How to Fix your SUV’s Loose Door Hinges with Fasteners?

When the car door is opened or closed, hinges play a crucial role in smoothly opening and closing it. However, the doors of SUVs and trucks are often heavy, which can put a lot of strain on the auto body clips and fasteners in the hinges as the years go by. As a result, car owners may experience issues with the door hinges in a few years.

When your SUV’s door hinges become loose, it may cause the following issues:

• Your car door may create a squeaky noise when opening or closing

• Your car door may feel heavier as hinges provide less support

• Loose hinges may make it challenging to lock the door properly

• It may cause the door to become crooked or sagged

• The car door may swing too rapidly when opening or closing

• It may cause the car door to be jammed when locked.

What Should You Do?

Loose hinges are a common issue that can be easily resolved by retightening the fasteners or replacing them with new ones, depending on the condition of the old ones. All you need few right tools and new auto body clips and fasteners to replace the door hinges.

Following are the various tools you may need to fix the loose hinges of your SUV:

• Flathead screwdriver

• Pair of pliers

• Hammer

• New retainer clips, fasteners, and spring (as required)

• Hydraulic car jack

• A hammer extension ( to reach the tight spots on the door hinge)

• Penetrating oil (for squeak-free hinges)

• A door spring compressor tool (optional)

• Safety glasses

• And other tools as per your SUVs specific model

It is recommended to ask for someone to assist you when attempting to fix the hinges to avoid any accidents.

Steps to Fix Loose Door Hinges

1. First, you will need to remove the old hinge fasteners and clips and inspect their condition. So, use your screwdriver and pliers to loosen the hinge and remove them.

2. Make sure the door stays open as you remove all the hinge pins as the other person is holding the door to ensure it doesn’t get damaged.

3. Remove the spring behind the hinge. Also, you can use the hammer extension to dislodge the pins at the bottom hinge.

4. When you are working on the last bottom hinges, and the door is about to become separated, you can use the car jack to ensure the door’s weight is well supported and does not entirely burden the person assisting you.

5. As you work on replacing the fasteners, make sure to check if the hinge also needs to be replaced or the door may become loose again after a few months.

6. The next part is tricky as you attempt to reattach the door hinge with new auto body clips and fasteners. Make sure your assisting partner firmly holds the door to attach as you tighten the new fasteners. You can also use the spring door compressor tool to ensure the door is securely in place.

When you are done, open and close the door a few times to check if the problem has been resolved. If you still need instructional assistance or have any questions, such as which auto body clips or fasteners to buy, get in touch with our team for expert assistance.

Explore our extensive selection to find suitable clips, fasteners, rivets, and more!