ratdude747 Posted October 3, 2022 Share Posted October 3, 2022 The door hinge spring on my driver's side door busted yesterday: However, everywhere I've looked it seems that that's the wrong style hinge... as a style with a sheet metal spring is what turns up for 1980-1996. Even Dennis Carpenter lists the newer style (with a 1988 engineering code) as the correct part back to 1980: https://www.dennis-carpenter.com/trucks/door/door-hinges/?per_page=20&sort_by=1&filter%5Bcustom2%5D%5B0%5D=1984 So, my questions are: 1. Is the newer style better, other than for part availability? 2. If #1 is a no, then who makes a replacement? Or am I looking at torching a rod of spring steel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 3, 2022 Share Posted October 3, 2022 I don't know the answer to #1, but it looks to me like the change happened in '88 given the "E8" prefix. So for some reason Ford changed, and it may or may not have been because it was better. As for Q2, I don't see anything that suggests there's a replacement for the spring. The fact that it is shown as a "Hinge Assy" implies the hinge comes with the spring as a unit. And there isn't an entry in the catalog for "Spring (Front Door" that is for the hinge. From "22894 SHIELD ASSY. (FRONT DOOR CHECK OPENING)" it goes on to door handles, vent windows, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted October 3, 2022 Share Posted October 3, 2022 I don't know the answer to #1, but it looks to me like the change happened in '88 given the "E8" prefix. So for some reason Ford changed, and it may or may not have been because it was better. As for Q2, I don't see anything that suggests there's a replacement for the spring. The fact that it is shown as a "Hinge Assy" implies the hinge comes with the spring as a unit. And there isn't an entry in the catalog for "Spring (Front Door" that is for the hinge. From "22894 SHIELD ASSY. (FRONT DOOR CHECK OPENING)" it goes on to door handles, vent windows, etc. Gary, the spring is the "check" and was replaced on later models with a different style hinge altogether. The usual reason these fail, other than fatigue, is the little "star" rollers freeze from lack of lubrication, and instead of rolling over the end of the spring, they end up sliding over it and wearing through the spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 3, 2022 Share Posted October 3, 2022 Gary, the spring is the "check" and was replaced on later models with a different style hinge altogether. The usual reason these fail, other than fatigue, is the little "star" rollers freeze from lack of lubrication, and instead of rolling over the end of the spring, they end up sliding over it and wearing through the spring. So if it is the check, then the change was in Nov of '84, and the part number is D8BZ 5422886-A. Bill/Numberdummy had a good post about that in FTE, and the spring is indeed 22886. Plus, he confirmed what I'd found that there's no pic thereof in the 1980-89 truck MPC. But there is in the 73/79 car MPC. Here's what he said - 5 1/2 years ago: D8BZ-5422886-A .. Right & Left Front Door Hinge Check / Obsolete 1980/84 F100/350 & Bronco / 1983/84 Ranger / 1984 Bronco II / Ditto 1985 before production date 11/1984. 1978/83 Fairmont/Zephyr / 1980/82 Thunderbird/Cougar / 1981/82 Granada / 1983/84 LTD/Marquis (Fox body midsize). GLOFF FORD in Clifton TX has 1 = 800-659-6632. NOS PARTS LTD in Waxahachie TX has 1 = 972-937-2201. B.F. WHITE MOTOR CO. in Stanton TX has 1 = 800-953-3321. GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has 28 = 800-543-4959. TYPE 6 as 22886 in pic from 1973/79 Ford car parts catalog (no pic in 1980/89 truck parts catalog). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted October 3, 2022 Share Posted October 3, 2022 So if it is the check, then the change was in Nov of '84, and the part number is D8BZ 5422886-A. Bill/Numberdummy had a good post about that in FTE, and the spring is indeed 22886. Plus, he confirmed what I'd found that there's no pic thereof in the 1980-89 truck MPC. But there is in the 73/79 car MPC. Here's what he said - 5 1/2 years ago: D8BZ-5422886-A .. Right & Left Front Door Hinge Check / Obsolete 1980/84 F100/350 & Bronco / 1983/84 Ranger / 1984 Bronco II / Ditto 1985 before production date 11/1984. 1978/83 Fairmont/Zephyr / 1980/82 Thunderbird/Cougar / 1981/82 Granada / 1983/84 LTD/Marquis (Fox body midsize). GLOFF FORD in Clifton TX has 1 = 800-659-6632. NOS PARTS LTD in Waxahachie TX has 1 = 972-937-2201. B.F. WHITE MOTOR CO. in Stanton TX has 1 = 800-953-3321. GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has 28 = 800-543-4959. TYPE 6 as 22886 in pic from 1973/79 Ford car parts catalog (no pic in 1980/89 truck parts catalog). i have the same spring on my bronco 2 and on my 83 f100. changing the hinge to the flat spring design is probably the most practical but i like the originals . if you do attempt to heat and make your own take note that the s portions are not in line. there is a bit of an offset. they may be twenty degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratdude747 Posted October 3, 2022 Author Share Posted October 3, 2022 Gary, the spring is the "check" and was replaced on later models with a different style hinge altogether. The usual reason these fail, other than fatigue, is the little "star" rollers freeze from lack of lubrication, and instead of rolling over the end of the spring, they end up sliding over it and wearing through the spring. So the later hinge is the way to go then... got it. I work in the auto parts industry (Toyota supplier)... this sort of "backwards compatible, no service on old design" thing does happen now and then. For suppliers this is nice because that means we don't have to worry about service parts on the old setup (which can be a pain in many cases). So question 3: who makes good hinges? Dennis carpenter ones OK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted October 4, 2022 Share Posted October 4, 2022 I don't know the answer to #1, but it looks to me like the change happened in '88 given the "E8" prefix. I can't speak for the E8 number but I can definitely say that my '87 (actually assembled in '86) came with the flat springs on the hinges. Maybe they changed because they saw too many failures of the S shaped spring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 4, 2022 Share Posted October 4, 2022 I don't know the answer to #1, but it looks to me like the change happened in '88 given the "E8" prefix. I can't speak for the E8 number but I can definitely say that my '87 (actually assembled in '86) came with the flat springs on the hinges. Maybe they changed because they saw too many failures of the S shaped spring? That would be my guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 That would be my guess. going from memory... the s spring hinge is on the bottom? the flat spring units go on the top. so, you may need a set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 going from memory... the s spring hinge is on the bottom? the flat spring units go on the top. so, you may need a set. Flat spring is definitely on top. Would it matter if the bottom hinge has no spring, as long as the pin bushings are tight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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