tight hinge pin

[Don Lindsay]

I did the hinge thing instead of the skybolt thing. And I have a problem: the hinge pin won't go all the way in.

I still have to do the other side, so I could use advice on how to avoid this.

But I also need advice about fixing the screwed up one. I've tried cleaning and waxing the pin, and it helped. I've cleaned up the excess epoxy, to make sure that things are mating, and that helped. So now what? I got the pin in all the way when a helper pushed at right angles to the hinge line, so it can be done, but I don't want to design in any two man jobs !

Don

[Mel]

With the cowling off, slide the pin in slowly until you reach the binding point. Now check that eye. Likely you will find one or more eyes slightly out of line. Correct them one at a time until the pin goes in smoothly. Once you have done both sides individually, install the cowling and the pins should go in much better. This is the first, and often the final step.

[Neal@F14]

I found that grinding a sharp needle-point with a bench grinder onto the end of the pin wire helps too.

[panhandler1956]

My pins started as a two man job too, but unless there is some major issues they will wear in with time so that by the time you finish phase I there are pretty easy to do.

[Rupester]

.. that has been used by some (me included) is to heat the end of a spare hinge pin and flatten it a bit. Then grind off each side so there's sharp, square corners. Then run that up and down thru the hinge while spinning it in a power drill. Once you get the right size on the square "cutter" end, it loosens the pin path very well. That cured my uncooperative hinge pin.

[RonB]

Don

Try a product called Door Ease available at NAPA auto parts store and probably many other parts houses. Very inexpensive.

Simply wipe the hinge clean, apply a small amount of the lubricant the length of the pin and install.

I was having the same problem as you describe until my neighbor suggested Door Ease. I was pleasantly surprised.

Ron B