Removing Rusted Hinge Pin

[ckpetrus]

I've got a big ol' heavy steel door with a rusted out hinge pin. You can't tell from the photos but the hinge pin is completely sheared through and each segment is rusted in place. Luckily the other two hinges are holding, but the busted hinge is making the heavy door difficult to open and close. The question is how to remove the rusted pin segments. The pin seems to be "capped" at both ends so I can't just pound it out from the bottom.

 

[Forkliftt]

That's gonna be hard to do. I assume the hinge is welded to the door and frame. A 4" side grinder with a "cut wheel" would allow you to cut a 1/4" or so (cut horizontal, then vertical from the top) section from the top part of the hinge. This might remove the "capped" area of the the top pin. I suspect it is welded in that area. Repeat the process for the bottom and then hopefully drive the pieces out. Good luck- keep us posted.



Present 42 Sundeck

 

[Northern Spy]

Might be broken because it is not in alignment with the other two hinges. Maybe cut/grind the whole thing off and weld on a new one. Beauty of a steel hull.

If you want to just change the pin. Grind off the top cap. Soak with penetrating oil (one with methyl salicylate) for a few days and mechanically agitate occasionally. Then hammer it down and out with a punch. Maybe add a little (or a lot of) heat to the barrel.

Have fun.

 

[ben2go]

This would be my approach.First,I'd remove the paint and check for a bottom cap.If there's a bottom cap,I would grind it off.Then, I would soak the crap out of the hinge, with a quality penetrating oil, off and on through out the day.Lastly,I'd use a steel drift and try to drive the hinge pin up.If I was planning to reuse the hinge,I would just drill back down through it with the proper size bit,and install a new pin with anti-sieze paste.This is the way I'd do it.

 

[ckpetrus]

What is a "steel drift"?

 

[Xsbank]

Any piece if steel that will fit inside the hole, e.g. Another hinge pin or something strong enough and substantial that you can use a large hammer (32 oz ball pein is my choice!) to drive the "drift" so that it drives out the old pin.

IMHO, if that pin is toast, they will all be close to it. I would remove the door and redo all three hinges and pins. I would also add a zerk fitting so you can grease the hinges.

 

[LaBomba]

Any piece if steel that will fit inside the hole, e.g. Another hinge pin or something strong enough and substantial that you can use a large hammer (32 oz ball pein is my choice!) to drive the "drift" so that it drives out the old pin.

IMHO, if that pin is toast, they will all be close to it. I would remove the door and redo all three hinges and pins. I would also add a zerk fitting so you can grease the hinges.

I would use a brass drift so as not to further peen the steel pin and lodge it even tighter in the hole. I do agree with removing the other two hinges and installing grease zerks. I did this with a trailer door hinge and it solved a lot of future issues.

 

[Rogerh]

I agree with removing the door and replacing all three. It will prevent future issues that can be so aggravating. By the way that is a beautiful yacht!

 

[ben2go]

What is a "steel drift"?

Mine looks like this.They are similar to a punch.

 

[ben2go]

I would use a brass drift so as not to further peen the steel pin and lodge it even tighter in the hole. I do agree with removing the other two hinges and installing grease zerks. I did this with a trailer door hinge and it solved a lot of future issues.

I have used those before with a dead blow hammer and had them mushroom on the end and get stuck in the hole.

 

[rwidman]

............ I would also add a zerk fitting so you can grease the hinges.

How would you add a zerk fitting to a hinge? Why not just oil it from time to time?

 

[ben2go]

How would you add a zerk fitting to a hinge? Why not just oil it from time to time?

If it's big enough,it can use a special hinge pin with grease ports machined in and a zerk on top.Good ones came with a cap for the zerk.

 

[LaBomba]

How would you add a zerk fitting to a hinge? Why not just oil it from time to time?

Drill and tap the tube with the same thread as the zerk. They do not need much of a thread as they are quite shallow.

Formed Hinge Strap w/ Grease Fitting, Straight Leaf (B2426FSNB) | Welcome to Buyers Products Company

 

[LaBomba]

I have used those before with a dead blow hammer and had them mushroom on the end and get stuck in the hole.

