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Driver door Post replacement... Questions

904Bronco

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So it looks like I need to replace the drivers door post. I thought I could get away with a patch, but once I opened the hole and started tapping with a hammer the metal is pretty thin,
The door does not sag yet, closes well. Door hinge pins have been replaced. I just finished replacing both floor pans so structurally the rig is pretty strong. Fresh 1" body lift, so no sagging there. Hard top is still on.
So how much of a project is this? Any step by step guidelines? I did a search last night and went blind reviewing a number of build threads that seemed to be a much larger project/more sheet metal replaced. But they blew over the procedure. Englewoodcowboys thread appeared in all the searches :cool: but again his was a much larger project.

Thoughts or direction on this?

Thanks, Doug.
 

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bronkenn

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Whenever possible it is best to just cut out the rusted piece and patch them. Them door post replacements are a bit testy as the repop parts suck bigly. It is definitely a doable job just takes some time and patience. Install with screws, mount door, check fit, remove everything to refit then do it again at least 5 times. Good luck on whatever procedure you choose. Ken
 

DirtDonk

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Well the good news with that "design" is that you no longer have a trapped moisture issue!
Drains it right into the cab or out onto the ground, and lets heated and conditioned air from in the cab dry things out quickly.%)
Great design Doug. You should patent it.;);D

Paul
 

rjrobin2002

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I would patch that sucker and move forward. That one is WAY better than a Louisiana Broncos average door post and 1 hour with a welder, angle grinder and flapper wheel will look untouched. A qualified shop knows the door post replacement is a 10 hour job and is gonna hit you for $500-$1,000 labor a piece per door!

The thing that caused that is some mud and water sat in that spot for 30 years. I would cut the area out about 1 inch larger than the rust hole, get a thicker that factory piece and fill the hole. It will never rot again due to these have become so valuable we don't leave them in the rain covered in mud anymore. I like to make a hole in the bottom to let it drain if need be.
 

rjrobin2002

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I repaired one that the entire section from the bottom all the way 6" above where you cut your section out was missing. The guy with the Bronco could not find a single shop in town to replace it and I refused also because it sucks that bad. I did 2 on my first Bronco and swore to never buy a Bronco with rotten door post again or replace one for anyone. I told him what I was gonna do and told him it would look repaired to a Bronco purist, but be done nicely and hid under the fender and quoted him $400. I took the doors off during the repair so the post would not be sagging during repair and it came out great. I unfortunately didn't have a smart phone at the time to show the pictures.
 
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904Bronco

904Bronco

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Well the good news with that "design" is that you no longer have a trapped moisture issue!
Drains it right into the cab or out onto the ground, and lets heated and conditioned air from in the cab dry things out quickly.%)
Great design Doug. You should patent it.;);D

Paul

Paul, you always look at things on the "Bright side" %)
 

cldonley

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My passenger side looked a lot like that and I patched it. I replaced the driver's side. I didn't document it, but I can tell you that I braced it across the cab under the dash and fore and aft on the inside. Since my doors fit fairly well, I measured it all and then made the new measurements match the old. I got my post from JBG and it fit well (one of the few aftermarket sheet metal parts that have). Fits nice and straight.
 

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904Bronco

904Bronco

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I would patch that sucker and move forward. That one is WAY better than a Louisiana Broncos average door post and 1 hour with a welder, angle grinder and flapper wheel will look untouched. A qualified shop knows the door post replacement is a 10 hour job and is gonna hit you for $500-$1,000 labor a piece per door!

The thing that caused that is some mud and water sat in that spot for 30 years. I would cut the area out about 1 inch larger than the rust hole, get a thicker that factory piece and fill the hole. It will never rot again due to these have become so valuable we don't leave them in the rain covered in mud anymore. I like to make a hole in the bottom to let it drain if need be.

I am waiting to get a door post from WH's, to see what I am getting myself into?
Yeah, the theme that came across clearly in the Threads I reviewed last night was that this job sucked. People lost sleep thinking about it... And they measured 10 times, put it back together 2-3 times before welding, and even then they still messed with fitment issues after...
I did see a post where someone cut up a new door post and reused the forward section to replace the damaged section. That with a Rust conversion applied and rust encapsulator paint applied as well.
I could go higher and lower with my hole, the metal is more solid in both directions...
I guess will see what others may chime in with... But changing the whole post out does not look that enjoyable, but may have to be done?

Thx for your reply.
 

