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To remove a spring loaded door hinge, close the door, put a hex wrench in the hinge's adjustment hole, hold it while you pull the tension (cross or locking) pin, then slowly let the wrench back until the spring is fully relaxed. Repeat on every spring hinge, support the door, then take out the hinge pin if the model has a removable one or unscrew the leaves from the door and frame.

Safety Before You Remove a Spring Hinge

A tensioned spring hinge stores energy, and the hex wrench can spin back if you let go. Wear safety glasses and gloves, keep the door closed while you release tension, and never remove a hinge pin while the spring is still loaded. Support heavy commercial doors with a door jack or shims, and use a second person for steel or solid core doors.

Before you start, check for a fire label on the door or frame. On a labeled opening the replacement hinges must be listed for that assembly, and NFPA 80 requires the door to be self-closing, so plan to reinstall spring hinges or another listed closing device the same day.

Tools You Need

• Hex (Allen) wrench sized to the hinge adjustment hole. Sizes vary by manufacturer, so check the hinge's instruction sheet.
• Pin punch and hammer for the tension pin or removable hinge pin
• Screwdriver or drill with the correct bit for the leaf screws (Phillips, slotted or machine screws)
• Door jack, wedges or shims, and penetrating oil for seized pins and fasteners

How to Release the Tension on a Spring Hinge

Spring hinges from Hager, McKinney and Bommer all hold their tension with a pin that passes through a hole in the barrel. Setting tension means winding the hinge with the wrench and dropping the pin into the next hole. Releasing tension is the same process in reverse.

1. Close the door and latch it.
2. Insert the hex wrench fully into the hex hole in the end of the hinge barrel.
3. Turn the wrench just enough to take the load off the tension pin, then pull the pin out.
4. Slowly let the wrench back, one hole at a time, until the spring has no load. Keep a firm hold throughout.
5. Repeat on every spring hinge on the door before you handle the door.

Which way to turn depends on whether the adjustment end faces up or down, so confirm direction on the hinge's instruction sheet. Count how many holes of tension were set and write it down: it gives you the starting point for the replacement hinge. Setting the new tension is covered in our spring hinge adjustment guide.

How to Remove the Pin From a Spring Loaded Hinge

There are two different pins. The tension (cross or locking) pin sets the spring and is pulled during the release above. The hinge pin joins the leaves and only comes out after tension is gone.

1. Confirm the spring is fully relaxed.
2. Support the door so its weight is off the pins.
3. If the hinge has a removable pin, tap it up from the bottom with a pin punch. Apply penetrating oil and wait if it is painted or stuck.
4. If the pin is non-removable, the leaves have to come off with the pin in place. Do not try to drive it out.

How to Remove a Door With Spring Hinges

1. Release tension on all spring hinges.
2. Support the door with a door jack or wedges under the lock edge.
3. Remove the hinge pins (removable-pin models) or the leaf screws on the door side, one hinge at a time while the jack carries the load.
4. Lift the door clear, tilt the top toward you, and set it on padded sawhorses.
5. Remove the remaining leaves from the frame.

Keep the door supported until the last leaf is off.

What If the Hex Hole Is Stripped or the Hinge Is Seized?

If the hex hole is stripped, you cannot release the spring with the wrench. Do not drill into the barrel. Take the whole hinge off the door as an assembly, with the door fully supported, and replace it with a new one. For seized screws, soak with penetrating oil, use an impact driver, and extract damaged heads with a screw extractor. The cost of a new spring hinge is usually lower than the time spent forcing a damaged one.

Replacing Spring Hinges

Match the hinge size (height, width, thickness), corner radius, hand and weight rating to the old one, or the new leaves will not line up with the existing mortises. Clean the mortises, repair stripped screw holes, and check that the door closes and latches by hand before you add tension. Hager's instructions, for example, tell you to open the door to 90 degrees and push it closed: if it does not latch, fix the alignment before tensioning. Compare options in our spring hinges category.

If you are deciding between a mortise and a surface style for the replacement, see mortise vs. non-mortise hinges.

Common Mistakes

• Pulling the hinge pin before the spring is released
• Letting go of the wrench during release
• Removing the door without a jack or helper
• Forgetting to record tension before removal
• Leaving a fire-rated door without a working self-closing device

FAQ

How do I remove a self-closing door hinge pin?

Release the spring tension first, support the door, then tap out the hinge pin from the bottom if the model has a removable pin. Non-removable pin hinges have to be unscrewed from the door and frame instead.

Do I have to release the tension before removing a spring hinge?

Yes. Release it through the hex wrench and tension pin as described above, so the spring cannot snap the door or the wrench.

Can I remove a spring hinge from a fire door?

You can, but the opening must stay self-closing under NFPA 80, and replacements must be listed for the assembly. Check the fire label and the authority having jurisdiction before swapping hardware.

How many spring hinges does a door need?

It depends on door weight and hinge size. Hager's sheet for its 1150, 1250 and 1750 series, for instance, lists one, two or three spring hinges based on door weight. Use the manufacturer's weight table for your hinge.

Official sources: Hager spring hinge instructions and McKinney spring hinge instructions.

Next Step

Need replacements? Shop door hinges and spring hinges. Orders placed before 3:00 p.m. ET ship the same business day, and free ground shipping applies on orders of $450 and up. For quantity pricing, request a quote or call 718-814-6300.