update on the plastic living hinge

[Doug S]

Hello,

A lot of opinions have been expressed regarding the living hinge available from Monroe engineering or McMaster_Carr, but I could not find any more recent than a year or more old. But the posts go back 5 or more years, so the verdict on the living hinge should be in by now.

Are people using the living hinge or has it been abandoned as a bad idea?

Thank you,

Doug

[madjack]

...been using it for 5yrs orso for all of my hinge needs, door/hatch/etc. and have no complaints and will continue to happily use it in the future..........
madjack

[Sam I am]

I used a McMaster-Carr living hinge on my teardrop build in 2006, and it's been fine. No cracks, no leaks, and still very flexible. My tear stays in my garage except when camping, so it doesn't see a lot of rain or sunlight, though.
Sam

[Doug S]

Thanks,

I appreciate the update.

Doug

[IndyTom]

Did you guys use the standard hinge, or the "harsh environment" hinge. The temp range for the standard would never work here in the midwest, at least not if I wanted to attend next year's Shiveree.


Tom

[madjack]

Did you guys use the standard hinge, or the "harsh environment" hinge. The temp range for the standard would never work here in the midwest, at least not if I wanted to attend next year's Shiveree.


Tom

Tom, it was the "harsh environment" hinge...the one impervious to anything short of nuclear holocaust.......
madjack

[IndyTom]

OK a couple more questions and I think I am good. I am 84" wide, so I know what length I need, but I am wondering on width. I am thinking that I might need the 3" hinge. Opinions?

And how did you mount your hinge, I am assuming screws through the leaves?

Tom

[mikeschn]

Can one of you guys post a link? That was from McMaster Carr, right?

Mike...

[IndyTom]

There you go Mike. All of them are on this page.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#living-hinges/=gdms73

Tom

[mikeschn]

Thanks Tom,

Now that I see that, I remember they were not predrilled.

I'm thinking about that hinge for my next build...

Mike...

[parnold]

The Monroe version is here...

http://catalog.monroeengineering.com/viewitems/hinges/hinges-plastic-living-hinge?

[madjack]

...first off, cut it at least 1" longer than the overall width of the trailer to have a bit of overhang, making it a "diverter"...if you screw directly thru it, it will "pucker" between the screw holes...to prevent this, I use a strip of flat aluminum...thin is fine, I have used 1/16th flat stock and even thinner...make this 1/2"-3/4" wide and place one over both leaves of the hinge...to predrill both the hinge and the strips, I drilled the holes in the strips first...then with the first hole drilled in the hinge, I screwed it down to a worktable and used the rest of the holes in the strips to drill the holes in the hinge so, it would all match up when installing...since this is high density poly plastic which doesn't accept adhesives and sealers well, the best thing I found was to use regular RV putty tape to seal it up...........
madjack

p.s. at a weight rating of 100#s per inch for the 2", I can't imagine needing anything wider..........mj

[jonw]

And another source: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=22757

I used one of these for my countertop hatch hinges.

[2bits]

...first off, cut it at least 1" longer than the overall width of the trailer to have a bit of overhang, making it a "diverter"...if you screw directly thru it, it will "pucker" between the screw holes...to prevent this, I use a strip of flat aluminum...thin is fine, I have used 1/16th flat stock and even thinner...make this 1/2"-3/4" wide and place one over both leaves of the hinge...to predrill both the hinge and the strips, I drilled the holes in the strips first...then with the first hole drilled in the hinge, I screwed it down to a worktable and used the rest of the holes in the strips to drill the holes in the hinge so, it would all match up when installing...since this is high density poly plastic which doesn't accept adhesives and sealers well, the best thing I found was to use regular RV putty tape to seal it up...........
madjack

p.s. at a weight rating of 100#s per inch for the 2", I can't imagine needing anything wider..........mj

+1 on MJ's comment. I got the aluminum from the box store for cheap, predrilling was a must:

[rowerwet]

I used the plastic hinge also, working great so far, I plan on making both of my doors gull wing doors and using plastic for the hinges there also.