Problem drilling through door hinges

[blazinjames]

i drive a 89 jeep cherokee 4x4. 4l auto

this may be a stupid question but im stuck on drilling out my door hinges..

im trying to drill them out to replace with a 1/4bolt to fix the sagging door problem..

my problem is i can drill through them..i bought drill bits that say they are good for metal and im using my drill but it isnt drilling though??

ive tried starting with small drill bits but im getting no where


its a drill u plug in, has setting 1-24

is the drill just not powerful enough? do i need special drill bits

any ideas or suggestions that will help me out would be much appricated as i need to get the doors back on and start driving my jeep

thanks

 

[Shorty]

I'm not sure I'm on the same page as you--

you've got the door off, you've got the pin out of the hinge, and your drill will not go through the hole? The material really isn't that hard (rather soft, actually) so if you've got the pin out, I'd say sharp bit and better drill.

If you're attempting to drill the pin out, you'll probably have WAY too much trouble. Use a punch and hammer it out-- down on the left side and up on the right-IIRC.

 

[dave92cherokee]

Use a vice and deep well socket and press the pin into the socket, took me all of 2 minutes when doing the upside down passenger side. If you've got the doors off and the bottom part of the hinges are stuck preventing you from getting them off I used a ball joint separator pickle fork and hammer to knock it straight down.

 

[blazinjames]

the pin on the one hinge has disintigrated..thats why the door was sagging. now im trying to drill out the whole where the pin was so i can put a bolt in there to replace it..

that is the part im having a problem drilling out

 

[winkosmosis]

I've learned in the past week that drilling steel is harder than you think. Apparently cobalt bits are what you are supposed to use. And you should go slow

 

[3fifty]

I had the same problem and had to press them out of mine.

 

[mcantar18c]

Get a step bit (unibit). I work with steel a lot, and damn they work good. A bit pricey, but they last a while if you take are of em and they get the job done.

 

[emr1101]

i drive a 89 jeep cherokee 4x4. 4l auto

this may be a stupid question but im stuck on drilling out my door hinges..

im trying to drill them out to replace with a 1/4bolt to fix the sagging door problem..

my problem is i can drill through them..i bought drill bits that say they are good for metal and im using my drill but it isnt drilling though??

ive tried starting with small drill bits but im getting no where


its a drill u plug in, has setting 1-24

is the drill just not powerful enough? do i need special drill bits

any ideas or suggestions that will help me out would be much appricated as i need to get the doors back on and start driving my jeep

thanks

i redrilled mine to 1/2 inch, wasnt hard except getting hte angle right

 

[t-frady]

i took mine to a machinist they were hardened steel. I got all but two of mine out and my buddy worked there luckly so it was free.

 

[Vanquish]

The door brackets are not hardened steel, and theres no way you can put a 1/2" bolt through the factory bracket.

A previous post is right, the brackets are a very low quality steel and should drill easily. Cobalt bits aren't necessary and a usually a moderatly sharp bit can drill just fine.

IIRC the hole is already only like a 16th to an 8th inch smaller than 1/4" so youre not taking off that much metal.

Drill bits that are "good for metal" is broad, more info? Cheap drill bits ("Titanium coated-diamond emebbed" or other wonder bits) are usually crap. Buy yourself one GOOD quality drill bit, and don't abuse it.