Cheers Ian for the pic I’ve a suspicion that the arm on the left hand side isn’t sitting on the stop panzer mentioned.
There’s no standard adjustment left I’ve never struggled fitting and adjusting a tailgate before. Something has to have happened to one of the hinges whilst it’s been apart.
The hinges have brass inserts, if one cracked and fell out it would have quite a large effect, but generally I agree. You're answering your own question then. I look forward to hearing what the problem is when you identify it.
Got down to the van today The spring bar all seems to be located as it should be. Something is definitely causing the left hinge arm to sit wrong as the arm isn’t resting on the pressed stop Lhs RHS I’ve taken the tailgate off and had a pry around and I can’t get the lhs to change position at all. I’m going to brew up then take another look But in the mean time heres a pic of both hinges incase someone can spot something I’m missing straight away. Lhs Lhs RHS
The hinge arms seem to sit in a better position when in the closed position To remove the arms safely do I have to remove the spring bar Or is it ok to remove them with the hinges in the closed position? I want to remove them so I can take a look at this bush in the pivot point I really don’t fancy something flying off under tension and clouting me in the face The whole thing scares me a bit to be honest. Also the plastic spacer blocks for the spring bar are disintegrating with only one just holding on This wouldn’t cause issues would it?
Has this lot bent up towards the roof perhaps? It looks cracked around the left weld. Maybe get the mole grips on each side and pull it down if it looks like that would put it back in alignment?
Same bit, looks like the bracket is detached where that weld is cracked and lifts away from the van bodywork when the hatch opens? Clamp it back together with your grips and see what happens.
There does seem to be a slight fatigue crack on one edge of one weld It’s a double skin there with the hinge bracket sandwiched in between the two It doesn’t look like its moved at all though and clamping it with mole grips and pulling pushing on it doesn’t give any movement or make a difference to where the hinge arm sits when in the open position. I don’t think that’s my problem
Hmmm That’s the left hand arm that’s sticking further out from the body I’m wondering if I should slide a tube over it and push towards the front of the van.
I wouldn't, you want to find out the cause rather than muscle the symptom? Though maybe doing that carefully might expose what's moving if that's what you meant.
No there’s nothing moving enough there to take up the amount needed to put the arm in the same position as the other side
Puzzling. I'll have another look at the photos later. I assume you haven't had them apart and back together and maybe swapped parts from one side to the other?
It’s completely baffling me No I haven’t taken it apart I’ve been that scared of the spring mechanism I left it all and prepped it for paint in place.
@paradox if you do take it apart Rick, do it with the hinges in the open position or the spring will be on full tension and will go off like a shot. My rubber/plastic spacers fell apart too but no I’ll effects without them. I might try and 3d print some one day
