Surf-Side Door Hinge Replacement

[The Sticks]

Greetings all

One of the next jobs up on our Surf-Side is to replace the hinges and remount the door. It is sagging, the the hinges are worn out and are no longer straight to the trailer.

Before I start to unbolt things, I thought I would query those who have gone before in hopes of gaining some insight.

Ideally I would like to mount the hinges slightly off from their current location. The surface that the hinges mount to seem to be quite flat for the area between, and a bit above and below the current location. Has anyone had issue with moving the hinges up/down?

Can anyone tell me if there is backing wood inside the fibreglass of the door and door frame?

Thanks in advance for your replies!

Scott

[Surfside Bruce]

Hi, following and hope you get some answers as I will be rehanging my door soon as well. Did you find new hinges? If so, where?

[Surfside Bruce]

Just saw on another thread that people are recommending hinges from Lee Valley. Going to check them out.

[The Sticks]

Hey Bruce

I went with these ones...

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They are a bit larger, and the screws are in a triangular pattern that I think should resist 'droopage' better than the factory inline.

We have started back up at work, so I haven't had time to start on the door yet, still buttoning up a couple of other projects. Where is Sask are you? My wife is a Sask girl...

[Surfside Bruce]

Cool, I'll check them out. I am living in a little town called Middle Lake about 50 km north of Humboldt. But grew up in Summerland, BC. Will be hauling the wee trailer out there next summer.

[The Sticks]

Nice... Kathy is originally from about 175 klicks east of you in Porcupine Plain. We are out that way to bring her Mom's ashes there a couple of years ago. Have to make a meet if you get this way, we are in Kamloops.

I will keep you updated as I get to the door project, and how it goes

Scott

[Khalm]

So how do the hinges go. I need to do the same with mine.
Top hinge removes and old holes filled. Nervous to attach nee hinges as don’t know what I’m fastening too. Do I screw it.
I can’t see the other side fior a bolt what do I do. Pics please

[The Sticks]

Hey Keltir

I haven't attacked the hinge replacement on mine yet, I managed to annoy my shoulder so it has kept me from being able to do too much on the trailer. Hence what time I have had has gone into the window restoration.

It appears that the hinges just screw into a backing wood inside the fiberglass. My intention is to open up an access hole on the inside of the trailer, so that I can inspect the current wood. I suspect that it has water damage due to the amount of rust on the screws. Subject to what I find once I access from the inside, I am hoping to glue on a secondary piece of wood inside the frame, over the original. Then I will seal the holes from the original hinge and drill the new holes right thru the wood, then use stainless nuts and bolts to mount the hinges and properly gasket the hinges when mounting.

I will then make up some nice wood access hole covers to cover over the access holes I make on the inside. That way I can get at them should I ever have to tighten things up or make adjustments.

It will be a bit before I get to that project, but I will post pictures once I open it up. Hopefully someone can chime in with more to help you.

S

[Khalm]

So the hinge part into the body of trailer is actually into wood. So screwed in

Then nut and bolt on the door part of hinge.

Where do you plan to have access area if the one area is into wood anyway.

[The Sticks]

if you are looking at the door from outside the trailer, there are 6 fasteners holding the hinge. Working left to right:

Door side of hinge - Wood Screw / Bolt & Nut / Bolt & Nut
Frame side of hinge - All wood screws.

I assume the wood screws are into wood, as they are far longer than you would have to just connect with the fiberglass. Mine are also rusted badly, so I assume that they have been in prolonged contact with wet wood. I cannot tell you with absolute certainty however as I haven't made the access holes yet. The wood in mine is not capable of holding a screw due to age and rot, so I have no choice but to open it up.

That is the best I can tell you, until I open up the access to the back side of the hinges inside the trailer.

S

[Khalm]

Awesome. Would you be cutting out a panel of fg to remove the likely rotten wood and pit on new?

[The Sticks]

That is my plan, but it will likely be 'adjusted' once I actually get into it. I am hoping to not have to replace the existing wood, but to be able to laminate new over old and drill thru both to fasten bolts. However, Murphy may have other ideas...

S

[Khalm]

Ok please keep me posted with your progress

[The Sticks]

Will do, you as well!

[Mats]

any updates to this issue?
my screws are loose and I am pondering injecting a resin or something into the screw holes (with the assumption my wood is rotting also), or maybe just a thru bolt that I will paint to match the trailer. I have heard of doors flying open and off, so I want to address this before the season is fully underway

[2004scamp]

Suggestion
If unsure about the integrity of the anchor material behind those hinges, you could put a wood or metal plate on the inside wall, then drill your new mounting holes all the way through.
Here is a suggested hardware remedy, to avoid having a bolt end sticking out on the inside, and come in multiple bit types, material types, and sizes. I found these on McMaster-Carr, when I was doing a repair on my '81 CJ5 Jeep.

https://www.mcmaster.com/screws/bind...ls-and-screws/



Hope I did this pic insert right, and sometimes with older units like this, there is a fix without tearing the whole thing apart.

Just my suggestion, to give you an alternative fix, and these can be found in most local hardware stores too.

[Khalm]

So I opened up my area where the door hung was attached to the body

A flimsy piece of work left with the top hinge abs the rest look like just screwed into fb

So if I remove all hinges. And place a new piece of wood…am I correct to screw on hinge in new spot into fg and through new wood and attach nut…?
Couldn’t I use the existing holes since there wasn’t any wood there to start?
And why not a metal plate rather than wood. Then won’t have to worry about rot.

I will then cover hole with a nice piece of decorative wood
All my pics didn’t show up I will put in another thread

[Khalm]

Here are the other pics

[Khalm]

Last pic

[Khalm]

The body is not bad at all. I was sad to cut a hole in the interior fb
I added shiplap and will be painting the existing brown cupboards. Turned bunk into dinette option. Waiting for lagun arm to be delivered to mount the table.

Changed out the countertop too
Just a girl with a hobby lol. (Well in my 50’s) it’s my project and I let hubby give advice once in a while 😜