Door hinge fix ?

[D-dog357]

Does anybody know how to fix the infamous broke-out drivers side door hinge. I saw someone claim they had a bullet proof fix in another thread but gave no specifics on how to do it.

I really don't want to buy a beat up blue door for my red truck only to have it fail in short order too.

Also what is a better fix for the small cracks in the door, drill and rivet w/ washers or welding ?

[PToombs]

I pulled my door, welded the cracks, then made a reinforcing plate to go inside the door. I welded it in and the plate that holds the hinge retaining nuts inside the door I stuck on there somehow. It was a long time ago so I don't remember exactly what I did, but thats the gist of it.

[cougar]

Pretty much what Pete said. The reinforcement plate should be twice the size of the hing area and twice the thickness of the door skin in that area. The thing you would want to do is drill several large holes in the door skin so you can weld the reinforcement plate to the door in more places than just around the edge of the plate. Say one hole directly under the hinge, 2 above the hinge, and 2 below. That will distribute the stress from the hinge over a much larger area.

[Mark Nixon]

Just go buy a pair of pre-1987 doors.

An interesting thing I have noticed over the years: 1993 trucks SEEM to have the same doors as pre-1987 trucks, in that they have no vents.
I have 2 1993 trucks in the yard with no vents and I have had several others that didn't have them, either.

I've always thought that 1993 was the BEST year for these trucks and some of the silly little differences seem to prove that out.

Besides the door differences, the following is also different in 1993:
Speedometer design (actually a VERY late 1992 difference).
Overdrive/Cargo switch design.
Cargo lamp design (E/C) number of bulbs and type of socket, plastic vs steel.
According to the parts guides, the T-case and shifter for diesel is also different in 1993 (gated vs. non-gated?).

These are all that I can remember, but there are likely more.

Mark.

[Diesel]

Just go buy a pair of pre-1987 doors.

An interesting thing I have noticed over the years: 1993 trucks SEEM to have the same doors as pre-1987 trucks, in that they have no vents.
I have 2 1993 trucks in the yard with no vents and I have had several others that didn't have them, either.

CUT EDITED
Mark.

I went out and checked my friends 93 D350 (gas) and the original doors do have the venting by the hinges. I'll keep an eye open at the junkyards to see if I can find a 93 with pre88 style doors.