Thought I might tap out the hinge pins from some rusty old door hinges on several doors so I could l apply oil directly onto the hinge pins then re-insert them into the hinge, but I'm encountering the "non-removable type" hinge pins, one out of the three on each door. So, since I can't take those pins out, what's a decent method of getting some lubricant in there good where it counts in those hinges? Just saturate the whole hinge/pin area with a particular lubricant and figure that should be sufficient, that it'll penetrate and work fine that way? Is it best with the removable pins to take them out and lubricate and re-insert, or not necessarily, and just saturating the hinge/pin area is usually the regular method anyway?

 

Replacing the hinge is best since those factory hinges are pure garbage... once they corrode they will never be the same. (This is why brass hinges are preferred over plated steel) But yes, if you want to lubricate them just squirt wherever there is a joint and then operate the door several times and wipe off the excess.

I assume this hinge is on the exterior side of a door?

With the removable pins, its usually best to scuff the corrosion off with either steel wool, fine sand paper, emery cloth, scotchbrite pad, etc... and then a light coat of oil before putting them back in. You need to be quite conservative with the oil as you dont usually want it dripping out later on.

 

Yeah I might price out some replacement brass hinges to replace those factory ones. I would guess those would be rather expensive. Yeah some places I noticed the corrosion is so thick where the joint is I'll bet I'd be lucky to get much if any lubricant to squirt into it.

Yeah the hinges with the non-removable pins are indeed on the exterior side. Some of the other doors, which happen to not be on the exterior of the building but which are nonetheless still exposed to moist outdoor-air, have all removable hinges but still are rusting/corroding similar to the photo in my previous post here.

If those factory plated steel hinges are pure garbage and rusted/corroding as they are, is it even very worthwhile trying to scuff off the corrosion and do the lubricating, until such time as I might feel rich enough to afford brass replacement hinges? Do the brass replacement hinges last pretty much forever if I take care of them? How about the idea of getting stainless steel hinges if maybe I win the lottery or something?

Thanks

 

Everbilt 3-1/2 in. Satin Brass 1/4 in. Radius Door Hinge-14992 - The Home Depot

 

Joe... exterior door = likely a 4x4, 4 hole, 5/8" radius. Those are also steel, so will rust eventually. But yeah do what you can to prolong their life, replace em when you can.

 

Yeah 4x4, 4 hole, 5/8" radius is what they are, what I'd need for replacements. Don't have a Home Depot here in my relatively isolated SE Alaska Community... Looked on Amazon but didn't see any solid brass ones there with the 5/8" radius, only square. And they cost 42 bucks just for one. http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Hardwa...n+4%22+4-+hole

 

Amazon.com: NATIONAL MFG/SPECTRUM BRANDS HHI N207-035 4-Inch x 4-Inch Hinge: Home Improvement

Or...

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Hardwa.../dp/B00004Z10Z (their picture is wrong... it's got 4 holes like this one at HD.) http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-N...GE-3/204264270

Solid brass. You could also try ebay.

 

Ah, thanks XSleeper for the links. Quite a variation in the prices there, actually. Yeah, after checking ebay and doing some comparison it looks like I could save some serious dough going that route. Actually I'd need a total of 24 solid brass hinges like that (eight doors, three hinges each). It'd sure be nice to get rid of those corroded cheap ones. They work okay, for now, but look like absolute crud. thanks again

 

I suppose you've already thought of using a Dremel tool to grind the tops (or the bottoms} off those hinge pins, so that they'ed become removable.

I never thought I'd be using this Dremel Tool that I have for so many odd jobs, it spins at 35,000 RPM and could remove all of those peened over pins faster than a Dentist could drill out a cavity.

With one end removed, you could grease them up and drop them back in from the top so that the remaining peened end would still hold them in place for you.

I realize that doesn't make the hinges any prettier . . . . and we all now know that yours look like "absolute crud"; I wouldn't have noticed had you not told me.

Just my 2¢

 

Yeah thanks Vermont, I just might just dig out the Dremel and see what I can do about grinding off the bottom of those dang pins, get em out and grease em up good. So far I removed some of the removable pins and rubbed off what rust/corrosion I could with steel wool, per XSleeper advice, then lubricated those pins with WD40 before reinserting. Then I stopped, wondering if maybe some other lubrication instead of WD40 would probably be better. 3 in 1 oil something like that? Motor oil, axle grease, I dunno.
Most of the hinges I'm talking about look even cruddier than the one in my picture. cruddy cruddy cruddy

 

I think WD40 is just a Water Displacer; not a Lubricant.

How about some nice old Vaseline ? . . . . sounds more domestic than Axle Grease !

