07/23/2026
7-11 in Durham NC
Upon inspection, the doors were found to be sprung and seized tight, preventing them from rotating or opening. The issue was caused by the incorrect size of steel being used for the caps over the newly installed hinges, which did not provide enough inside diameter clearance to swivel on the post.
To resolve this, I used a crane to lift the weight off the door, then used a grinder cutting wheel to cut the back of the overlapping steel hinge in half. This allowed the metal to spring open and created sufficient clearance for rotation. I then lifted the doors, used a polishing wheel to remove rust and corrosion from the main post, and greased and oiled the components. Once the door was back in place, I welded caps over the cut seams to secure the hinge.
The doors are now functioning correctly.
