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Door (hinges)

PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:06 pm
by Mike413
I've looked through the many helpful archives here (thankgod for this forum) , but couldn't find info on this matter.

As most people, I did not want to spend 500 on a door, so I decided to try an rv cargo compartment door from ebay.
The door is 50x28 and has a very sturdy hurricane hinge.
The door is meant to open vertically, however I'm installing it to open horizontally (like a common door) with some adjustments/reinforcing if necessary and an rv latch.
It comes framed with a door jamb, and opens, but it does have a 1/8" sag, that requires me to lift the door a bit to close it properly.
So I'm wondering if anyone knows of a way to eliminate the 1/8" play the hinge has.

Does anyone have experience doing this?

Re: Door (hinges)

PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2022 9:43 pm
by pchast
Take a closer look at the hinge itself on the bottom.
:thinking:
It may be possible to insert a pin through the outside hinge leaf
to have the inner ride on right where that screw is an end stop.
That might provide a limit on the sag.
:NC
Wear in use might be a real issue...

Re: Door (hinges)

PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2022 10:47 pm
by saywhatthat
as cargo doors aren't designed to swing that way it has a loose hinge. The simplest and most cost-effective way just added A set refrigerator hinges to the door leaving the piano hinge

Re: Door (hinges)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 23, 2022 8:50 pm
by Mike413
Thank you that's a good idea, I'll try that. If It doesn't work, I'll replace the hinge.

Re: Door (hinges)

PostPosted: Fri Mar 25, 2022 2:03 pm
by Mike413
It worked! :applause: Thank you for the suggestion.
My initial plan was to insert a plastic welding rod inside the hinge itself, but after observing the mechanism when it opens and closes, it didn't seem like it would be enough to lift anywhere close to the 1/8 needed.
So I took the screws and the plastic stops off. It just so happened that one end had a stop that was 1/4" longer so I swapped them and it cleared it, the bottom now has a 3/32 gap and the top has a 1/16. Idk how long it will last with frequent stress on it but I ordered a plastic rod, to make new stops that I can reinforce with double screws just to be safe.