I just changed the door hinge detent spring on my 97. Prior to changing it I did a search on the Forums to see what problems could be encountered. There were probably a dozen threads that had relevant info. The problem is, the info was all over the place and some of it was sort of misleading.
Hopefully this might help someone in the future:
1. To replace the spring steel detent you must remove the hinge from the car. Keep in mind once you remove two bolts on the door side of the hinge from inside the car the remainder of work is done with the door closed.
2. To remove the hinge start by removing the two center bolts that fasten the door to the hinge. These are accessed inside the car when the door is full open. A ratchet type box wrench makes it easy.
3. Close the door and make sure it is latched. Mark the hinge location on the body. I used masking tape. Remove the four bolts that hold the hinge to the body. Use a ratchet and short extension on the two center bolts, use a ratcheting box wrench on the top and bottom bolts. The body side of the hinge is now loose.
4. From outside the car remove the top and bottom bolts on the door side of the hinge. This requires a torx wrench on a 3/8" ratchet with a short extension. Once you remove the bolts do a visual on where the last two bolts lined up on the hinge/door. You will be able to see the imprint of the serrated washer that is part of the bolt. The door will stay in place and latched when you remove these two last bolts, but, it will shift a little, doing the visual will allow you to line it up when you reinstall the hinge.
5. Once you remove the hinge you can replace it with a new hinge or merely replace the sheet metal spring by drilling out the rivet. One source for the spring is Parts Rack.
6. You just have to reverse the procedure for the reinstall. I found it easiest to mount the the hinge on the body first, then, go to the door side. The front part of the door will fall about 3/16" when you originally removed the hinge, you should have a second person lift the front of the door (it is still closed) and align the bolts to the original position (door side), now you can tighten the bolts on the door side.
There may be other ways to change the hinge, but, this is quick and neat.
Hopefully this might help someone in the future:
1. To replace the spring steel detent you must remove the hinge from the car. Keep in mind once you remove two bolts on the door side of the hinge from inside the car the remainder of work is done with the door closed.
2. To remove the hinge start by removing the two center bolts that fasten the door to the hinge. These are accessed inside the car when the door is full open. A ratchet type box wrench makes it easy.
3. Close the door and make sure it is latched. Mark the hinge location on the body. I used masking tape. Remove the four bolts that hold the hinge to the body. Use a ratchet and short extension on the two center bolts, use a ratcheting box wrench on the top and bottom bolts. The body side of the hinge is now loose.
4. From outside the car remove the top and bottom bolts on the door side of the hinge. This requires a torx wrench on a 3/8" ratchet with a short extension. Once you remove the bolts do a visual on where the last two bolts lined up on the hinge/door. You will be able to see the imprint of the serrated washer that is part of the bolt. The door will stay in place and latched when you remove these two last bolts, but, it will shift a little, doing the visual will allow you to line it up when you reinstall the hinge.
5. Once you remove the hinge you can replace it with a new hinge or merely replace the sheet metal spring by drilling out the rivet. One source for the spring is Parts Rack.
6. You just have to reverse the procedure for the reinstall. I found it easiest to mount the the hinge on the body first, then, go to the door side. The front part of the door will fall about 3/16" when you originally removed the hinge, you should have a second person lift the front of the door (it is still closed) and align the bolts to the original position (door side), now you can tighten the bolts on the door side.
There may be other ways to change the hinge, but, this is quick and neat.
