Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

The best part about the hurricane hinge is that you can take the hatch off without undoing any screws. Don't know why I need to be able to do that but it seemed important when I was building the hatch.
Bruce

bdosborn: My dog just LOVES your avatar..... woof...!

I used the LilBear http://www.teardrops.net/LilBear/parts.html Better than huricane hinge. It is well worth the cost. Works great, any length you want. Buy it you will like it. Have it on hand when you build your hatch. You have to allow space.

SteveH wrote:Steve,

We use hinges like the one in you picture in the control surfaces of our model airplanes, only of course, a lot smaller. They work good, until they break. The thing that gets them is sunlight. It makes the plastic brittle and then they break. I know it looks like a good idea, but personally I would be afraid of it in an application that would get a lot of sunlight like on top of a teardrop trailer. Just my opinion.

I definitely respect your opinion Steve as a TD builder and model airplane affectionado. But... I already bought the damn plastic hinge, so I submit the following research I did before I bought it. (besides Shil saying it worked for him)

Polyolefin elastomers (or POEs) are a relatively new class of polymers that emerged with recent advances in metallocene polymerisation catalysts. Polyolefin elastomers have emerged as a leading material for automotive exterior and interior applications. Saturated polymers provide excellent thermal stability and UV resistance. POE's provide superior elasticity, toughness and low temperature ductility.

Source: International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers.

With that being presented, I know not what material your smaller plastic hinges were made of but it might possibly have been pre-POE era plastic. I think this thread deserves to be revisited in a year or so and see how these POE hinges are holding up... I know I will have a personal interest in the subject, as will Shil. So, I will use the hinge I have, but keeping what you had to say in mind, will install it in a way it can be removed without too much deconstruction. Thanks for the input.

Steve in St Augustine

Steve,

Well, your research shows they have definately addressed the sunlight/UV problem. Shure hope they have cured the problem and I wish you good luck. I know I sound pesimistic...don't really mean to as it's really a good alternative, if it works.

SteveH wrote:Steve,

Well, your research shows they have definately addressed the sunlight/UV problem. Shure hope they have cured the problem and I wish you good luck. I know I sound pesimistic...don't really mean to as it's really a good alternative, if it works.

You got that right, it's a big "If it works" Guess time will tell....
and like you always say "Nothing is ever useless, if it can be used as a bad example"'

Steve in St Augustine

Thanks everyone for some great answers and some thought provoking ideas.
- - - - Bob

...this stuff looks to be darn fine hinge alternative...if it works. I have watched shil's post about it and now SteveC's(neat mounting set up)...I will keep an eye out for your experiences with the polyoelyoephrenanfinoleoconbublation stuff
madjack

OK!

I agree with Steve Cox let's revisit in a year or sooo...(Let's let time & sun tell the tale).

So it sounds like just Steve Cox (will be done/using when?), Shil and myself have used this kind of hinge?

Any others out there users?!

Cheers,

Coop

Hey Coop, there is an old expression..."it will work untill proven differently"...I think this stuff definitely fits that category and will work and work well...I hope all of you will keep us up to date on the "plastic" hinge
madjack

My plastic hinge has been outside doing its job for over a year. I’m not too worried about the sun killing it; it’s painted the same colour as the trailer. Scuffing it up with some 80 grit gets paint to stick. And I really doubt that it’ll wear out, it’s bombproof. I imagine that it’ll be one of the last bits left when future archaeologists unearth my teardrop.

Steve, nice install. Mine’s just screwed on, with a screw every four inches or so. It looks like hell.

Edit: here's a picture

shil wrote:
Steve, nice install. Mine’s just screwed on, with a screw every four inches or so. It looks like hell.

Thanks to you Shil,

You were my motivation to find another way to mount the hinge after you described it's characteristics in a previous thread. I had purchased some 3/4 X 1/8th inch flat aluminum bar at one point thinking that would be the way to mount that hinge, but hey... I'm building a woody not an al-u-min-emy.

Steve

Steve-

What you did was a great solution! And Shil I know what you mean, "puckers" everywhere!

Some kind of cover i.e. wood OR Aluminuummm is almost a necessity to cover up those ugly mother puckers!

Cheers,

Coop

bob, i purchased my hatch hing from r.w.johnson. $ 29.95 for the large w/p hing plus $13.10 shipping. they don't have a picture of it on their web site, but they do in their cata. if you go to my photo album you will see the hing . it is a heavy duty hing.

is there a way to screw that down without all of the ripples?