Tomterrific wrote:The photo does look backwards but the hinge is installed properly. The hinge is on a flat surface parallel to the ground. The open side is to the rear, closed side front.
I believe my best, possibly only alternative is a strip of rubber over the hinge, something I falsely believed the hurricane hinge would eliminate. I have the square back hatch cantilevered one foot. When the hatch is lifted it makes a roof one foot above the trailer. I can stand under this easily. With curtains/walls, this makes a nice area to change clothes. The back of the trailer is entirely open with a raised hatch so a motorcycle will fit inside.
Some crazy or clever ideas, you be the judge.
Heavy oil dribbled into the open side when the hatch is up. May eventually run out and fail. Horrible mess.
Hot wax melted into hinge. This does seem like it could work as the wax would fill the vacant area inside the hinge. Would the wax melt in the hot sun?
A grease nipple on one or both sides of the hinge. Once filled with grease water can't get through. Easy to wipe excess after filling. Easy to refill.
A rain fly! Merely a single sheet of cloth running from the open hatch over the trailer. A widthwise pocket sewn in the fly would fit over the bottom of the hatch, then pull the fly over to the front and tie it to the tongue. I like this! Not entirely my idea but very nice. I see a simple rain fly in my future.
Tom
Grease or oil is going to make a big mess and probably isn't going to solve your problem. I'd think that Grant's solution of a strip of rubber D-shaped seal on the rear of the hinge would help immensly, if not solve it complety.
Can you take a photo of your hatch in the open position? In close to the hinge and back off a few feet.
T
p.s. I just saw the photo of your open hatch. I'd still try the rubber seal on the rear of the hinge. It'd deflect any running water.