And the pin is much softer than your hardened steel drift and will certainly damage and possibly mushroom the pin. Tradesmen generally don't use steel on steel but I guess that's up to the individual.

 

[ben2go]

And the pin is much softer than your hardened steel drift and will certainly damage and possibly mushroom the pin. Tradesmen generally don't use steel on steel but I guess that's up to the individual.

Touche'

 

[ckpetrus]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am going to try a combination of the suggested approaches starting with drilling/cutting/grinding off the ends of the hinge pin and hitting it with penetrating oil. I'll follow up with a note on how it all goes. Also learning lots of interesting new terminology from this thread!

 

[ben2go]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am going to try a combination of the suggested approaches starting with drilling/cutting/grinding off the ends of the hinge pin and hitting it with penetrating oil. I'll follow up with a note on how it all goes. Also learning lots of interesting new terminology from this thread!

I hope it goes as smooth as possible.

 

[Northern Spy]

I hope it goes as smooth as possible.

5 bucks says it won't and you'll curse all of us.

 

[Peter B]

If it's big enough,it can use a special hinge pin with grease ports machined in and a zerk on top.Good ones came with a cap for the zerk.

Aha….with you now - you had me wondering re this zero thing - we call them grease nipples, (for obvious reasons), maybe you US people are too prim and proper to use such a term…?

 

[rwidman]

If it's big enough,it can use a special hinge pin with grease ports machined in and a zerk on top.Good ones came with a cap for the zerk.

I don't think you could add a zerk fitting to the hing shown in the original photo. Perhaps you could but the grease would just run out the first joint. Oil should work just fine and you can get oil into all parts of the hinge.

 

[bayview]

Most hinges are made by rolling tabs into tubes. They are not welded so there should be a bit of spring in the tab to allow driving out the pin. A little easy prying on the end of the tab, without bending it just enough to get some spring action, might loosen the rust.

 

[ckpetrus]

You guys forgot to mention "there will be blood."

 

[ben2go]

5 bucks says it won't and you'll curse all of us.

Hope not.

Aha….with you now - you had me wondering re this zero thing - we call them grease nipples, (for obvious reasons), maybe you US people are too prim and proper to use such a term…?

Yeah.Everybody around here has to be politically correct or liability issues.

I don't think you could add a zerk fitting to the hing shown in the original photo. Perhaps you could but the grease would just run out the first joint. Oil should work just fine and you can get oil into all parts of the hinge.

There is always a new hinge with zerk like Boomba posted.

 

[Rogerh]

Hope you did not get cut too bad... stitches?

 

[ckpetrus]

Hope you did not get cut too bad... stitches?

I'm fine, I had just gotten past the lubricating oil stage when I cut my hand on the lexan window shield while banging on the door trying to get it shut again. Just a flesh wound.

 

[ghost]

In my non tradesman view, its a soak with penetrating oil 1 day, heat until cherry 20 minutes getting the torch ready and another 10 minutes heating, Hammering 5 minutes, repeat twice more for the other two segments.

-or-

1.) Cut the hinge off: 10 min with plasma including setup
2.) Weld the new hinge on: 10 min with mig welder including setup
3.) Paint: 15 minutes
4.) Trip to doctor after hauling welder around (1 morning)
5.) Beers on the aft deck under strict orders to take it easy (Priceless)

 

[rwidman]

Heating the hinge (but not the pin) will cause it to expand and make it easier to hammer the pin out. This would be down the line after trying soaking it with a penetrant like PB Blaster several times over a period of a couple days and tapping it with a hammer each time.

This may be what is known as a "fixed pin hinge" so you have to grind the ends of the pin flush with the hinge body before you try anything. It might pay to countersink the ends just to be sure everything is gone.

If the hinge failed because it is out of line with the others, I have seen a carpenter "adjust" a similar hinge with a pair of channelock pliers. Leave the pin out, bend the tubes to where they need to be, then insert the pin.