Door hinge issue - different sizes top vs bottom?

[boontis]

I just had doors off for the first time this week, and I decided to replace the hinge bushings. I ordered a kit on Amazon that had hundreds of good reviews - plastic instead of the factory aluminium.

Aside from having to hit the old ones with PB blaster and letting it sit overnight before hammering the hell out of them - the job was straightforward and relatively easy.

That was until I went to put the bolts back on the front door hinges. (Backs went on perfect) The bottoms went on easy peasy but the first top one felt tight - it wasn’t cross threaded as I stopped and checked - but after a couple turns it twisted off the stud!?! When I moved to the other front door it was the same thing - bottom easy top felt super tight. I stopped and left it off as I didn’t want to twist the stud off again.

Two questions for the group:

1 - has anyone else experienced this? Did I do something wrong?

2 - any major issues with just leaving the bolts off the top hinge?

Thanks in advance!

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[NJJeep Guy]

I take off the bolts and never reinstall them. The doors will work fine without the bolts.

 

[basemodel]

Same here, I have mine out three seasons of the year, and back in for salt season with a healthy coat of Fluid Film. I actually forgot to put them back in last year after I sprayed some Fluid Film on the hinges.

 

[Cips]

I sheared a door hinge pin off too; and like others, I no longer run the nuts on them.

 

[boontis]

Thanks for the replies - I’ve been driving it since posting and no noticeable clunking or issues so the nuts will stay off for good!

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