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pipsmith22844 · 03-15-2004, 12:45 PM

I have a problem. I have lost one of the bolts that secures the door hinge to the door frame on my '74 Sovereign. Two of the other bolts just turn as though stripped and the fourth is holding the door on. What must I do to decure the door hinges to the door frame? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

thenewkid64 · 03-15-2004, 01:03 PM

Welcome to the Forum!

The hinge screws have nuts that they tighten into. The nuts are just "back there" they will spin as you describe. The only way to get to the nuts is to cut a hole on the inside to get a wrench on them as someone tightens from the outside. You may want to gob some vulcem on them when you are done.To cover the holes you may need to fashion some sort of trim strip or visit a bone yard for some interior vinyl clad skin to make patches.

pipsmith22844 · 03-15-2004, 01:10 PM

Thanks Brett G. But the thought of cutting into the interior skin seems a bit risky and I believe the sink cabinetry is in front of where the lower hinge is placed. Would it be unadvisable to cut a hole in the flashing that surrounds the door at the same leve as the hinge and attack from the side or would that weaken the door support too much?

thenewkid64 · 03-15-2004, 01:36 PM

The door frame is an integral part of the coach. You do not want to cut into it if it can be avoided. I know some have had luck in prying loose the inner trim on the door edge and getting a wrench in there, but to do it right may require a hole. If you can get to the inner wall under the cabinet you could make a hole further aft (2-3 inches) and do it thru the cabinet with a box end wrench. The hardest part will be to get a new nut on the old bolt like this.

pipsmith22844 · 03-15-2004, 01:39 PM

Brett, thanks again for your info. I guess I will have to do the most difficult and yet the safest. Not looking forward to it. God bless.

jaco · 03-15-2004, 01:53 PM

Pip I feel your pain.
As owner of a 74 Excella (basically same as your Sovereign) I have that job in front of me before long.
I would not under any circumstance cut from anywhere but inside.

Somewhere, maybe on this forum buried in the pile, are some posts/threads concerning this and it seems that there are some more detailed steps that others have tried.

If one were real lucky it looks like a hole saw could be used and a couple of neat holes just large enuff for a socket (prob a 1/4 drive) could do it. Then they could be filled with a plug that I see at hardware stores with a dome cover and little spider legs that snap into the hole. Might even get by with one hole behind each hinge. The plugs come in many sizes. and a single hole might have to be a bit larger. Don't know but it's just a thought. I will try to size up mine when I'm next at trailer.
I'll also look for that thread if I get time and edit back here.
EDIT:

http://www.airforums.com/forum...&threadid=4554

http://www.airforums.com/forum...&threadid=2536

Be aware that some of the advice is Motorhome related and that the area behind hinges may be quite different also different decades of trailers may vary in this area. Please advise this thread on your results.

thenewkid64 · 03-15-2004, 02:01 PM

8 threads come up when I search for door and access and nut, these are the two that will give you more info.

http://www.airforums.com/forum...cess#post60060

http://www.airforums.com/forum...cess#post13485

Hope this helps.

jaco · 03-15-2004, 02:29 PM

newkid64 you just posted those 2 of 8 links...thanks.

But when I went to the "last 10 search querries" to look for the other 6 you found, your querry was not listed. (The one there now "hinges and access and nuts and tighten" is mine).
How did you run a search without it registering in the querry column??

Also my querry says that there should be 4 results, but only 2 show up?? Can you as a Super Moderator explain this to me please?

thenewkid64 · 03-15-2004, 02:39 PM

As a moderator my searches do not show on the latest searches.

The search tool offers different results based on the search word. The plural of a word will offer fewer hits that the singular. You can search with wild cards (*)

Hinge and access and nut yields a different response (4) than hinges access and nuts (6) or Hinge and access and nuts (10) or Hinge* and access and nut* (14)

I also check the show results as posts, vs threads. This may be why you have 4 hits, but two threads. I can click on the post that has the key words in it and see if it has the answer I am looking for. I only posted 2 links above because they offered the best on target detail. Other threads did not have additional detail that I thought applied.

pipsmith22844 · 03-15-2004, 02:48 PM

Brett and others, thanks again for all your home work. I'll try the removal and sneak behind to see if that works, but I believe I will have to remove the side of my kitchen cabinet and make an entry in the skin as suggested and then cover again for future entry. You have been a real help. Again, God bless you for your efforts.

wb13798 · 03-15-2004, 06:22 PM

Ben there done that. or should i say i watched a mechanic at Jackson center.
he took the inside door trim off not really just out of the way and took a pair of electric snips and cut an access hole so he could get to the nuts. when was finished he cut a piece of vinyl clad and riveted it over the hole. you don't see it unless you look for it. next time i know how to get in to the nuts. drill the rivets and remove the piece of vinyl clad that covers the access holes.
in one hour he took my door off and put on new hinges and put it back and was finished.
my door has a piece of thick aluminum trim covering the ragged edge inside. it is riveted to the door frame. you have to drill the rivets inside the door frame to get the piece of trim out of the way.

wb13798 · 03-15-2004, 06:24 PM

when you replace the missing bolt make sure it is stainless steel.
or you will have rust bleeding out of the hinge.

pipsmith22844 · 03-16-2004, 06:07 AM

Al & Sue, Thanks for the advice about stainless bolts. I'd already purchased some steel bolts at Ace Hardware. The original bolts, do you know if they were stainless? My bolts aren't rustng. I will look for stainless. Thanx.