Only the finest materials are used in our hinge repair kits, the kit includes:

2 – Solid brass pivot balls
2 – 316 stainless steel bolts
2 – 316 stainless steel lock nuts
2 – 316 stainless steel springs
4 – Nylon isolation washers
1 – Synthetic Teflon assembly lube

Assembly instructions
  1. Remove the old nut and springs from both hinges, leaving the bolt in place.
  2. With the door partially open lift the door straight up, the hinges should separate.
  3. Remove the old bolt and brass ball from each hinge
  4. Using a cloth or paper towels and solvent or WD-40 clean the hinge socket on all 4 hinge leafs where the brass ball fits. Dry completely
  5. Lubricate the sockets lightly with the supplied synthetic lubricant. This Teflon based lubricant will not wash out, melt or drip.
  6. Place the brass balls in the hinge section fastened to the body, align the hole in the brass ball with the hole in the hinge leaf
  7. Place one of the nylon washers over the bolt then insert the bolt through the upper hinge leaf on the door
  8. Reinstall the door by lift the door and carefully lowering it so the bolts pass through the brass balls and lower hinge leaf (an extra set of hands makes this easier)
  9. Insert the spring over the bottom of the bolt then install the second nylon washer followed by the nylon locknut
  10. Using two 7/16” wrenches tighten the nut until the threads of the bolt are fully through the nut but

NOTE: make sure the spring is NOT fully compressed; there should be space between each spring coil about the same as the diameter of the spring wire.

TIP: On some hinges the spring will be compressed too much when the bolt threads are flush with the end of the nylock nut. If this is the case first remove the nylon washer used on the spring end, if the spring is still compressed too much then remove the nylon washer on the top of the bolt. The dimensions of some hinges will vary and it is important not to over-compress the spring, removing the nylon washers is the best solution.  If the nut will not fully engage the threads after removing the nylon washers please contact me.

TIP: On some hinges the pivot bolt and nut will be rusted or seized and will not come apart, this is especially true where the original pivot bolt used a stove bolt with a slotted drive for a screwdriver.  Penetrating oil may work but in many cases the pivot bolt will need to be cut off.  While protecting the fiberglass around the hinge use a side grinder, cut-off wheel or even a small Dermal to cut off the nut end of the bolt by the spring.  Be careful not to damage the aluminum hinge leaf.

TIP: The bolts holding the hinges to the fiberglass body and door can sieve in the aluminum hinge leaf, these bolts need to be loosened if you need to adjust the hinges to align the door.  A reaction between the steel bolts and aluminum called galvanic corrosion can cause the bolts to seize solid and the bolt will often break when you try to remove it.  If a bolt breaks use a center punch to mark the exact center of the broken bolt in the hinge, using the center punch mark use a sharp drill bit to drill through the center of the broken bolt.  Start with a small 1/8″ hole and gradually increase the size right up to 1/4″.  Drill carefully as you want to drill out the steel bolt but not damage the aluminum leaf.  Following this method will remove the threads from the hinge leaf, a nut and bolt will be needed to re-attach the hinge to the body.

TIP: If the bolts holding the hinges to the fiberglass body and door can be loosened I recommend that you coat the threads with anti-seize compound to prevent the bolts from seizing in the aluminum hinge leaf.