One more door removal post

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So, I have an '04 LJ that came from the east coast and hasn't ever had its doors off. I've been trying for weeks to get the pins out, but there's just no way it's happening in their current state. Wanted to run this by the group to see if my next idea is crazy or not so bad.... I was thinking about taking a dremel and shaving off the top of the door pin, thus leaving only the pin, inside the other piece. I feel like I could probably take a mallet and some type of punch tool to bang out the remaining pin from the top. Then, once off, I could use another flat or dome headed bolt and nut set-up when I want to put the doors back on. Thoughts???
 
No, I've tried every lubricant and trick that I could find on youtube or on all of the jeep forums. I didn't want to bend the hinges or rip them out of the door....
 
No, I've tried every lubricant and trick that I could find on youtube or on all of the jeep forums. I didn't want to bend the hinges or rip them out of the door....

three words: ease into it

sometimes just some slight pressure will help pop them free
 
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So, I have an '04 LJ that came from the east coast and hasn't ever had its doors off. I've been trying for weeks to get the pins out, but there's just no way it's happening in their current state. Wanted to run this by the group to see if my next idea is crazy or not so bad.... I was thinking about taking a dremel and shaving off the top of the door pin, thus leaving only the pin, inside the other piece. I feel like I could probably take a mallet and some type of punch tool to bang out the remaining pin from the top. Then, once off, I could use another flat or dome headed bolt and nut set-up when I want to put the doors back on. Thoughts???

If the doors will swing on the hinge they are not frozen to the inner hinge liners. You might try the jack under the door, but not under the thin edge called the outer door skin, but behind that underneath, and as close to the hinges as possible. Go slow, very slow. Penetrant, penetrant, more penetrant.
 
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I had this problem with mine as well. What finally worked was using a long two by four as a lever under the door (try to add blocking to hit the thicker part of the door to leverage against so you don't crease the thinner seam. While someone applies some upward force using the 2x4, another person swings the door back and forth while lifting up as well. This works better than the floor jack as you can move the door back and forth more. Obviously add some penetrating oil (liquid wrench, kroil) before trying this. I hope this makes sense, its kind of hard to describe without a pic.

I also tried the floor jack, a bottle jack on the bottom of one of the pins, just lifting, swinging and pulling at the same time and none of those worked while the 2x4 swinging trick did.
 
Put some slight pressure under it with the floor jack as mentioned above but also tap the hinge pins from underneath while appling the presure and hey will start to move out. it takes a little vibration to let the surface tension relaese. It also helps relieve any binding that may occcur while jacking up the door.
 
I've heard of this issue but never experienced it. Is this a result of corrosion at the very end of the hinge pin where it protrudes beyond the bottom of the hinge? Nothing else adds up for me if the doors open then the pins should slide in the bushings just fine.
 
I've heard of this issue but never experienced it. Is this a result of corrosion at the very end of the hinge pin where it protrudes beyond the bottom of the hinge? Nothing else adds up for me if the doors open then the pins should slide in the bushings just fine.

I've seen numerous cases here on the East Coast where the door will open and close easily, but you can't get the door off. When I've finally removed them, you can see high spots on the door pins. The low spots get rusted/corroded and won't slide out of the bushing. In these cases, the only answer is leverage,
 
Mine also spent time in the north east. It took quite a while, but upward pressure near the hinge while rotating the door finally won the day. Add more penetrant with every slight gain.
 
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I have found that there is a sweet spot that will allow the door to be removed much easier. I remove the check strap and put the door through the full range of motion a few times. Then I apply pressure and move the door through the range of motion again but slowly and you may feel the door "give" a little and then lift straight off
 
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I have found that there is a sweet spot that will allow the door to be removed much easier. I remove the check strap and our the door through the full range of motion a few times. Then I apply pressure and move the door through the range of motion again but slowly and you may feel the door "give" a little and then lift straight off

This is the way
 
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I as well have an '04 and live in NJ.

I gave up on mine, I started worrying about all the PB Blaster getting on my paint. Not to mention it was lifting the entire Jeep and just didnt look safe. I'll have to try the 2x4 method maybe.


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As said above, once the hinge pin nuts have been removed there's no reason for a door to not be able to be lifted up out of its lower hinge half if it swings back & forth. That the door swings open/closed confirms there's nothing holding it. Spray it with a good penetrant like Liquid Wrench, Kroil, or Break-Free first and that'll really help. Avoid using stuff that doesn't work well as a penetrant like WD-40 or PB-Blaster.
 
Spray it with a good penetrant like Liquid Wrench, Kroil, or Break-Free first and that'll really help. Avoid using stuff that doesn't work well as a penetrant like WD-40 or PB-Blaster.
I thought PB was supposed to be the good stuff, oh well........I just ordered some liquid wrench (dang, that Kroil ain't cheap! LOL) Fingers crossed...Thank You!
 
I thought PB was supposed to be the good stuff, oh well........I just ordered some liquid wrench (dang, that Kroil ain't cheap! LOL) Fingers crossed...Thank You!
In several tests of penetrants I have read, PB-Blaster (the store brand from Home Depot) always comes in dead last, barely ahead of WD-40 which is not a penetrant at all. I'm irritated at Home Depot now, they even stopped carrying Liquid Wrench due to them pushing PB-Blaster.
 
In several tests of penetrants I have read, PB-Blaster (the store brand from Home Depot) always comes in dead last, barely ahead of WD-40 which is not a penetrant at all. I'm irritated at Home Depot now, they even stopped carrying Liquid Wrench due to them pushing PB-Blaster.

Is the ATF+acetone mixture on that list? Curious where it ranks vs kroil and the others.