2000 Z71 Tahoe OBS Front Door hinge Pin Bushings

[sphillips]

It was time to replace the hinge pin bushings on my 2000 Tahoe driver door. Went to my GM dealer and bought the kit with new pins. Took the door off, removed steel bushings and found the replacement bushings are bronze not steel. The bronze being softer has thicker walls so dont fit the bushing holes, O.D. too big. ID is correct. GM says these are correct but they are obviously not. All of the replacement kits on line show the bronze bushings not steel. Steel being harder has a smaller wall thickeness which fit the hinge bushing holes. Checked the passenger door hinges and they have the steel bushings as well. Any thoughts on this, or where to purchase the correct bushings?

Thx

steve

 

[xanatost]

I just changed mine this past weekend and I used the bronze ones. Had to tap them in but it works just fine. I think the only ones will find will be the bronze ones. If you find any steel ones post up.

 

[SunlitComet]

get yourself some liquid nitrogen to shrink them first. i have done this with aircraft bushings all the time.

 

[sphillips]

get yourself some liquid nitrogen to shrink them first. i have done this with aircraft bushings all the time.

Done that as well with aircraft but the OD of these bushings are way to large thus shrinkage would not work. I put them in the lathe and shaved them down for a press fit, but they are so thin now that they wont last long. Only I would run into such a delimma!

 

[SpeedyJuarez]

How are you trying to install the bushings? best way I have found is with a nut and bolt.

https://youtu.be/vFkYOTKTFgQ

 

[sphillips]

How are you trying to install the bushings? best way I have found is with a nut and bolt.

https://youtu.be/vFkYOTKTFgQ

Thx for the input Speedy, but as I mentioned previously, the factory original bushings are thin wall steel, as I confirmed as well looking at the passenger bushings. The replacement bushings are bronze and due to the softness of bronze are a much thicker wall and therefore, will not fit fit in the small hinge bushing holes that the factory made for the hard steel bushings. Would anyone out there know the part number for the original steel bushings? I had a subscription with All Data but the manual did not have part numbers so I cancelled the subscription.

Thx for everyones help,

steve

---------- Post added at 09:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:29 AM ----------

Just looked at the rear door bushings and they appear to be bronze. Wonder if the original factory installation had bronze in the rear door hinges and steel in the front door hinges, or, did GM come out with a service bulletin to oversized the hinge holes to accept the larger wall bronze bushings?

 

[SunlitComet]

i see no tsb's on any door related stuff except for the door detent jamming.

 

[SpeedyJuarez]

I have the bronze bushings sitting on my desk right in front of me for my driver door. I had previously tried to install bronze bushings but gave up because they were a snug fit. I first tried installing them with a hammer but all I did was bend down the flange part.

I currently have no bushings in my door because I couldn't get them in, but I have the things I need to install them just haven't had time. I plan on using the method from the video these days off coming up.

I imagine the bronze bushing might be a redesign from the originals. I would think the reason the bushings are bronze is so that they can be pressed in there conforming to any egg shape or size difference. If they were redesigned and are thicker that might help with them lasting longer. Steel bushings would be unforgiving when trying to push them in the flange.

The whole point of bronze is not to damage the harder materials. At work we use bronze tools to remove orings so that we don't damage the housing that the o rings sit on.

---------- Post added at 05:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:39 PM ----------

There should be 4 bushings for one door, the bushings also matter where they go. there is a two smaller bushings and two larger bushings. Cant remember where the larger ones go and same for smaller ones. Incase you didn't know, thought I would throw that out there.

 

[sphillips]

I have the bronze bushings sitting on my desk right in front of me for my driver door. I had previously tried to install bronze bushings but gave up because they were a snug fit. I first tried installing them with a hammer but all I did was bend down the flange part.

I currently have no bushings in my door because I couldn't get them in, but I have the things I need to install them just haven't had time. I plan on using the method from the video these days off coming up.

I imagine the bronze bushing might be a redesign from the originals. I would think the reason the bushings are bronze is so that they can be pressed in there conforming to any egg shape or size difference. If they were redesigned and are thicker that might help with them lasting longer. Steel bushings would be unforgiving when trying to push them in the flange.


The whole point of bronze is not to damage the harder materials. At work we use bronze tools to remove orings so that we don't damage the housing that the o rings sit on.

---------- Post added at 05:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:39 PM ----------

There should be 4 bushings for one door, the bushings also matter where they go. there is a two smaller bushings and two larger bushings. Cant remember where the larger ones go and same for smaller ones. Incase you didn't know, thought I would throw that out there.

The I.D. Of the bushings are different, two have a larger I.D. due to the shaft of the pin just below the head is a larger diameter than the rest of the shaft

 

[sphillips]

Any one have the OEM part numbers for the front door bushings?

thx