Hurricane Hinge

[c_mac]

It is getting to be time for me to order my hatch hinge. I am wondering if there are any significant differences between the hinge from Li'l Bear vs. the one from Teardrop & Vintage Trailer Parts. Are there are any other suppliers that I should consider? Any Pro's / Con's / Other Considerations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

[len19070]

c-mac

As an alternative!

I was just with a friend last weekend, "Goldcoop", he used a vinyl/plastic continuous hinge. It looked real nice. He had to buy a roll of it but he used it for many other things in his Tear. I looked into it as well. It was $30 some dollars for a 50' roll. If you use 4-5' for the hatch and another 6' for the doors that still leaves 39' for ebay. Coop will chime in here soon I'm sure.

But. the Hurricane hinge is a very good product. I've used it many times.

Happy Trails

Len

[goldcoop]

C-Mac-

Yep, I luv the stuff!

http://www.monroeengineering.com/hinges ... -hinge.htm

If I remember correctly, I made up a fake business name & paid upfront as these folks only deal with "business & industry".

Just a good, cheap alternative to the Hurricane.

No pins or knuckles to rust, bind.

Here's a good thread that discusses the good, bad & ugly!

http://tnttt.com/viewto ... highlight=

Cheers,

Coop

[c_mac]

Did you just use silicone or something under the hinge when you put it in place to seal and keep the water out? Also, could this material be used to cabinet doors? Perhaps it would work well for fold down tables inside the cabin. I see that it comes in 1", 2", and 3" sizes. Which did you use?

[goldcoop]

C-Mac-

I used the 1 1/2".

Best to staple the hinge down on the sub roof/hatch spar on the main trailer body, then run the roofing material OVER the hinge.

This way the water runs over the roof & down and not under the hinge and into your galley!

Then use a carpet binder strip with washer head truss screws dipped in silicone to cover the hinge bulge and really secure the hinge (other than just the staples placed peviously).

Predrill these screw holes slightly larger in diameter than the screws themselves to prevent hinge puckering.

Run the hinge about 1/2" longer on both ends to gutter the water away.

Fit your finished hatch; the hinge here wants to lay on top of the roofing material. so that the water flows over top of your hatch.

Again use the binder strip/screws to cover.

I used the hinge alot in my C'tear. I have a folding sofa/bed and the panels are joined with this hinge.

Best to attach with narrow crown air driven staples. Screws protrude too much and pucker the plastic hinge.

So yes you could use this hinge for your table and doors, etc.

The hinge folds completely back on itself in either direction.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

Coop

[mike pari]

check out socal teardrops new products they have a hinge that looks like it would work pretty good..mike

[cracker39]

I've been wondering how to make the hinge on my tongue box watertight. I don't want to pay $50 or $60 for a hinge either. All that will be stored in the box is my shore power cord and the battery, so I may just put a piano hinge on it and put some drain tubes in the bottom in case any water does leak in. The hinge will run across the back of the box, an inch or two from the front wall. Maybe putting some thin weather stripping foam between the two pieces that are hinged would keep water out. If I put on the hinge first, then open the lid and stick the foam in and when it is closed, it will compress the foam to seal the gap beneath the hinge. That might work.

[Steve_Cox]

C-Mac-

Yep, I luv the stuff!

http://www.monroeengineering.com/hinges ... -hinge.htm

If I remember correctly, I made up a fake business name & paid upfront as these folks only deal with "business & industry".

Just a good, cheap alternative to the Hurricane.

No pins or knuckles to rust, bind.

Here's a good thread that discusses the good, bad & ugly!

http://tnttt.com/viewto ... highlight=

Cheers,

Coop

Mornin Guys,

Here is an update to the photo's in Coop's first link above of how my gally continous plastic hinge turned out.

Steve

[goldcoop]

Steve-

Lookin good, nice clean job!

It also shows your confidence in the hinge, because it would be a real bugger to replace.

Cheers,

Coop

[Steve_Cox]

Steve-

Lookin good, nice clean job!

It also shows your confidence in the hinge, because it would be a real bugger to replace.

Cheers,

Coop

Coop,

Thanks for the complement.

You know, I'm still going to put a couple of nylon web straps on the underside of the hatch at the ends, just in case the hinge parts, I don't think it will though. The oak strips on the top of the hinge would come off without too much damage to the rest of the TD. Wouldn't be the first time I had remove wood plugs to get to screws, I've had to do several thing over lately, that's what I get for not having plans. I didn't glue down the wood strips, letting the plastic hinge be like a gasket, also the polyurethane coating sealed the edge between the TD and the wood strip.

Steve

[cracker39]

I've had to do several thing over lately, that's what I get for not having plans.
Steve

What, No Plans??? That's the most fun, designing and making plans...at least for me.

Shoot, I spend more time planning than I do building. Maybe that's why it takes me so long to get anything built. And, of course, I always end up doing something that wasn't in the plans...don't we all?

[Mitheral]

Anyone got a source for this plastic hinge in Canada?

[GPW]

Sorry to drop one in the punch bowl , but from experience , plastic doesn't hold up very well in UV... just doesn't age well , and hard to replace too???? .... I dunno ' .... I was kinda' likeing' the piano hinge with the bicycle inner tube under it ...That was affordable and easily changeable ... over the years ..Please tell me if I'm WRONG ...I'm gonna' need a 6'2" H/hinge ... that would be a fortune , just in shipping ...You don't think that Hurricane hinges are really made specially for TD's Huh ??? They must be available much more cheaply in some other(non-specialized) market ... ain't Gold???

[Sonetpro]

I ordered mine from Grant. $57 for 5'. He includes shipping in his price. He even shipped it Priority mail. I had it 3 days after I ordered it.
http://www.teardrops.net/lilbear/parts.html#hinges

[Mitheral]

I'm looking for alternatives to the hurricane style hinge for two reasons.

a) it's going to be C$100 by the time I get it here, ouch.
b) I've got one on the canopy on my 4X4 and the bloody thing freezes up in the winter all the time. Ball season here starts before winter ends so this is a concern.

Durability is still TBD still but I'm willing to risk it. It's at least possible to make plastics last more than a few years. Worse that happens I replace it every other year. With correct detailing that shouldn't be too much of a chore.

At $1 a foot the plastic hinge would be cheaper than a wrapped piano hinge. And better looking IMO.