This is where you will need an extra pair of hands....I don't see how one person could do this. Just push on loose hinge as far as it will go. Then tighten.

 

Shawn,

My previous message was based on the hatch being in its correct location within the body of the car and all gaps even. If it has moved aft then it will need to be relocated to its correct position before you install the latch locking sections to ensure they fit properly.

To allow for alignment of the locking mechansim, you will note that there is a certain amount of movement of the female and the male locking mechanisms where the flange sections bolt onto the body. This allows them to be moved in four directions, right, left, forward and aft, as well as being able to slightly twisting them around their axis. This movement will allow the male and female to self align as described above by using the nipped up set bolt method when the hatch is in its correct location.

To align the hatch within the body or the car I would remove the hatch locking mechanism completely, both male and female, remove the side guides and screw the two bumpers stoppers to their lowest position. You also should also remove the gas struts are they exert quite a bit of pressure on the hatch and could cause it to move if you have to release the hinge securing set bolts as shown in the photographs above.

As the hatch is heavy you may require assistance locating it correctly with even gaps all around. When aligning the hatch you should firstly ensuring that the front of the hatch is parallel to the forward roof aperture line, the hatch is square to the centre line axis of the car with even gaps on both sides and that the forward height of the hatch is in alignment with the curve of the cabin top. Realignment can only be accomplished by slackening off the the set bolts on the forward landing of the hinges.

Be careful when you release the hinge set bolts, as there may be "E" shims under the forward sections of the hinges and also under the after sections, but I hope that you don't have to raise of lower the forward edge of the hatch to get its correct alignment to the cabin top.

Once the hatch is in alignment at the forward end and it should then be in alignment at either side you can use the bumper stoppers to set up the correct gap at the aft end between the hatch and the body. To assist you in the alignment of the hatch you may need to make a few soft wood wedges to maintain the correct gaps. Soft wood should not damage your paint work.

When this is done to your satisfaction revert back to the previous procedure for setting the hatch locking mechanism.

Good luck.

Tails 1990 928 S4 Auto

 

Thanks for the great writeup, Tails!

Yours was the first that I've come across that was complete and actually helpful to me in getting my hatch release to work! This is great!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

Thanks Tails, excellent instructions.

The height and left/right allignment seem to be ok, but it does appear that the hatch does it just a hair over the bumper (like it has moved "downhill").

1. Will slacking the hinges mess with the height or left/right allignment or is that more of a shim issue?

2. With the shocks off, how many people to do this job?
That hinge is only moveable with the hatch up right?
Or with the shocks off will you then lay the hatch in the down position, slacken the bolts, then move the hatch forward from the rear by just pushing the hatch forward while another snugs the bolts................
Will it take 3? One to hold the hatch up since the shocks are off, one to move the hinge, and one to tighten the bolt?

3. How do the shock comes off? Is there a specific method or is it pretty self explaining?

Thanks again, I am looking forward to having this all sorted out once and for all!

Shawn

 

Shawn,
1. Slackening the hinges will not mess with the front height of the hatch, as it should return the the original height when retightened, however, the hatch could move aft with the force from the gas struts or move sideways messing up your side hatch gap alignment. Before slackening off the forward hatch hinge set bolts I would recommend removing the gas struts. To do this you will need to open the hatch and support it with a "soft broom" placed under the hatch in the fully opened positon by placing the broom's soft end under the rear edge of the hatch, not on the glass, or cut two pieces of timber to fit at the left and right hand aft corners of the hatch or have a friend hold up the hatch while you remove the gas struts. (Safety warning: The hatch is very heavy so ensure that it is correctly and safely supported. Another pair of hand maybe very useful here).

By adding or removing shims the hight can be adjusted.

The forward hinge landing shims can be used to either lift or lower the forward edge of the hatch, i.e., removing shims from the forward landing of the hinge will raise the forward edge of the hatch and adding shims will lower the forward edge of the hatch. If there are no shims under the forward hatch hinge landing then to raise the hatch you would have to add shims under the aft hinge landing.

2. If you wish to move the hatch forward, I would:

a) Remove the latching mechanisms from the hatch and the body (male and female)
b) set the gap at the aft end with the aft bump stop adjusters.
c) to maintain the side gaps I would adjust the two side hatch guide pieces so that they prevent the hatch from moving sideways.
d) With the hatch in the closed position slacken back one set bolt at a time and then retighten slightly to just to touch the hatch hinge to hold it in position. Do this to the 4 forward set bolts on the two hinges.
e) Now move the hatch forward to get the correct gap at the forward end or to get it in alignment with the aft end of the body. There may be a trade of here as the forward gap should be the same as the side gaps, but this may mean that the alignment of the aft edge of the hatch could be a little too far forward or aft. This will be your judgement call. To make the movement of the hatch lid easier you may need to give the hatch rubber seal, the bump stoppers and the side guide pieces a spray with silicon lubricant.
f) now move the hatch forward, mindful that it is very heavy. You may have to use a lever, some soft wood by wedging the end into the empty female body aperture, lower the hatch onto the wood and apply leverage in a forward direction (some rag wrapped around the wood would give added protection to the hatch's paint). If the hatch does not move you may need a second pair of hand to go inside the cabin and slacken off the set bolts until they are just clear of the hinge landing.
g) When the hatch is in the desire position tighten up the set bolt and check the alignment and gaps etc.

The number of persons that you will ultimately use will be your decision, however, you will be in charge of their safety, If you are working under the lid without the gas struts installed you need to exercise extreme care (I had a friend killed when a heavy hinge hatch fell and jammed his head), so be very carefully. As a good rule, when you have your supports in place to hold the hatch open without the gas struts - double them up so that you have 100% redundency factor and make sure they are held in position so the will not be dislodged if knocked.

3. The ends of the gas struts have a spherical cap that fits onto the spherical ended body and hatch pivot pins. The cap pieces are held and locked in position by a spring steel "C" cap. To remove the struts get a small screw drive and push the tang under the top of the "C" cap and lever it up onto the cap end until you can pull the cap off the spherical ended pin. Very simple to do. Don't remove the "C" cap off the end of the cap as it will be quite difficult to get back on.

On reinstallation it is just a matter of putting a small amount of grease inside the caps, attach the static end to the body pin and push the "C" cap back into it locking position.

Now with the hatch end push the gas strut in with a little force on the end of the gas strut, move it into position and push onto the hatch spherical pin and push the "C" cap locking piece home.

Tails 1990 928S4 Auto