Magnetic door alignment pins

MJM

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Anyone use these https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-pin-alignment-system.html

Are they good, bad .....or are there any other tricks of the trade? I'm looking ahead and trying to set out a plan for setting the doors after final paint. I'm a one man band like many of you so, I need to find a way to set the doors by myself with out chipping fresh paint.
 
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I generally balance the door on a jack or some other implement, sometimes me, and bolt it on. You can make up a nifty door holder with adjustable legs if you want, I’ve seen some that were pretty slick.
 
If you are talking about getting the alignment back after reinstalling them, then you are wise to think about it now.
If the bolts go into a nut plate that floats, then you need two pins for each nut plate. If you only use one, then one side of the nut plate can still float. Spread the two holes out.
 
Here's a door fixture for installing.... while re-assembling the car I came up with this as these doors were quite heavy and we didn't need any paint chips....

I had seen some of the cradle style that you could add to your floor jack, but I have a problem how the cradle supports the complete weight of the door across the lower edge of a door skin. Too much risk of paint damage in my view. So I came up with another version that would support the weight across a wider area on the inner door, for less risk of damage to any visible area.

Here's the basic form, with some pipe receivers using set screws. The support braces are bent from electrical EMT and covered in pipe insulation to protect the finish..


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The support braces also help to keep the door oriented in a vertical position, to keep the door from flopping back and forth (as you may experience with the cradle style). This will help prevent paint damage/chips from excessive door movement during the install.


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Notice nothing touches the edge of the door skin....


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Once hinges are snug, loosen set screws for outer support brace, lower a couple inches, remove outer support brace, and simply pull jack toward rear of car to clear door.


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I duct tape a piece of 3/4 styrofoam to the platform on my cheap Jegs transmission floor jack. I can adjust the height and angle of the door with the jack. Keeps the door from sliding around and doesn’t mark the paint. Easy for me to install doors by myself this way.

I have never had a lot of luck using alignment pins. I find it easier without them. YMMV…

Don
 
Alignment pins will work great but I just use a couple of drill bits the same size as the hole.
I drill two holes before removing the hinge and it aligns great when I install them later.
I usually have to drill out the holes in the hinge after painting them.
 
Thats a good idea to use the drill bits you drilled the holes with, but it all has to be perfectly aligned for the bit to fit in.
Personally, I wouldn't dare remove a door before paint without alignment holes. Maybe tri five doors are more difficult to align??????
 
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Here's a door fixture for installing.... while re-assembling the car I came up with this as these doors were quite heavy and we didn't need any paint chips....

I had seen some of the cradle style that you could add to your floor jack, but I have a problem how the cradle supports the complete weight of the door across the lower edge of a door skin. Too much risk of paint damage in my view. So I came up with another version that would support the weight across a wider area on the inner door, for less risk of damage to any visible area.

Here's the basic form, with some pipe receivers using set screws. The support braces are bent from electrical EMT and covered in pipe insulation to protect the finish..


Picture487-1.jpg



Picture488-1.jpg



Picture489-1.jpg



The support braces also help to keep the door oriented in a vertical position, to keep the door from flopping back and forth (as you may experience with the cradle style). This will help prevent paint damage/chips from excessive door movement during the install.


Picture267-1.jpg



Picture269-1.jpg



Notice nothing touches the edge of the door skin....


Picture270-1.jpg



Picture271-1.jpg



Once hinges are snug, loosen set screws for outer support brace, lower a couple inches, remove outer support brace, and simply pull jack toward rear of car to clear door.


Picture272-1.jpg



Picture274-1.jpg



Picture275-1.jpg

Nice, very nice. I should have asked this question months ago. I could have copied yours and made one myself, though I wasn't sure how to secure the bottom of the door like you did. I also like how yours has the one side posts vertical. I haven't used mine yet but I see that as an issue. Looks like I'll need to modify mine to closer match yours.

Thanks for the pictures and ideas.

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The magnetic pins are indeed to be used for alignment purposes only. My door adjustment consists of up / down, in / out and tilt. It took me a few hours to get the drivers door set in position so, when I found those alignment pins life was great again, lol

Unfortunately, the pin length is just a tad to short for a manly Barracuda hinge. The upper hinges are 3/16"-1/4" thick so it look like I'll be making my own.
 
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Alignment pins will work great but I just use a couple of drill bits the same size as the hole.
I drill two holes before removing the hinge and it aligns great when I install them later.
I usually have to drill out the holes in the hinge after painting them.

Thank you for the reply. What size drill bit did you use?
 
Something you have to keep in mind is that when you align the doors in bare metal and drill the alignment holes, the metal will always be aligned no matter how many times you reinstall the doors, and no matter how much filler/primer/paint you put on the door. I don't drill the holes until everything is set with the fenders, hood, and all the gaps are set. Not until I know nothing will have to be changed.
 
Nice, very nice. I should have asked this question months ago. I could have copied yours and made one myself, though I wasn't sure how to secure the bottom of the door like you did. I also like how yours has the one side posts vertical. I haven't used mine yet but I see that as an issue. Looks like I'll need to modify mine to closer match yours.

Thanks for the pictures and ideas.

View attachment 20878

.....

If your version works without causing damage, I wouldn't reinvent the wheel. I merely posted that as you had mentioned moving doors by yourself.
 
Update, received my Eastwood alignment pins. They are not going to work for the trunk and doors because the pin length is too short, 7/16". Trunk and door hinges are 7/16"-1/2" thick. However, the Eastwood pins will work for the hood.

Taking matters into my own hands I decided to make some. I used 1/8" stainless steel rod, earth magnets, and two part epoxy.

Assembly station
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Eastwood alignment pin on the right, my pin on the left.
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My alignment pins have a 1" shaft.
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Total of 8 pins for two doors. Tapered and rounded the end of the pins to allow easier fitment into its sister hole.
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I also used "recessed" earth magnets to insure adequate coverage of epoxy around the pin shaft.

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Eight pins per door? I'm not sure what you're doing here, could you explain alittle more MJM
 
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