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OT - Sagging door on Suburban

K

Kirk Grau

Member
Have this '94 GMC 'burb with ~300k on the odometer. Drivers door has been progressively sagging worse and worse for a while now. In the past couple of days it has gotten to the point that the latch does not disengage when the door is opened. Now have to hold handle open and manually move latch and carefully slam door while lifting as much as possible.

Now to the question... I do not see any way to adjust the door, have contemplated putting a jack and block of wood under it to just see if I can gently persuade it up a little, but am concerned I would just bend something that was not intended. If I opt for a scrap yard door, is it as simple as removing the wiring harness and the bolts at the hinge and putting the new door on?

I appreciate the help. You guys have helped me keep this thing on the road for a few years already.

Kirk
 
I had a similar problem with a Chevy Luv about 20 years ago. I just grabbed hold of the door and yanked upwards on it a couple times. I didn't see that anything had deformed, but after yanking up on it, it closed good again.
 
Very common. Worn bushings. The doors are adjusted by force. Depending on the situation, you can place a large socket in the lower hinge while closing the door, bending the metal that would raise the rear of the door. Beware, this will also move the door bottom back and in. Can be undone by opening the door beyond the stops but this could cause the door to catch on the front fender. With experience it's done in seconds. Done over do it.
 
Fixing the sloppy busings is the best fix. There are, however adjustments that can make up for it. Problem is, you probably cannot get to them without taking the door off first. The hinges are on slotted mounts where they bolt to the chasis and have lots of adjustment to raise or lower the door where it latches.
If you're lazy and want a quick fix, often all you have to do is loosen the bottom hinge and stick a few spacer washers between the hinge and the door. It's not the right way to do it, but it works.
 
everyone else is right you can get new pins a bushings for the door and it will make it better Same thing happened on my 94 chevy k1500 pickup 330,398miles
 
Find some one dumb enough to buy it then go look for another one with less mileage you will be better off as its on its last leg at 300K.
With everyone dumping their big cars you should get a nice one with low mileage for a song.
Walt
 
Pretty hard to adjust a door with hinges weled to the door and the pillar. New pins and oversize boshins are available and will fix your problem . Also don't try "springing the door with a socket in the lower hinge, that won't accomplish what needs fixing, that trick will work if the wind has caught the door, or you back into a garage door jamb and pushed the door ahead and bent the hinge. gh
 
WRONG-O.

Unless the hinges have been replaced, they are SPOT-WELDED to the door post.

The replacement hinges come equipped to be bolted in place.
 
yup, needs hinge pins. we do em all the time here at the shop. kit with ins and bushings runs about 40 dollars for the good guy ones. any body shop can do em for you, we charge about 100 dollars for the upper and lower, installed with pins and bushings. door has to come off. we have a special stand to hold the door while replacing the bushings. bring er by the shop, takes about an hour or so a side.
poke here
 
It that is the case, just more reason why I don't want anything newer. I've got a 1991 Suburban apart in my shop right now. All the hinges bolt on and are fully adustable, for and aft, up and down. But, I also realize it's the last year of this body style.
 
98 Chevy Blazer 4 door. Driver's door was loose and had a water leak around the top. Dealer put new bushings and pins in, now it works like a new one.
 
Well, IL is a bit of a hike from PA, but thanks for the offer. Went out and gave it look. Local Advance Auto has pin/bushing kits for $5 each. Certainly not OEM quality, but will probably suffice for my purposes. It looks like the pins will just tap out if I can get a hammer or punch on them. Is that the correct approach?

Thanks,

Kirk
 
Yeah Walt, I don't disagree with you. I just keep putting the minimum I can into this vehicle to keep it going another year or so. Have some cash set aside to update, but am hesitant to spend it these days if I don't have to. It probably is a good time to be looking for larger vehicles like this though.

Thanks,

Kirk
 
Yep, I used to have a '92. It has the welded-on hinges. A friend has it now... just about 300,000 miles with normal maintenance + one GM rebuilt tranny.
 
Right now would be your best bet to update in a year or two things could be back to normal an cost you a lot more. Everywhere i go i see large pickup and other large cars going real cheap. A real clean Suburban with low miles went for $700 at the auction on Sunday.

Walt
 
yup, we use an air hammer with a punch bit to drive them out. hardest part is supporting the door. you can prolly build a stand out of some 2x4 lumber. you need a couple arms with foam pads to hold the bottom of the door then our stand has a sliding arm with a bracket that slides in the door at the window opening. or maybe attach a block of wood to a floor jack to support the bottom and have a helper hold the door while you R+R the pins and bushings.
 

Surprised no one told ya you will need a special tool to compress the spring in the lower hinge,,, I git $100 to replace the door pins and bush'ns (take 2 people one to do the work and one to hold the door) and mite do a little welding if the holes are wallered out 2 much

Don't go jack'n on the door to adjust it :!: new pins and bush's should fix it
 
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