TJ Tailgate Hinge Pin Removal

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LTB28

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Roanoke, VA, USA
I am getting ready to install a Crawler Conceptz body mounted tire carrier. To mount this you have to remove the hinge pin on the tailgate as the part of the hinge on the tailgate is reused and a new one is used on the tub side. I have a 2003 TJ and am wondering how the pin comes out. Does this have to be driller out ar can it be hammered/pressed out?

Any info from someone that knows or has done is this greatly appreciated.

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There are no install instructions. When I called them, all they said was it mounts the same way as the JK version...

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thats high tech...

From the JK Instructions....


Remove the factory tailgate hinges ONE AT A TIME, with a 13mm socket and a T50 torx bit. *Retain the four 13mm bolts and six T50 bolts as they will be reused*. Once the hinge is removed from the Jeep, cut the hinge pin that holds the two parts of the hinge together with a metal cutting wheel.
 
Ya I know that's how you do it on the JK version but you cant cut the hinge pin in half with a cut off wheel on the TJ and still be able to reuse the hinge. It looks like it's a solid pin hat you should be able to hammer out, but I hate to mess it up and have to buy a new hinge.
billiebob said:
thats high tech...

From the JK Instructions....


Remove the factory tailgate hinges ONE AT A TIME, with a 13mm socket and a T50 torx bit. *Retain the four 13mm bolts and six T50 bolts as they will be reused*. Once the hinge is removed from the Jeep, cut the hinge pin that holds the two parts of the hinge together with a metal cutting wheel.
Click to expand...

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Removing the hinges as described is an absolute bitch to do. I am dreading the fact that my hinges will need to be addressed soon. Did my son's TJ a few years ago and was able to remove only about 3 without pain. The rest I had to tack a nut on the torx head and remove with a socket. The heat from welding is the trick to release the bolts, also have on hand a few extra torx bits and a impact hammer tool.
 
TJ4Jim said:
Removing the hinges as described is an absolute bitch to do. I am dreading the fact that my hinges will need to be addressed soon. Did my son's TJ a few years ago and was able to remove only about 3 without pain. The rest I had to tack a nut on the torx head and remove with a socket. The heat from welding is the trick to release the bolts, also have on hand a few extra torx bits and a impact hammer tool.
Click to expand...
Ya I have heard that multiple times. Luckily, the torx bolts came out without much problem. Now I have to get the 2 halves of the hinge seperated.

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The hinge is aluminum, the pin is steel. I had to drill into my hinge and pump pb blaster in the hole to get my door to open. I would consider sticking the hinge on the oven then pounding the pin out.

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fxrsliberty said:
The hinge is aluminum, the pin is steel. I had to drill into my hinge and pump pb blaster in the hole to get my door to open. I would consider sticking the hinge on the oven then pounding the pin out.

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Click to expand...
Ok cool deal. I can give that a shot.

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If your problem is sized hinges, there are a dozen YouTube videos on drilling and lubing your hinges.

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Thanks for the reply, but no. I'm replacing the factory brackets that attach to the body so that I can mount the Crawler Conceptz tire carrier. It retains the part of the bracket that mounts to the tailgate, thus I need to remove the the hinge pin altogether and replace it with one that comes in the kit. In the kit for the JK, they say to cut the pin in half. On the TJ, that's not an option. I may cut the body-side bracket (hack it up) so that it releases the tailgate-side which should make it easier to remove the pin.
 
I'm pretty sure a map gas torch and a vise will solve your problem, do it up side down, the pin is pushed in from the top. The pin being steel it heats slower then the aluminum. Get it warm enough it should fall out.

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fxrsliberty said:
I'm pretty sure a map gas torch and a vise will solve your problem, do it up side down, the pin is pushed in from the top. The pin being steel it heats slower then the aluminum. Get it warm enough it should fall out.

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Click to expand...
Sounds great. I will be trying that this weekend. Good to know the pin needs to be removed from bottom to top.

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fxrsliberty said:
I'm pretty sure a map gas torch and a vise will solve your problem, do it up side down, the pin is pushed in from the top. The pin being steel it heats slower then the aluminum. Get it warm enough it should fall out.
Click to expand...

Old thread . . . . resurrected!
The hinges on my '04 TJ are steel. Checked with a magnet. Does anyone make a pin/bushing kit for these hinges? OEM tire/Ravine wheel is 58 lbs. . . . . . bumps and time have pounded the pin a bit. Any easy fixes?
 
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