I just this week used some Elmer's Silicone Spray on a squeaky door where the vertical wood grain was rubbing against the horizontal wood grain of the threshold . . . . ala Arthritis. All's quiet now !

 

Well the WD40 says right on the can "lubricates" (in addition to cleans, protects, penetrates, and displaces moisture)... says lubricates moving parts such as hinges, wheels, rollers, chains, gears...
So there!

 

WD40 is fine for short term lubrication, but it won't last as long as an oil or grease.

 

Oil or grease it shall be then. Nix on the WD40 for lubing these hinges. Thanks...

 

I have occasionally cleaned up and painted old rusty [sometimes paint dripped] hinges. It works best if you paint them a darker color as some of the paint will chip off where the hinge rotates. I've done this mostly when trying to spruce up an old house where money was too tight for replacement. Removing the hinge and spraying them works best. The thinner the paint is applied to the hinge pin area the better.

 

I was just thinking . . . . which is always a problem; why does a manufacturer peen over both ends of the pin when that adds to the cost of the hinge ?

Well, I guess that simplifies the matter by making all hinges equal, tops and bottoms are no different . . . . so much less confusing; and no complicated instructions to write for Consumers who probably won't read them anyway. They would probably also be inundated with Customer inquiries and complaints because they had difficulty figuring out "which end is up ?

But you go removing the peened end of one of the pins . . . . you're no longer owning a reversible hinge with a non-removable pin. Now you have to make note of tops and bottoms and always remember to keep the peened end on the top . . . . otherwise, you'll shortly have pins falling out on the floor all over the place, and left unattended, your doors will be falling off and creating hazardous living quarters, which could be a cause for your property being condemned.

And one last thought . . . . you're going into un-charted territory where you're going to be relying on the continued existence of the force of gravity to keep the pins in their place,

So tread carefully and unpeen your pins at your own risk !

 

I should consider doing that too. Maybe take the time to remove each and every hinge, try to remove as much rust (and plating I suppose too) from the steel probably with a wire wheel, then prime and paint. I think I'd be worried though if I couldn't remove all the plating that the primer/paint wouldn't adhere very well to any remnants. I'm somewhat unclear about the advice to paint them a "darker color" although I do realize some of the paint will chip off where the hinge rotates. Paint them a darker color than what, the color of the hinge steel itself?

yeah that's my situation, money may be too tight for replacement.

thanks marksr

 

Not necessarily Vermont. Don't be too hard on yourself. Your points are well worth pondering I would say...

Will do!

 

Darker colors won't show the chipping as bad. I've been on a lot of jobs where the previous painter painted the hinges white and they always look bad. Any oil on the hinge pin will work out and be visible and IMO the chips with white paint are more noticeable. I've used brass, bronze, platinum and black on hinges with decent results. Once the hinges are cleaned up and scuffed - there shouldn't be any issues with paint adhering except next to the pin where the movement is.

 

Encountered another "dilemma" here. Can't get enough swing on the hammer for enough force with to my punch to knock/tap the pin up/out on the bottom hinge because it's rusty like that and only up seven inches or so from the bottom of the door. And like I mentioned I have eight doors like this.

I took a blurry picture of the situation:

 

Maybe unscrew the hinge if you have to.

 

I often take a stiff putty knife and use a hammer to knock it under the pins top lip, then angle the putty knife upward to finish getting the pin out. I've never had much luck using a punch under the bottom hinge - just not enough working room

 

Doesn't help when it looks like they cut about 4" off the bottom of the door either. Wonder if it's a short MH door.

 

Do you have a 90° Off-Set Screwdriver ?

 

^Good suggestion, thanks. Got it to lift up enough using the stiff putty knife under the pins top lip like you said (and after liberal dose of penetrating oil); it didn't budge easily but still it budged, enough where I could do the rest of the way knocking with a screwdriver angled upward and with my punch.

^Might end up having to, on some of them, if they're stuck any tighter than that first one I fought with (above). Sigh.

Yeah. Somewhere.

Hmm. Well if I had about 4" more clearance down there I could surely swing the hammer fine then. Dangit anyway. What's an MH door?

 

Story of my life!



MH = mobile home... a lot of MH doors are shorter than normal... 76 or 78" instead of 80", and they are not just used in mobile homes... anywhere there is a short opening for some odd reason. They are just a "standard" short door.

 

So I just had to measure. The door(s) measure 79" top to bottom (and bottom to top). I'm guessing they'd still be called 80-inch or standard doors, though. Not sure if they were ever cut shorter than their factory length, but don't think so.

 

I recently ordered a 78" exterior door. 76" and 79" were also an option but unless I'm mistaken 80" is the norm.