Trillium Hinge Source Rediscovered

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

... they are available for about $52 each + shipping. The McMaster Carr part number is 1276A52.
McMaster-Carr

Originally Posted by Wanderer

I got mine from Outback in Calgary, at over 100 bucks for the pair.

And Outback gives the price in a reply to an email from Outback in Calgary.

Originally Posted by Outback builder

I sent and email back I have them in stock there $159. Just give me a call for a credit number. 1-403-272-3939.

Link to Outback parts.


From this thread
Rodre gives the Kason Part number

Originally Posted by Rodre

I contacted Kason Canada and this is what I got back:
Part# 10139000016 and your cost is $267.35 per pair. Seems a little pricey to me.

~Rod

I know I spent about $200 for a pair here in Toronto from a commercial refrigeration place. (I broke a hinge just before we were to leave on a scheduled trip.) I had to go to Kason just north of the city to pick them up. Once there - the worker in the shipping department said they will sometimes sell them out the back door for cash for much less.

Tom from Trillium RV states on his parts page in June 2012:

The following items are in stock:

Kason #139 door hinges, 3/8″ offset

For 1300 & 4500 models, sold in pairs. $95.00

[Rodre]

For what it's worth I ended up buying mine from Trillium RV in Cali (Tom). I figured after the 2 other prices $95 was a deal, besides, we need to keep Tom in business for future parts, advice, etc. I was, and am, willing to pay the $31 dollar difference, even now that I know they can be had for $54, Besides, I usually buy other stuff from him too at the same time.

I replaced mine for cosmetic reasons mostly, and because I figured when I put them back I was going to make sure they lasted my life time.

It was actually quite easy and ended up being a solid job. I drilled out the holes progressively bigger until rotted wood dust stopped coming out. I then glued and pounded in some dowels and let that dry overnight. I then put a small bead of 3M 4200 around the holes on the backside of the hinges, then screwed them in with stainless steel screws dipped in 3M 5200. Just before the screw went all the way in I put a drop of the 5200 underneath the screw head to seal it to the hinge and potentially stop water getting in or backing ot from road vibration. I figured that if water could not find it's way in then the wood should not rot again. The 4200 is also a marine grade adhesive as well as a sealant, so it will help stick the hinge to the body as well and give it strength that way. I have used the door quite a bit since and it is solid.

If I ever had to do it again, or, if the wood behind is completely rotted, what I would do is ever so patiently peel the ensolite from the inside door hinge area and drill holes from the outside to the inside through where the fold of fiberglass holds the wood the hinges were previously screwed into. Then I would get some long stainless steel T-Nuts, probably about an inch or so in length, and use machine screws and loctite and screw the hinges through the wood through to the T-Nuts, then use contact cement and lay the ensolite back down. If the wood blocks in the door are rotted you could use the same method and at least the T-nuts on the inside of the door would look factoryish.

I had a fiberglass guy with 30 years of solid experience look at the door frame and what he told me that the problem is with the door is the 90 degree angles from the outside body going inward, providing the frame for the door to rest. He said that fiberglass needs a more gradual curve to tolerate the impact of opening and then sometimes slamming the door against the frame, otherwise it would be prone to crack. It makes sense that at least the gel coat would crack.