Broken XJ door-hinge welds: cheap n easy fix! (Redux!)

WrenchMonkey · 03-12-2018, 05:46 PM

I originally posted this writeup way back in 2009, here: http://www.cincyoffroad.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3148

But, photobucket got greedy, broke all the old links, and destroyed my thread like so many others. So, here's a redo, with directly attached photos...

WrenchMonkey · 03-12-2018, 05:47 PM

Like many XJs (especially the two-doors) my driver's door has sagged badly for years. Last week, the damn thing finally fell off in the driveway. That's how I know it's time to fix something.

For those that don't know, the problem stems from AMC's lame-brained idea of welding the hinge to the sheet metal unibody (bad enough) and then neglecting to weld the rear edge (even worse.)

As those welds start to crack, the hinge separates from the body, and the door sags. Eventually, the hinge can break all the way off, and you're done.

I'm a pretty mediocre welder. I can stick plate to plate pretty well, and sheet to sheet pretty badly. But sticking the ~3/8" hinge back onto the cracked, rusty sheet metal just wasn't going to happen for me.

I considered paying a friend to do it, but he was busy and I was broke. So I came up with this...

WrenchMonkey · 03-12-2018, 05:48 PM

First, I cut out the ruined sheet metal where the hinge broke off. That left about a 2-1/2x3" opening.

WrenchMonkey · 03-12-2018, 05:48 PM

Then I could see that there's enough space behind that panel for a new, stronger mounting plate.

So if I needed to mount the hinge like so (the yellow), I figured I'd need a plate shaped something like the blue outline. So I drilled (4) 3/8" mounting holes (red).

WrenchMonkey · 03-12-2018, 05:49 PM

Then I cut my new mounting plate. I used about 8" of 2x1/4" flat stock. If you were careful and spaced your holes closer, you could get away with less, maybe 6", but I tend towards overkill.

I had to notch the bottom corner to clear a bulge in the unibody, then I drilled and tapped four holes to match the ones I drilled in the jeep body.

I ground the old welds off of the hinge, drilled a couple more 3/8" holes to bolt it to the plate, then (after test fitting everything) I drilled and tapped the plate to match.

[Edit] When locating the upper hinge, it should be vertically aligned with the lower one, and 12.25" on center above it.

Then I sprayed everything black

WrenchMonkey · 03-12-2018, 05:51 PM

It took a little wiggling to get it into position, but the plate bolted in nice and solid. Then I bolted the hinge to it; and finally rehung the door:

03-12-2018, 05:46 PM	#1
WrenchMonkey Mechanical Animal - CORE Member - - Moderator - Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Beechmont Posts: 1,883	Broken XJ door-hinge welds: cheap n easy fix! (Redux!) I originally posted this writeup way back in 2009, here: http://www.cincyoffroad.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3148 But, photobucket got greedy, broke all the old links, and destroyed my thread like so many others. So, here's a redo, with directly attached photos... __________________ DIRTY DEEDS, DONE DIRT CHEAP Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stranger

03-12-2018, 05:47 PM	#2
WrenchMonkey Mechanical Animal - CORE Member - - Moderator - Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Beechmont Posts: 1,883	Like many XJs (especially the two-doors) my driver's door has sagged badly for years. Last week, the damn thing finally fell off in the driveway. That's how I know it's time to fix something. For those that don't know, the problem stems from AMC's lame-brained idea of welding the hinge to the sheet metal unibody (bad enough) and then neglecting to weld the rear edge (even worse.) As those welds start to crack, the hinge separates from the body, and the door sags. Eventually, the hinge can break all the way off, and you're done. I'm a pretty mediocre welder. I can stick plate to plate pretty well, and sheet to sheet pretty badly. But sticking the ~3/8" hinge back onto the cracked, rusty sheet metal just wasn't going to happen for me. I considered paying a friend to do it, but he was busy and I was broke. So I came up with this... __________________ DIRTY DEEDS, DONE DIRT CHEAP Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stranger

03-12-2018, 05:48 PM	#3
WrenchMonkey Mechanical Animal - CORE Member - - Moderator - Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Beechmont Posts: 1,883	First, I cut out the ruined sheet metal where the hinge broke off. That left about a 2-1/2x3" opening. Attached Thumbnails __________________ DIRTY DEEDS, DONE DIRT CHEAP Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stranger

03-12-2018, 05:48 PM	#4
WrenchMonkey Mechanical Animal - CORE Member - - Moderator - Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Beechmont Posts: 1,883	Then I could see that there's enough space behind that panel for a new, stronger mounting plate. So if I needed to mount the hinge like so (the yellow), I figured I'd need a plate shaped something like the blue outline. So I drilled (4) 3/8" mounting holes (red). Attached Thumbnails __________________ DIRTY DEEDS, DONE DIRT CHEAP Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stranger

03-12-2018, 05:49 PM	#5
WrenchMonkey Mechanical Animal - CORE Member - - Moderator - Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Beechmont Posts: 1,883	Then I cut my new mounting plate. I used about 8" of 2x1/4" flat stock. If you were careful and spaced your holes closer, you could get away with less, maybe 6", but I tend towards overkill. I had to notch the bottom corner to clear a bulge in the unibody, then I drilled and tapped four holes to match the ones I drilled in the jeep body. I ground the old welds off of the hinge, drilled a couple more 3/8" holes to bolt it to the plate, then (after test fitting everything) I drilled and tapped the plate to match. [Edit] When locating the upper hinge, it should be vertically aligned with the lower one, and 12.25" on center above it. Then I sprayed everything black Attached Thumbnails __________________ DIRTY DEEDS, DONE DIRT CHEAP Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stranger

03-12-2018, 05:51 PM	#6
WrenchMonkey Mechanical Animal - CORE Member - - Moderator - Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Beechmont Posts: 1,883	It took a little wiggling to get it into position, but the plate bolted in nice and solid. Then I bolted the hinge to it; and finally rehung the door: Attached Images __________________ DIRTY DEEDS, DONE DIRT CHEAP Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stranger