JL door hinge nightmare after removal

[sixspeed]

My first thought is who would design something this impractical. Am I missing something?

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[NJRadioGuy]

My first thought is who would design something this impractical. Am I missing something?

Nope. It really is that weird, but I guess it makes sense. Obviously the door hinge bolts were never intended to be removed, but a way to adjust their individual positions was needed so that's the route they took. It's still a royal PITA.

With a friend's help we got it all back together again but gawd it wasn't fun to do.

 

[Terrymo]

Nope. It really is that weird, but I guess it makes sense. Obviously the door hinge bolts were never intended to be removed, but a way to adjust their individual positions was needed so that's the route they took. It's still a royal PITA.

With a friend's help we got it all back together again but gawd it wasn't fun to do.

What did you discover and what did your friend do differently?

 

[Pig-Pen]

What I've learned is that I'm not messing with the hinges on my doors.

adding to the JL do NoT FAFO list

1. Body mounts
2. Door hinges
3.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

What did you discover and what did your friend do differently?

The inner plate with the threads had gotten bent when I installed the top of the steps, so that the screws didn't go in straight. He un-bent it somehow and that was that. The head on one of the button cap screws had stripped on installation and it took longer to get that out than to unbend the retaining plate. It had to be drilled out and required a screw extractor and MANY attempts.

Biggest takeaways, if you're going to install hinge steps, get the two-piece variety and install the top part first, DO NOT USE ANY KIND OF POWER TOOL to snug up the bolts! I used a dead blow hammer to gently tap in a Torx socket into the factory-original bolt, and I used a breaker bar to break the paint seal. No need for an Xacto knife or heat gun as some video installation guides suggest. Just a 2 foot breaker bar with moderate force is enough, but be extra careful at this step, because the painted factory Torx bolts WILL strip or round off unless you tap the Torx socket in first, as deep as it will go into the fastener's head.

Once they're loose it's OK to use a power ratchet to remove the original bolts, but keep them far away when installing the stainless steel replacement bolts. Do one bolt at a time and be as gentle as you can be, because the heads will strip, and strip very easily. Ignore whatever they say in the assembly instructions; those button cap 316 Stainless fasteners require a 5mm allen bit, not a 3/16". Torque to no more than the suggested 21 Ft. Lbs!

The end result is here, and man do they look great—and I've gotten numerous compliments on them during trail rides. I won't actually need them until I put a roof rack on before next season but one piece at a time, etc.

 

[S2k Chris]

Update to this thread: just had to do this on a family member’s Jeep. Reading this thread I was wary of losing the bracket inside the door. So when I removed the first bolt I saw the plate in the door moving around, I stuck a pick in there, and was able to keep the plate in place.

once both bolts were out, I put two more picks in, not through the door hinge, and then pulled the first two out with the hinge. Then I pulled the forward pick out, got the new bolt partway in (enough to hold the plate) and then did the same with the second pick. Was a little fiddly but got it done in 10 minutes. Hopefully saves the next guy some time.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Update to this thread: just had to do this on a family member’s Jeep. Reading this thread I was wary of losing the bracket inside the door. So when I removed the first bolt I saw the plate in the door moving around, I stuck a pick in there, and was able to keep the plate in place.

once both bolts were out, I put two more picks in, not through the door hinge, and then pulled the first two out with the hinge. Then I pulled the forward pick out, got the new bolt partway in (enough to hold the plate) and then did the same with the second pick. Was a little fiddly but got it done in 10 minutes. Hopefully saves the next guy some time.

You should just take the door off and mechanically prep it, then acid etch, alodine, and prime with a zinc chromate or whatever eco-nazi version is still available. That hinge should go in the trash.

 

[zen]

I bought two sets of Metalcloak hinge steps for my 2022 JLUR. What nobody told me was you must *NEVER* remove both bolts from the same hinge--only do one at a time, because there's a floating plate with the threaded holes behind the hinge, and it will drop very easily. Even with one bolt loose, the other opening will shift to the point you cannot put in the new bolt.
/hr

It's not the fault of the door hinge. The bolts are the issue. The one c ames witht the kit may be too short or don't have enough tolerance: the threads may be too snug. I got my kit from Amazon initially and couldn't install- and slightly damaged the threads inside the door so I had to get an M8 tap to fix it. I got couple different kits with longer bolts and they worked just fine.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

The inner plate with the threads had gotten bent when I installed the top of the steps, so that the screws didn't go in straight. He un-bent it somehow and that was that. The head on one of the button cap screws had stripped on installation and it took longer to get that out than to unbend the retaining plate. It had to be drilled out and required a screw extractor and MANY attempts.

Biggest takeaways, if you're going to install hinge steps, get the two-piece variety and install the top part first, DO NOT USE ANY KIND OF POWER TOOL to snug up the bolts! I used a dead blow hammer to gently tap in a Torx socket into the factory-original bolt, and I used a breaker bar to break the paint seal. No need for an Xacto knife or heat gun as some video installation guides suggest. Just a 2 foot breaker bar with moderate force is enough, but be extra careful at this step, because the painted factory Torx bolts WILL strip or round off unless you tap the Torx socket in first, as deep as it will go into the fastener's head.

Once they're loose it's OK to use a power ratchet to remove the original bolts, but keep them far away when installing the stainless steel replacement bolts. Do one bolt at a time and be as gentle as you can be, because the heads will strip, and strip very easily. Ignore whatever they say in the assembly instructions; those button cap 316 Stainless fasteners require a 5mm allen bit, not a 3/16". Torque to no more than the suggested 21 Ft. Lbs!

The end result is here, and man do they look great—and I've gotten numerous compliments on them during trail rides. I won't actually need them until I put a roof rack on before next season but one piece at a time, etc.

Glad you got sorted out. I took all my hinges off in 2021 to Linex them and never came close to the experience you had. Yanked them, dropped both halves of all 4 off at Linex and then reinstalled. There is a thread here somewhere on it.
Methinks you got doors put together on a Friday. LOL.

Also glad you mentioned a roof rack. I saw your picture and thought, why do they need hinge steps? lol.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Also glad you mentioned a roof rack. I saw your picture and thought, why do they need hinge steps? lol.

The rack is great. I mounted my Maxtrax boards, shovel, 270° awning, and a mount to support my ground tent on it. The steps make accessing it all very easy.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

The rack is great. I mounted my Maxtrax boards, shovel, 270° awning, and a mount to support my ground tent on it. The steps make accessing it all very easy.

I am not an overlander but sounds like a nice set up. Enjoy!

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