News: Putting FUN and FRIENDLINESS, FIRST into owning and learning about AMC small bodied cars, primarily Eagles, Spirits and Concords as well as vehicles built in AMC's Mexican subsidiary, VAM.

The AMC Eaglepedia can now be accessed using the buttons found below  This is a comprehensive ever growing archive of information, tips, diagrams, manuals, etc. for the AMC Eagle and other small bodied AMC cars. 

Also a button is now available for our Face Book Group page.


Welcome to the AMC Eagles Nest.  A new site under "old" management -- so welcome to your new home for everything related to AMC Eagles, Spirits and Concords along with opportunities to interact with other AMC'ers.  This site will soon be evolving to look different than it has and we will be incorporating new features we hope you will find useful, entertaining and expand your AMC horizons.

You can now promote your topics at your favorite social media site by clicking on the appropriate icon (top upper right of the page) while viewing the topic you wish to promote.


  • March 28, 2024, 10:17:30 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Author Topic: Back Hatch Hinge Broken  (Read 2909 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline statonbg

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 13
  • Thumbs Up 1
Back Hatch Hinge Broken
« on: June 29, 2019, 03:00:51 PM »
Help! I am new to this whole eagle thing. I have an 84 Sport Wagon I rescued from the dead and have been working on for the past couple of years and making great progress repairing and updating, the info on this forum has been super helpful along with a reprint of the dealer manuals from ebay. Last night while getting groceries out of the car my hatch hinges went south. One broke in two and the other is only hanging on by a thread.

I did not even know this was a weak point on the car and then I started looking on here. I looked through the message board to the best of my ability and haven't really found a reliable source for buying used, NOS or reproduction ones. Maybe a rumor from 2016 about a place that had NOS ones for $185 apiece was all I saw.

Is there anywhere I can find a set? I've set an alert on ebay, I see that they come up on there from time to time. Also checking local scrap yards. If I can get a new one I'd like to reinforce them with JB weld as I have seen online and be more careful this time. I'm looking for new, old or reproduction. Anything that will make my hatch work! I saw a couple members that had success fabricating hinges, but I'd rather get the correct piece even if it is a weak part on the eagles.





Offline vangremlin

  • Administrator
  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • ******
  • Posts: 4411
  • Thumbs Up 212
Re: Back Hatch Hinge Broken
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2019, 03:08:05 PM »
eBay or the local junk yards are probably your best bet or maybe somebody on the Den or Facebook may have a spare.  We get Eagles in the Denver area junk yards a couple times a year, I can keep an eye out for you.  Good luck, nice looking Eagle!!
1981 Kammback 258 - "Pepe"
1980 Coupe 258 - "Ginger
1972 Gremlin X 304
1978 Gremlin 4 cyl 121 - sold
1964 TBird 390 - sold

Offline statonbg

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 13
  • Thumbs Up 1
Re: Back Hatch Hinge Broken
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2019, 04:16:36 PM »
awesome yeah thanks for that, I'll keep looking!

it's been going well up to this point. Loss of that back hatch functionality is kind of heart sinking. I realize my  intuition to immediately throw new props on it was wrong since those pot metal hinges are a common weak point. oh and always close pushing down from the center only :banghead:

Offline eaglefreek

  • Moderators
  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • *****
  • Posts: 4011
  • Thumbs Up 209
Re: Back Hatch Hinge Broken
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2019, 05:04:41 PM »
People would make comments about the stick that would hold up the hatch on two of my Wagons. After replacing the struts on my first wagon and having the hinge break shortly after, I realized it's best to use a stick.
1986 AMC Eagle Wagon 4.2L/4.0L head, AW4,NP242, Chrysler 8.25" rear.
1981 AMC Eagle Wagon As Seen On TV  Lost In Transmission


 

"I know he'd be a poorer man, if he never saw an eagle fly,
Rocky mountain high"  John Denver
Click for Fayetteville,TN Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150

Offline AMC of Houston

  • The only thing we learn from history is that we don't learn from history.
  • Global Moderator
  • Eagle Sundaancer
  • *****
  • Posts: 893
  • Thumbs Up 86
    • American Motors Club of Houston
Re: Back Hatch Hinge Broken
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2019, 06:04:24 PM »
I've found that one of the root issues on hatch breakage is the rubber gaskets shrinking with age.  Then the hinges start scooting around and "rocking" with use until they break (not to mention the hatch alignment getting way off - and sticking out at the bottom about an inch!).  With dry shrunken gaskets, the hinges won't stay in place no matter how tight the bolts.

On my waggie (and a neighbors waggie) I've cut another "shim" gasket from thin rubber sheet to go under the original gasket and "tighten up" the hinge to the body.  Now I have one of the few waggies with a properly-positioned tailgate hatch!   I see repop gaskets on Ebay, but have not tried them (they look like just cut rubber sheet without the original AMC molded edges).  If they are the correct thickness and durometer spec; they could work.

One question; how good-looking of a set of hinges do you want?  I have some functional-but-very-badly-pitted used hinges laying around you could have for postage.   I'm talking way ugly!
George G.
'81 Eagle Sundancer
'85 Eagle Waggie
1960 1902 Rambler Replica
'64 American
'70 AMX (Big Bad Blue), '70 AMX (White)
'77 Gremlin
'78 Pacer Coupe, '78 Pacer Wagon
'79 Pacer Wagon
'73 Jensen Interceptor
'86 Audi 5000 Turbo
'98 Aston Martin DB7
'09 Nissan Titan
'10 Nissan Maxima

Offline statonbg

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 13
  • Thumbs Up 1
Re: Back Hatch Hinge Broken
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2019, 08:12:53 PM »
Yeah it sounds like a prop stick might be the way to go. Much easier to find than these hinges are!

Point noted on the gaskets, will take that into consideration. I do see ebay ones available all day.
On mine it looks like the outside LH nut had wiggled loose completely and was floating around inside my headliner, i wasn't aware so it was only a matter of time. I have it somewhat secured via 1 bolt on a broken hinge and the other one about to snap and using the trunk latch as well. I removed the struts and am hoping that the hatch wont fall off the car when i drive now. maybe tape?

i'll be sure to check out the gasket situation when i do this. I found also this video on youtube where a guy recommends reinforcing the cast segments in the back of the hinge with JB Weld or reenforcing epoxy. Does anyone know if this is a good idea or not?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3jDa_d1-Og


I absolutely do not care what they look like I just need it them to work!



Offline AMC of Houston

  • The only thing we learn from history is that we don't learn from history.
  • Global Moderator
  • Eagle Sundaancer
  • *****
  • Posts: 893
  • Thumbs Up 86
    • American Motors Club of Houston
Re: Back Hatch Hinge Broken
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2019, 08:21:46 PM »
PM me your mailing address; and I'll see what postage will be.   Now to actually find them in my mess of a shop.......
George G.
'81 Eagle Sundancer
'85 Eagle Waggie
1960 1902 Rambler Replica
'64 American
'70 AMX (Big Bad Blue), '70 AMX (White)
'77 Gremlin
'78 Pacer Coupe, '78 Pacer Wagon
'79 Pacer Wagon
'73 Jensen Interceptor
'86 Audi 5000 Turbo
'98 Aston Martin DB7
'09 Nissan Titan
'10 Nissan Maxima


Offline statonbg

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 13
  • Thumbs Up 1
Re: Back Hatch Hinge Broken
« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2019, 01:34:41 PM »
Thanks To AMC of Houston I have a functional set again! Going to install on my 4th of July here.
Thanks for all the responses, you guys are great!

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk