Removing a Cast Hinge Door
The single hinge fitting type doors found on 1965+ trailer were a great improvement over the strap type hinges that preceded, and rarely need servicing or maintenance. But what if you need to remove the door itself to work on it or the screen door? It is not readily apparent how to remove one of these doors. Here’s how it can be done quickly and without harming the door or hinge.
The first step is to remove the small horizontal drift pin midway down on the hinge using an 1/8th” punch. Nine times out of ten the long 1/4″ stainless steel hinge pin will have welded itself to the hinge castings – there will be no way to drive it out using a hammer and punch.
The only method is to use a Rivet gun (or impact hammer) and 7/32″ diameter 0-1 Drill Rod cut into progressively longer punches. Steel or brass rod will just bend into pretzels. You really only want 6″ or so max sticking up above the casting, or it will tend to bend even the drill rod. With a set of these punches cut from a 3′ length of rod, the hinge pin will come out in a matter of only a few minutes.
To keep the header of the gun from bouncing off, use a short piece of 1/2″ copper pipe.
The door removed
Replacement spacers for doors that do not have screen door hinges can be made from 3/8″ electrical conduit. Don’t forget to use 1/4″ stainless washer in between the hinge finger segments and in between the conduit pieces and the hinge casting to prevent wear on the softer hinge casting.
You can get 0-1 drill rod and 1/4″ stainless pins from Metals Depot