I'm calling this OT because the hinge spring in question is on my '93 GMC
pickup. Today when I drove out the driver's door upper hinge pin (to replace
the worn bushings which were letting the door sag) the spring that helps
hold the door open popped out, and I can't get it back in. Bummer.
It's a strong bugger and is in a fairly tight spot. I tried a number of ways
of compressing and then holding the spring compressed until I could get it
back in place, obviously without success. I came closest using a large
C-clamp to compress the spring and then tying the compressed spring with as
many as 4 plastic tie wraps, but they just weren't strong enough to hold
until I could get the spring in place an cut them. I suspect any wire small
enough to go between the end coils then wrapped back together and twisted
would not be strong enough either. Maybe I just need stronger tie wraps. I
remember my dad having some that the phone company used that had a metal,
rather than a plastic ratchet tab. Maybe I can find some like that locally
if another solution doesn't present itself.
Both ends of the spring are flat so it's fairly easy to compress in the
C-clamp. I just need some way to hold it compressed until I can slip it in
place and then release the pressure.
Make sense? I hope so. Ideas greatly appreciated. I know one thing for
certain. Working on this thing on an open asphalt apartment parking lot in
the middle of August is a real PITA.
Ron
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