Ok, I'll try to explain...

It was the top hinge, I had the door open and supported on a workmate, the tool kind not the press ganged kid.

Bolts removed, hinge kinda falls forward and I could get a washer slipped in from the side and I used one of those magnets on telescoping stick to hold it in place while I pulled the hinge back to trap it. Then I managed to get that bolt started which held the washer.

I only got that bolt on one turn or so, that allowed the hinge to still lay forward enough so I could get the next washer in place and that bolt started.

I think the key was having the door well supported in its "natural" position, ie not drooping.

Alistair

> On May 21, 2015, at 5:01 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Alistair, you need to go into some detail here. I cannot see any way to get
> washers in there unless the door is removed, which is why I thought slipping
> in shim stock might be easier, but even that is fiddly.  How did you do it?
> Magnets? Hire a 12 year old helper with tiny fingers (and have his/her
> parent sign a waiver)?
> 
> (Snip) "....It is a bit fiddly to get the washers in there."  
> 
> Stuart
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Alistair Bell
> Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2015 2:20 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Front door hinge pin update
> 
> A while back I posted how I detected some play in the, and I assumed upper,
> hinge pin in driver side door. This allowed the door to drop ever so
> slightly when opened.
> 
> The proper fix would be a new pin, but that's beyond me right now. What I
> did manage to do was to insert two washers between the door hinge and the
> body part that the hinge is bolted to. To raise the door slightly I had to
> place them there, and that is on the forward surface of the body part that
> gets the door hinge. The washers were a tad under 1mm thick and was enough
> to bring the door back into alignment with the body panels on the body. I
> tired shim stock first but it took much more thickness than I expected and
> it ended up that washers were the answer. It is a bit fiddly to get the
> washers in there.
> 
> After I got the door in line with the body I adjusted the striker plate and
> all is well now. I don't feel that annoying drop when I open the door.
> 
> I still would like to fix it with a new pin, but I think that's going to be
> a bit of an involved process with an over sized pin and reaming the hinge.
> 
> Alistair
>