'87 345 Door Hinges

[gmag]

My 87 345 main door has hinges with way too much play in the pins so I can't really adjust it. At least one of the screws on each hinge won't tighten all the way so the nut is just spinning on the inside of the coach body.
With the play in the pins and not being able to tighten both screws an adjustment just won't hold.
Any clever ideas to fix what I have or, if I have to replace the hinges, a way to get to the nuts inside the door and inside the coach body without too much of a facelift or cutouts on the wall panels?
Once that's done I guess there is enough play in the mounts so a person could adjust the door so it fits in the casing and seals?

[ScrapIrony-2]

gmag,
An interim step to doing it right is to get some nylon washers(I forget the size), cut a wedge out of them, and slip them on the pin like a C-ring. This will adjust your play a bit...you might have to use more than one, and might have to insert them on both pins. I had to put two in the bottom, and one on top, but it worked well till we got it done...it needs 'doing' again...you will have to lift on the door whilst inserting them, or get someone to help with that...you also might check with bkahler(on the forums), as I think he was parting out a 345...m

[raveson]

The easiest way to stablize the door hinges is to retighten the bolts from the inside. It sound worse then it is to do. If you drill out the rivets holding the door frame and remove it, you then can carefully peel back the interior skin and using a deep socket retighten the hinge. Even if you get hing replacements, you still have to get the bolts tight.

[ADK Jim]

gmag:
Finally I can help another Airforum member! I just fixed my 300 LE this winter after reading all the postings and it wasn't too bad a job. I have the "carpet' interior, so I pulled it back, drilled 1" diameter holes very carefully right behind where the screws are and then dug out the putty they had put around the nuts. With the holes 1" diameter you can put in a socket wrench and tighten the new nuts & bolts. I replaced them all with stainless steel and added washers and nylock nuts. I will tray and attach pictures I took of the whole process. Getting all the old putty out was the worst part. (A right angle needle nose pliers worked the best). Being careful to get the holes as close as possible to the edge of the door trim inside was key to be able to get the socket on with minimal effort. I then finished the job with metal caps that you can get at the hardware or big box stores to fill in the holes and put the carpet back in place. They also sell plastic caps, but the metal ones have little "feet" that you can bend to help hold them in place if the hole is not true. Did the trick!. Good luck. ADK Jim