!

[Gordy]

Thanks for the tip Jim. Just was searching the threads to see what kind of nightmare removing the doors would be and wondering how to correct the slight sag in the driver's door.
Anyone else have solutions (this is a Kadett in question) or a source for tools to remove the pins or new pins to put 'er back together?

[tomking]

Gordy I used a drive pin made from a 7mm? bolt. It is small enough to go thru the holes in the hinge but large enough to push the 8mm roll pin that holds the door on. You have to hold the tool with something and drive it with a hammer. Drive the lower hinge pin down, drive the upper hinge pin up.

[opelspyder]

I will post a picture of the hindge tool tonight when I get home. I borrowed from Dave. Like he said it is a cumbersome tool, and could easily be made different. I can get the manta pins out fairly quick now. The arbor for the tool is about the diameter of a nail to fit inside the hinge pin, then it has a screw on head that is roughly the diameter of the pins O.D.
Keith

[opelspyder]

Oh, as far as adjusting the drivers door, if a new pin cannot be obtained or it is found that the pin is not the cause, You will have to either cut and reweld a hindge (pretty tough) Or take a torch to a hindge, heat up until red and shut and try to adjust the door quickly until the hindge cools. Or you can give it some muscle by using power tools such as porta-powers, but sometimes the weakness of the Opel spotwelds may cause them to be torn out, so rewelding still may be needed. There are several ways to do this, non however being wrong if you do not bend the door and it gets set where it needs to be. We have taken hindges...not from Opels...and put them in a press to straighten them.
Keith

[kevinfier]

Gordy,
I bought my hinge tool on ebayAU. Here is one of several currently listed.
Door Hinge Pin Extractor / Remover / Removal Kit {QTQ} Item number: 190290281719

Kevin

[Gordy]

Thanks for all the great advice. I have a couple of months before the car goes in so I have some time. I still need to take off all of the lower body chrome and around the wheel wells (but I see that actually has small nuts on the inside of the car that hold it on so that should come right off and take care of that). I will go to Ebay and see what this device looks like, but Tom's method sounds like it might work especially if I hit it hard with PB Blaster for a few days. Good news is there is not rot or rust in the hinge area or in the hinge pins.

[Gordy]

Kev, Thanks for the lead on the tool. I bought one and will see what happens when it gets here. Does any one know if there is another car's pin that might be interchangable with the Opels? Or, what the stock pin's diamiter is so as to be able to find a suitable substitute? Thanks for the help on this.

[oldopelguy]

Originally Posted by Gordy Does any one know if there is another car's pin that might be interchangable with the Opels? Or, what the stock pin's diamiter is so as to be able to find a suitable substitute?

Originally Posted by tomking the 8mm roll pin that holds the door on.

Question already answered.

[tomking]

Originally Posted by oldopelguy Question already answered.

And dont get the extra strong 8mm spring pin as they are too large, too stiff.

[Gordy]

I haven't had any luck on even finding the 8 mm rolled hinge pin. Any one know a site where it can actually be ordered from???

[tomking]

Originally Posted by Gordy I haven't had any luck on even finding the 8 mm rolled hinge pin. Any one know a site where it can actually be ordered from???

Do a search for 1) metric mechanic and 2) metric specialties, Inc.
I forget which I bought mine from but one of them sells with minimum $25 order so I bought spring pins, and a bunch of different c clips and eclips to make $25.

[tomking]

Gordy I measured the length of the spring pins, they are 50 mm long. But I measured the thickness of a couple of the old ones I had taken out and they are .030 thick whereas the new ones I bought are .060. So I have concerns about just how hard to drive these new pins will be. If they are too hard it might cause damage to the hinges. Not sure what I will do; perhaps hammer the spring pin into a smaller diameter so it doesnt drive so hard. Any suggestions from anyone? Making a pin like GTJim did may be the answer too.