Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:07 pm**

Got my hinge from Grant yesterday. It's oversized as planned. It looks like I need to trim the hatch side half of the hinge to match the hatch frame width? This is hard to explain. To get the hatch to close that piece needs to be able to fit inside the exterior walls from the looks of it.
Am I right?

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:13 pm**

Hang on ...let me find some pictures....... :twisted:

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:30 pm**

I am not to sure exactly how you are installing your hatch, but here is how I did it.

Before trimming back.

Then I added a Rain Diverter

Then I sanded it back.

After one coat of Spar and a sanding

The diverter is fixed on the side trim and the hatch trim slides under it to.. well... divert the rain.

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:31 pm**

Mine's a Hurricane hinge. Looks different from that. Good try though!

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:40 pm**

I got the hurricane hinge from Grant too, and yeah, can't really describe it.
Don't have a picture right off, will have to post one later. but seems like my leaky problem is fixed now!

I did leave it to overhang a good full 1/4" or more and ended up trimming a small part and then butted the weatherstrip up to it.

I'll try to get a picture.

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:43 pm**

Please try and get a picture. I understand the overhang on the roof side of the hinge, it's just trimming the hatch side of the hinge that has me concerned.

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:49 pm**

for some silly reason I thought you had the plastic hinge. Sorry.

DUH!!! It says Hurricane Hing in the Title. :wacky

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:54 pm**

I didn't trim my hinge per se... nor did I add a diverter. I just let mine overhang a bit, and never had a problem with water...

Mike...

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:56 pm**

thanks for the picture. That's just what I was thinking I'd do.

mikeschn wrote:I didn't trim my hinge per se... nor did I add a diverter. I just let mine overhang a bit, and never had a problem with water...

Mike...

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:31 pm**

Hmm .. maybe I'm not getting how it is supposed to be placed. I'll take a look in the morning and compare to these pictures.

Posted: **Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:36 pm**

Shoe, I can't findda pic BUT we trimmed the hatch side of the HH...the down leg interfered with the top of the side wall and we trimmed about half the width and in to the outside hatch rib/spar(about 1=3/4 r 2"s)
madjack

p.s. have you seen this, on cutting the HH ................................................
Important:
Note:
Jack AKA (Madjack) talks about proper installation of Hurricane hinge:

I made my hatch 1/4" smaller than the sidewalls, so that's 1/8" space on
each side for free hatch movement.

To keep the hurricane hinge from sliding...1) cut the hinge so that it is 1"
longer overall than the width of the tear...this will act a deflector to keep
rain water from running into the galley 2) on the hatch portion of the hinge,
cut it off so that it is 1/2" shorter overall than the body portion 3) drill a
hole in the body portion of the hinge barrel 1/8th" from the ends and run a
small screw down into the hole after mounting is complete...this will keep
the hinge from sliding and from leaking.... ...also a piece of 1" x 3/16(or
1/4)" closed cell weather stripping, a couple of inches long put in-between
the closed faces of the hinge will help keep water out...we have done this
and have had no issues with the hinge...

...once again...cut the hinge AT LEAST 1" longer than than the body is
wide...this will give you 1/2" overhang on both sides to act as a rain
deflector...cut the hatch side a 1/2" shorter than the body side...this will
give you room to insert a screw into the body side barrel(both sides) to
keep the hatch hinge centered and prevent it from sliding side to side....
madjack

p.s we used insert edge molding and put an insert in it and the hinge...it
should be available from your local RV dealer or online from places like
RVsurplus...

Posted: **Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:34 am**

Exactly!

No way would the hatch close with the hinge as delivered. It's just as you described, Madjack. Not a big deal to fix at all, and I expect Grant knows it must be done. I'd have called him to ask but the East Coast to Left Coast time difference has made that difficult this week.
Now I'll have to tackle mounting his custom folded door hinges!

Posted: **Sat Aug 09, 2008 3:09 am**

I found a pic showing where I put a bolt in both ends, I also squirted some silicone in the hole before inserting the bolts then I used a rag to clean off all of the silicone that ?oozed? out.
And I had no problems with water leaking.

Ken F.

Posted: **Sat Aug 09, 2008 2:22 pm**

Here's my favorite thread on the subject. It has a good explanation from Grant that I used and it worked fine.

http://tnttt.com/viewto ... c&start=15

Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hurricane hinge trimming to fit

Hurricane hinge trimming to fit