Removing the Doors

[ibycus]

Having trouble getting the doors off my used 97 TJ. Managed to get the driver's side door off with a little elbow greese, but the darned passenger side door just won't budge. I've tried oiling them (several times), I've tried getting about three guys to pull straight up on them (close to the hinge), you name it, I've pretty much tried it (swear we were *this* close to lifting the Jeep at one point).

I've figured out that the top hinge on the passenger side door is the culprit. It seems that the hinge pin is seized to the lower half of the hinge (so the door will still open, but it won't move up and down.) Tried knocking at the pin with a hammer, no luck there.

Was trying to take the hinge off (thought maybe I might be able to work on it seperately), but I ended up striping the head on one of the bolts (didn't know you could get the socket torx bit to fit it, so I was using a crappy multi-set which was all I could find). Decided to drill out the bolt, but a friend of mine snapped off the screw extractor in the hole. So now, I have some hardened steel at the base of the bolt blocking my way.

Anyone got any advice as to where to go from here. Was thinking I might be able to try drilling off centre (so as to avoid the hardened steel) and using a larger extractor.

Thoughts?

Dale

[apex]

first time I took mine off... it was a hell of a fight. I ended up using a highlift jack at the base of the door nearest the hinge. Jack it up and down a couple  of times. give it some swings, some PB blaster, and some choice curse words. Let the PB soak overnight. Use the jack agian. It aught to come free. As for the damage... can't really help you with that sorry.

good luck

[RedApe]

first time I took mine off... it was a hell of a fight.

I've used a 2"x4" and a mallet, while another is pulling up "LIGHTLY" on the door.
This has worked on some of the stickiest Sammy's, CJ's and TJ's that I've come accross so far.

[Bnine]

Jack all with a  2x4 on the door edge to protect it. Just crank slowly, it will eventually let loose. Dont worry when it seems the jeep is about to lift off the ground, that happens.

All those torx body bolts are locktited from factory. Use an impact driver before trying to remove them. It loosens the loctites grip on them.

Its either that, or heat.

hope that helps

[ibycus]

Jack all with a  2x4 on the door edge to protect it. Just crank slowly, it will eventually let loose. Dont worry when it seems the jeep is about to lift off the ground, that happens.

I'll try that... I will prevail .

[redbull]

All those torx body bolts are locktited from factory. Use an impact driver before trying to remove them. It loosens the loctites grip on them.

Its either that, or heat.

On my YJ, the bolts were not just locktited, but are painted and some, of course are rusted. Then there was some kind of gummy foamy glue crap sprayed on the inside over the nuts. So, even after getting the bolt loose, you had to dig under the dash to get a wrench on the nut, only to find this glue crap all over that had to be scraped off.