Please help with rear hatch adjustment
06-11-2009, 03:20 PM
#1
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Please help with rear hatch adjustment
Ok guys from my other post you probably know by now that I am changing out my rear hatch due to rust. I've got it on but I'm having a problem adjusting it so the gaps are aligned properly. I can get the alignment set ok on the sides but I end up with the top where hinges are one side being lower than the other. Should I add washers under the plate to raise it up? Not sure what to do with this. The pictures are of the hatch when it wasn't aligned properly I took them to show the lower driver side compared to the normal passenger side. What do the experts say on this one? Could someone also please post a picture with the proper spacing of their rear hatch?
06-11-2009, 03:59 PM
#2
Three Wheelin'
There are procedural posts on removing the rear hatch and they say not to touch the hinges. Remove the hatch but leave the hinges untouched. Hopefully you only replaced the hatch and not the hatch and hinges.
06-11-2009, 04:20 PM
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Crap hinges and hatch. There was hinges on the replacement hatch already. I don't see how you can get to the bolts on the hatch with it installed. I'll have to search it.
06-11-2009, 04:48 PM
#4
Rennlist Member
The hinges mount at an angle so moving it will move the front edge of the hatch up at the same time the rear edge moves forward, or the opposite if you move it the other way.
See where you are at this point. In my case this left me with a perfectly aligned hatch. You will want to inspect the gaps on either side to make sure they are even, the hatch should continue the curve of the roofline without any step up or down, and the rear edge should continue the curve of the quarter panels.
Once you have it lined up properly reattach the latch and move the latch as far forward as you can without binding. The rubber bumpers at the corner screw in or out to adjust the gap along the bumper cover -- the gap should be the same width as the bumper beading.
I have a couple of pics here from when I did mine.
- First, take the latch off of the hatch so it doesn't bind up while you are fiddling.
- Next, you should be able to do this one side at a time, loosen both bolts on one hinge and move it all the way up/forward.
- Do the same on the other side.
See where you are at this point. In my case this left me with a perfectly aligned hatch. You will want to inspect the gaps on either side to make sure they are even, the hatch should continue the curve of the roofline without any step up or down, and the rear edge should continue the curve of the quarter panels.
Once you have it lined up properly reattach the latch and move the latch as far forward as you can without binding. The rubber bumpers at the corner screw in or out to adjust the gap along the bumper cover -- the gap should be the same width as the bumper beading.
I have a couple of pics here from when I did mine.
06-11-2009, 09:58 PM
#6
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The hinges mount at an angle so moving it will move the front edge of the hatch up at the same time the rear edge moves forward, or the opposite if you move it the other way.
See where you are at this point. In my case this left me with a perfectly aligned hatch. You will want to inspect the gaps on either side to make sure they are even, the hatch should continue the curve of the roofline without any step up or down, and the rear edge should continue the curve of the quarter panels.
Once you have it lined up properly reattach the latch and move the latch as far forward as you can without binding. The rubber bumpers at the corner screw in or out to adjust the gap along the bumper cover -- the gap should be the same width as the bumper beading.
I have a couple of pics here from when I did mine.
- First, take the latch off of the hatch so it doesn't bind up while you are fiddling.
- Next, you should be able to do this one side at a time, loosen both bolts on one hinge and move it all the way up/forward.
- Do the same on the other side.
See where you are at this point. In my case this left me with a perfectly aligned hatch. You will want to inspect the gaps on either side to make sure they are even, the hatch should continue the curve of the roofline without any step up or down, and the rear edge should continue the curve of the quarter panels.
Once you have it lined up properly reattach the latch and move the latch as far forward as you can without binding. The rubber bumpers at the corner screw in or out to adjust the gap along the bumper cover -- the gap should be the same width as the bumper beading.
I have a couple of pics here from when I did mine.
06-11-2009, 10:16 PM
#7
Team Owner
Yes remove the struts and have a helper to hold the hatch.
\ the struts will be trying to push the hatch to the rear of the car
\ the struts will be trying to push the hatch to the rear of the car
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06-11-2009, 10:19 PM
#8
Rennlist Member
No, you won't be able to move the hatch against the friction of the seal. Do it with the hatch up, supported by the struts. You'll be better off if you can have someone grab the hatch close to the hinge and lift up & forward while you tighten. They need to lift so that the hinge slides along the body; if they get too rambunctious with it the hinge will **** and it won't end up fully up/forward.
06-11-2009, 10:21 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
LOL, Stan... The reason I say leave the struts on is so that the person doing the lifting won't be distracted by trying to keep the hatch open -- they can focus on getting the hinge where it needs to e.
06-11-2009, 11:33 PM
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Thanks guys. I'll try it tomorrow. Too many days working on the shark I need a break. I did get the car aligned today after work what a PIA that was. Guy said he'd never do one again. Thanks to Sean for taking my tech help call
06-12-2009, 08:16 PM
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tried this stupid thing again. Got it pretty close. What a pain in the ***. Never mess with the rear hatch!
06-13-2009, 01:25 AM
#12
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Jason, I replaced one on the 84 5spd. The hatch itself had sprung somehow, maybe with a wing install hack job, and so it never would align properly, always was raised-up more dramatically than yours near the top drivers side edge and top edge. Could never stop the leakage.
New hatch from a wrecked car immediately solved the problem.
The reason I say this is before you go crazy over it, know that the replacement hatch could have a subtle symetry problem of its own that maybe can't be adjusted out.
As bad as my original was, I couldn't figure a way to measure it to detect the problem. Only by stacking the new and old ones atop each other and eyeballing it was it visible.
New hatch from a wrecked car immediately solved the problem.
The reason I say this is before you go crazy over it, know that the replacement hatch could have a subtle symetry problem of its own that maybe can't be adjusted out.
As bad as my original was, I couldn't figure a way to measure it to detect the problem. Only by stacking the new and old ones atop each other and eyeballing it was it visible.
06-13-2009, 01:46 AM
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Chris that's what it's looking like. I had 3 friends helping me with it today and we could only get it close. Either the sides were good or the top was close to right just not both at the same time. I think we got it to a livable point I would just like it to sit perfect
