How to Fix a 1997 F150 Door Hinge

A damaged hinge on your 1997 Ford F150 will mess up the door's alignment and ruin the door itself. Depending on the damage, you'll need to replace either the full hinge or the pin connecting its two pieces. It is possible to fix a door hinge without completely removing the door, which would require removing the inner panel as well, but you need to make sure the door is properly held in place while working on the hinges so you won't damage wiring or other components. This will require at least one assistant.

Instructions

Hinge

1

Open the door all the way and place a workbench, jack stands or some other form of support underneath the door to balance it. Have one or two people hold onto the door from the top; they may need stepladders for this.

2

Draw lines around the hinge plates using either a felt marker or a scriber to use as an installation reference.

3

Remove the bolts connecting the hinge to the door using a wrench, then remove the bolts connecting the hinge to the body and remove it.

4

Connect the replacement hinge to the body using its bolts and the markings on the body. Repeat this for the hinge-to-door bolts.

5

Close the door and make sure it is properly aligned. The top of the door must line up with the fenders at both the front and rear.

Hinge Pins

6

Open and support the door as described in Section 1.

7

Drive the hinge pin out of the hinge along with its bushing using a punch and hammer; hit the pin at the tip rather than the head. Have your assistant keep the door exactly in its original position.

8

Drive the replacement bushing partially into the hinge mounting hole where the pin head will be.

9

Insert and drive the replacement pin into the hinge, driving it with the punch and hammer at the head.

10

Close and check the door's alignment as described in Section 1.