Door Cracks In The Hinge Area

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scrapdaddy

scrapdaddy

Standing on the corner
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I'd like to discuss the problem of the door cracks in the hinge area, that Miss Nuclearlemon pointed out to us. After I read her good advise, I checked mine, sure enough one door has a big crack in it.

There's a support plate welded inside the door, for the hinge to bolt to, but right below this plate is where mine has cracked.

Fixing a regular crack is hard enough, with drilling holes at each end, but I don't think that alone will stop future cracks, in this area.

Wish I had known about this before I sprayed the heck out of the inside with sound deadener. :rolleyes:

Does anybody have some more ideas on fixing. Any added support metal to be welded, would have to done on the inside.
 
Bob,

Too late for me. I have too much crap sprayed on the inside, to do any welding in there. Might be able to weld something to the outside.

Wonder how the extra thickness, added to the outside, would affect things.
 
if it's a passenger door, I'd just grind to bare metal outside, and try to sew the crack back together without staring a fire:meh: and trying to not breath the purple smoke that'll be bellowing from the insides of the door. maybe a scab plate could be fit inside and spot welded from the outside??? you might try to find a door you can re-re-build???:eek:
 
Lambcrusher,

I started a fire, on the body when I welded up a couple holes in the floor, that I forgot. All that " stuff " burns good.


Bob,

I was thinking of a thin plate welded over the hinge holes, on the outside. Then bolt the hinge to it. Would have to do top and bottom hinges, to keep it lined up? Just thinking out loud.
 
scrapdaddy said:
Lambcrusher,

I started a fire, on the body when I welded up a couple holes in the floor, that I forgot. All that " stuff " burns good.


Bob,

I was thinking of a thin plate welded over the hinge holes, on the outside. Then bolt the hinge to it. Would have to do top and bottom hinges, to keep it lined up? Just thinking out loud.
Click to expand...

you could have the hinge pad milled the same depth as the thickness of your plate. prolly wouldn't want to go too thick; maybe 16 gauge would be enough...I have been afraid to use specialty coatings for this very reason...
 
Lambcrusher,

That sounds like it might be the way to go. Mill off a 1/16th, wouldn't think it will hurt the hinge. It's pretty thick.

Good Idea!
 
BobM,

I do have another set of doors, so maybe I'll gut the spare and weld a plate to the inside. Maybe make a plate to go around the whole thing, like you said, spread it out.

That would be pretty close quarters in there, to weld. It would have to be bead blasted, also.

Man, it never ends! :)
 
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scrapdaddy said:
BobM,

I do have another set of doors, so maybe I'll gut the spare and weld a plate to the inside. The existing plate on the inside is @ 1/4" thick. Maybe make a plate to go around the whole thing, like you said, spread it out.

That would be pretty close quarters in there, to weld. It would have to be bead blasted, also.

Man, it never ends! :)
Click to expand...

it could be spot/rosette welded from outside along its perimeter- I think that's how the factory plates were installed- if you used a single piece plate from top to bottom, a bunch of large diameter spots would spread the load, no?
 
Yeah, I got it wrong, again. I looked inside with a droplight and it's not a plate, just thin sheet metal. The problem is the window track is in the way of doing anything. I don't believe it's removeable. Hard see what's going on, with all the coatings.

The door is recessed in where the hinge bolts to, so in order to fix my first door, I would have to weld a patch panel on the outside.

The only problem with milling down the hinge, is the spring pad. It's alot thinner in that area, so I would have to stay away from that.

Very doable, just some more work.

IMG_2130.webp
 
everything is spot welded... a step drill or unibit work great...if you take it down to metal(actually, just before bare) you'll see the spots;) but that doesn't help you now:frown: it's like finding studs in a wall really...
 
yeah, to do a flush fitting buttress along the inside of the door, you'd have a couple of twists and bends in the plate...how much material and time do you have in this door? maybe might be better to restore one of your spares? jeez, what about stripping the door, having a helper hold the stream of a garden hose on the back side of the upright thru the cut-out of the door while you weld the cracks together on the outside and call it good? of course, you'd need to strip it to bare on the outside where the cracks are...fire being heat air and fuel, take one away, and no fire...so you can't take away fuel and due to chemical composition, may not be able to take away air as oxygen may be found as a by product of the burning of these various chemicals, but what if you took enough heat away from the fuel to keep it from igniting while welding? the water on the back side shouldn't matter too much for the welding I'd think...
 
scrapdaddy said:
Man, it never ends! :)
Click to expand...

You're right about that.

I welded a plate of 16 ga (whatever the body sheet metal thickness is) on the outside after I welded the original crack. I'm assuming the adjustments on the hinges will accommodate.

Like you I have to weld a few holes after I coated the underside. I hope I can do it without too much fire.

:doh:
 
Just a wet rag will keep the flames down. I think I'll try to fix the org. door and work on striping the parts door as a backup.

Some 16 ga. on the outside for the org. and see about building the inside of the parts door.

Oh Man! :bang:
 
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