74 Bronco Billy

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Doug,

Check out JAFO's build, he really had to go far. I am just about to start my sheet metal replacement on my tub too. The door posts I will leave till last. As I see it, they hold everything together, so if you can replace anything else 1st, go for it! Like you, I have read till my eyes hurt, late at night, so I plan to replace all my bad floor 1st, then go for kick panels, then rockers if needed, then door posts.
Your pictures show very little rust compared to most repairs, you really could open them up, sand blast, tx rust, make drains, encapsulate, then paint, then close up with metal patch. I may do that on the front of my posts just cause everything fits so well now. Definitely a lot less headaches involved in that approach. I too am considering more and more to cut open the door post from WH that I have and just patch the front half. Depends on what I find. Please post how it goes, I'd like to see your results and efforts.

Good luck to you,

Forrest :cool:

Rescue, CA
 

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samamarshall

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I believe the door posts are mounted to the kick panel - if that’s in good condition and stays in place, it’s not terrible to replace the post. I would still brace the dash/cowl to prevent any movement. Did mine and only had to hang the door and adjust 2x then final weld.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

cldonley

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I believe the door posts are mounted to the kick panel - if that’s in good condition and stays in place, it’s not terrible to replace the post. I would still brace the dash/cowl to prevent any movement. Did mine and only had to hang the door and adjust 2x then final weld.

This^^

I braced from the cowl to the cross member. One test fit and welded it up.
 
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904Bronco

904Bronco

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So it is too thin to patch.

I cut the opening up higher looking for thicker metal... Lightly tapping the metal with a pointed body hammer and it blew through.

The Bronco is 51 years old now, and it has a Seattle DSO, so who knows what it has seen. It was parked outside for the last 15 years before I bought it.

Thanks for the comments and directions thus far. Going to stop by the body shop tomorrow and talk to the Owners... to suck knowledge from them...

I looked over the Pass side and it does not seem to have any issues...
 

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904Bronco

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I started today...
I have spoken with people and reviewed a fair share of builds.
I took a number of measurements, pictures of gaps, and I have one of my body friends on "Retainer".
I used an abrasive wheel to clean up paint and find the spots welds, of which I still missed a few. I cleaned out as much of the seem sealer as I could I braced the dash so that it could not settle. I am not expecting it to move because I still have good structure supporting everything.
Since this is my 1st one I expect that it will take 3 times as long as it should.

The old door post is different from the new, the hinge boxes are welded to the kick panel, so things are coming apart in pieces rather than in one piece.
I hope to get the last section out tomorrow and start prepping the kick panel for a patch. Then I will treat the area to a rust converter, followed by a weldable primer.
 

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904Bronco

904Bronco

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In the last picture notice the dash mounting bolts > how rusted they are. Would have never got them out without exposing them this way. Was able to wire wheel, penetrating oil, and work them in and out until I could replace them one at a time. Including running a tap in the threaded holes...
 

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rjrobin2002

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Get some larger sheetmetal screws and use them to test fit until measurements are perfect. Do 4 tacks and test the door.

If it's off you only have to grind 4 tacks off.
 

rspd505

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Here is reference measurements that I used. Mine was done with the half cab in place. Like has been said use self tapping sheet metal screws. The ones I used are from a metal carport that Mother Nature decided I didn't need anymore.

I got the top fender bolt hole in the new post where it needs to be and put in one screw through the tab that comes off windshield frame. From there get the bottom fender hole to the correct dimension 39". Then put in 3 or 4 more screws. Hang your door. It's best if the door is bare, so you are not man handling the weight of the windows and mechanisms. Check alignments. If the back and top edge gaps look good, hang the front fender and check gaps again. I basically used the door as a template. With the top in place it helped keep the top of the door frame in somewhat of the correct shape.

Rinse and repeat.

When you completely satisfied start tack welding and check gaps. Then final weld.

This is the process I used. Maybe not the best way, but it worked for me. Mine was so rusted and had sagged so much I would have been better off with a new body. But I am hard headed and must enjoy abuse. It had no doors when I got it. The reason it had no doors was because there was no way a door would fit the out of square door frame. I did a lot of jacking, pushing and pulling, but I finally got decent gaps all the way around.
 

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904Bronco

904Bronco

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rspd505,

I have that very document taped to the hard top side glass with my former measurements on it. :)
 
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rjrobin2002

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I think what screws us up is the face of the poor post is angled, so you can have some measurements right, but the angle wrong throwing the door off with good measurements. That's where getting the measurement where it meets the kick panel to door jam and the outer fender screw holes to the door jam covers.

Another tip is don't be afraid to use a 2x4 and a big hammer to "adjust" it a hair in or out. I was having hell getting mine to be perfect and a friend of mine that does auto body came over. He said he needed a whooping block and a hammer. 3 wacks at the lower hinge dropped the door the 1/2" I needed and he left.
 
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904Bronco

904Bronco

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Short amount of time in the shop today. Got the last piece of the old post out, grinding, sanding, pounding, wire wheeling, etc. Ready to cut out the rust section in the kick panel and make up the replacement. Maybe get it done and tacked in tomorrow?
 

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