Jeep Wrangler factory door hinge bushings deteriorated and wear out. Over the years, this wear can encourage rust and cause door latch alignment issues. This makes opening and removal of the Jeep’s doors difficult. Plus, once the factory bushings are worn, they look awful. Replacing the bushings is the simplest and most cost-effective way to improve the appearance and operation of the door.
This upgrade should be done as soon as possible. The longer you wait the more difficult it will be to remove the old bushings. The installation is fairly straight forward. Remove the old bushings and insert the new ones. This doesn’t require replacing the hinge itself or even removing it. If you work carefully, it won’t be necessary to prep or paint the area. Since we aren’t removing the hinge, re-aligning the door also isn’t necessary. However, removing the old bushings is the tough part. On the upper hinge I was able to use a small chisel to punch the factory bushing up through the top of the hinge from beneath. The lower hinges were much more deteriorated on my 2-year-old Jeep. I carefully chiseled what was left of the bushings top lip and painstakingly forced the bushing out through the bottom of the hinge. I’m glad I didn’t wait any longer to do this upgrade. Overall it took about an hour to complete.
Jeep owners have a couple of replacement options. You can purchase OEM style brass insert bushings or machined Delrin bushings (a few sites offer this product, I bought mine from Jeep Co-Op (link no longer working), but TMR Customs also has them available). I choose to upgrade to Delrin because it is self-lubricating, made from a solid bar of Delrin, and ought to last much longer than the original style bushings. One reason is due to its construction. The original OEM bushings are roll-formed from flat sheets of laminated material and are prone to failure. Delrin will not flake or de-laminate. Delrin cost a little more but if I can stave off rust and make door removal easier in the future, it’s worth it to me.
Before Photos
After Photos
My Worn Out Factory Bushings
