How to access these door hinge bolts?
 

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...2e5c3d7425.jpg
Driver door this type bolt.
hi guys, I've really got to get to the sagging driver door. I'll be changing the upper shock mounts on Saturday, so I hope I have time to remove the wheel well liner and look from that side.

I keep looking at these hinge bolts, wondering if they could be tightened. I am at a loss about what took to use, I think it'd be pure luck if an offset screwdriver lined up with it, but I've never tried.

Despite how it looks, even my smallest ratchet attachments will not fit.

Has anyone ever found a tool that would be able to torque these bolts down if by chance they are lose?

I look forward to your thoughts.

Thanks,
John

Hi. I have never seen a hinge with a screw top. Perhaps its a 98 X100 thing?

If you can hang on for a while, no pun intended, I am going to do mine in April and will take lots of photos for you.

The photo your showing is of the hinge pin, cannot see the bolts. So are you talking about the pin or the bolts? The bolts are on the other side of the pin and as you say they cannot be got at.

If you want a go at it yourself before my 'how to' .............. remove your door card. Remove the two nuts holding the restraining bar, the bit that stops your door opening too wide. Unscrew the black electrical plug. Support the door and remove the upper and lower door pin. Door is now free and you can access the nuts you could not reach before.

One thing you should NOT do is follow the advise some give and jack up the corner of the door forcing it back into alignment. I will work but a week or so later it will sag again. On top of that you will badly damage your door.

This is just a small part of the damage done to mine when I tried door jacking up method.

https://i.postimg.cc/j5F8Grkq/Crack-1.jpg

This is a photo of my door removed, you can see the nuts from here.

https://i.postimg.cc/0y20Fv4T/Door-removed.jpg

You can if you wish read my attempts at solving this problem. This would be a good starting point, though there is much more written both before and after.............. click me.

Why do the doors sag? I'm glad I don't have this problem, yet, but I would like to know if it can be avoided.

Glandaniel, don't take this the wrong way, but that's my question too. There have been a couple of different answers posted, one was a cracked hinge support, another (which intriges me) was fixed by removing the wheel well and getting access to (?).

Frankc, not ignoring your great post, just need to digest some of the points.

Thanks to you both for posting.

John

Its basically the sheer weight of the door. Combined with the habbit of some to lean on the door. Its like a great weighted lever working on the hinge bolts. As one bodyshop owner said to me the top hinge has only to move a couple of Millimeters and it makes the door sag a quarter of an inch at the other end.

As for the cracked hinge there are two possible answers.......... the first I mention above. Someone tries jacking up the door at one corner. The other is if the hinge does not budge something has to so it cracks the metal around the hinge. It only needs a very fine crack to widen over time.

Our XK8/XKR doors are quite long and relatively heavy. Gravity can eventually take its toll on the supporting structure. I always think of that whenever I have to do a job that requires keeping the doors open for extended periods of time (such as replacing the door latch assembly microswitches)….

So the more I read, the less likely it is just a loose bolt. Darn.

Frankc, yes I was looking at the hinge pins. That slot in them looks like it could be torqued down, if you can get access.

Maybe my next step is to try to stick a bore scope in there and see where the give is. That'll be a 2 person job. Should be some good stories coming from that with my girlfriend:-).

John

The door hinges are adjustable. Why not just loosen the upper hinge and readjust?

Mhminich, could you please say more? I cant picture what to loosen/adjust, where it is, or what kind of tool one may need.

So far every thing that is or looks like a nut, screw, or bolt has me scratching my head wondering what tool could reach it and have any room to swivel.

Sounds like I may be missing something obvious (wouldn't be the first time mate:-)). If not too much trouble is it sometime you could take a quick photo of?

This topic affects many of us, your input/directions will be widely appreciated.

John

Darn, wish Id thought of that. :icon_doh: (yes I am being sarcastic :icon_wink: )

Just read the title of this post................ :D

With the wing off you will get to these bolts but I am not sure of there is much play here to adjust?

http://www.racediagnostics.com/home/.../wing%2025.jpg

RD to the rescue as usual. If you look at the photo below where the door cracked you will see its more slot than hole. According to my body shop you only need move it MM and it makes a big difference at the other end.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...00f2d4909e.jpg

Been wondering though, oh wise one. Would it be easier to remove the wing rather than the door? There are the bolts just inside the engine bay. The nut to undo at the end. But are there other nuts to undo? Say under the wheel arch liner? Got any more photos? :D

How have you been anyway? Seems ages since I spotted one of your postings.

Frankc and RD, I wonder if you can get to these bolts with wheel well liner removed?

John

No. Not enough room. Tried that.

Lots of wing pictures and info here.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...refurb-147559/

Been busy on my 450SL restoration for the last two years, but have been working hard on the XK8 this week repairing the left hand front chassis rail (rust behind the subframe). My suspension has also become clunky at the front and I am considering going back from poly bush to the original rubber ones, the poly bush ones seem to have dried out and are now making a noise which is disappointing as they are meant to be fit and forget. Its the lower control arm ones that seem to be the main issue, I'll take them apart, check for wear and then decide what to do, either re-grease and refit or replace with rubber.

Race, wow what an amazing link and amazing job! Thanks for sharing it with us.

John

i'll be blunt,remove door weld and re-install for best job,steve.

Well yesterday I took a closer look. Tried to use an endoscope by myself (waste of time, I'd need 3 hands). So I tried to get closer and see. I was a le to get my hands on the upper
hinge pin area and flex the door. Well there certainly is play in the hinge pin. Remembering Frankc's note about mm of hinge area movement amplifies to significant movement 3 feet away, I got excited.

Further tests do allow me to hear a faint pop/click noise when this is happening. Kind of indicates sheard metal flexing. If I find it's much easier I may start with that hinge pin and see.

Anyone remember about how much the door weighs?

John

Two of my friends own body shops and another a garage. With all three each grabbed hold of the door to feel for movement. None was apparent on mine but yours is obviously failing if you can feel and hear something. It maybe worth changing the pins, the snag of course is can you find new pins? I'd bet you can only change the hinge..........