Easiest Door Hinge To Adjust Door Fitment

[Jamie Chriss]

I have the Stainless removable hinges and I find them very difficult to adjust the doors and I am looking for another option. Visually the SS hinges look to have a more severe bend to them vs lets say the Duff Hinges? I want a hinge that gives me the most door adjustment options. Thanks

 

[jmangi62]

Got mine from TBP. Pretty good and they look original. Some on here will say Duffs are the best, they're beefier I guess. I think as long as you stick with one of our vendors here, you'll be fine. Oh yea, I forgot, but I had those stainless steel hinges and absolutely could NOT get my doors adjusted. I tried everything and they suck. Much happier now. Good luck.

 

[Vincen]

Are those the steel liftoff hinges

 

[tirewater]

Interesting, the latest Icon bronco uses the stainless steel lift off hinges. I wonder if they had the same issues that you did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhSdwUH5HU8

 

[BGBronco]

He didn't seem that excited about using them!

Interesting, the latest Icon bronco uses the stainless steel lift off hinges. I wonder if they had the same issues that you did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhSdwUH5HU8

 

[duffymahoney]

I have the stainless lift off hinges. I think it made it easier to adjust the doors. Someone on here put a simple rod straight down the hinges, which helps keep them in line.

 

[Bronco4x4]

Try to use door shims or bend them. I recall some threads that the factory bent hinges to improve door alignment. My current build uses the S.S. lift offs out of the box without a problem. The body shop did this. I have the Duff steel lift offs on my finished 69 EB and also worked out OK as well. FYI > I do see the full doors drop a little with the Duff lift off hinges (some flex is observed).

 

[Bronco4x4]

Forgot to mention : My current build w SS liftoffs does use door shims.

 

[jmangi62]

Are those the steel liftoff hinges

Nope, they re from Toms, we just couldn't " for some reason" use the ss hinges. It pisses me off cuz they were expensive. I remember getting them from WH. I had tube doors at the time, and decided to sell those too. Jim

 

[KBUCK1]

I thought the stainless lift off hinges made it easier also. I tightened mine just enough to hold the door in place and then used a rubber mallet to bump the hinges in,out,up or down until they were right. Then tightened them up. I did use a shim or 2 also

 

[jmangi62]

Yea idk, my panels all need aligned. I didn't tighten the front fenders yet, taking it to a body shop in the spring when I get er all legal to drive on the street .

 

[Broncobowsher]

They all adjust the same.

 

[BGBronco]

I found the non lift off hinges easier because there are less moving parts to consider. I have the SS lift off hinges as well. I like the idea but I haven't been able to adjust them enough so they actually lift off.

 

[No Hay]

I found the non lift off hinges easier because there are less moving parts to consider. I have the SS lift off hinges as well. I like the idea but I haven't been able to adjust them enough so they actually lift off.

Yep, it took me a while (too long) adjusting mine to lift off. Still not perfect.

When these questions come up, I want to mention how little space there is between the hinge and door skin. Be VERY careful with how much movement you give it! The hinge can chip the paint very easily until everything is tight

 

[Broncobowsher]

There is so much adjustment with the door hinges. Not only are you needing to get the door to fit the opening correctly but aligning the axis of pivot of both hinges to be in a straight line through each other. Just getting the door gapped is a pretty challenging task, especially for the OCD.

But even with the door in the perfect location the door hinges may not actually be in line with each other If they are a little off the hinges will bind a little. Normally you would never really notice this, the door might just feel a little heavier. But to lift the door off a set of binding hinges, it won't want to go. You have to get this alignment right. It's not anything you see (as in the door gaps) but what you feel (the binding).

Personally I feel the stock style hinges with that little ¼" pin are the worst. It is a lot of work to land the door on that pin, in 2 locations, at the exact same time. This is where I like the Duff hinges better. They don't have stainless (but I have seen regular steel sanded and polished with a shot of clear coat look like it). The pins being twice the size of other makes of lift off hinges makes for landing the door much easier. Probably aids a little in the aligning as well (I don't think they are as sensitive)

 

[Jamie Chriss]

Many thanks! I can't remember what member was talking about this a year or two ago but I recall some after market hinges have bends in them that most correctly match the original hinge. My thought about the SS hinge I have is they are not bent right and makes adjusting them harder.. I know many people on this site have had great success with them, and maybe if I am more patient I can get them to work. But looking at the Duff hinges and the
SS one, the Duff just looks flatter.