18 replies to this topic

[Rubbershorts]

Evening all. I've had the boot off the car all winter and I'm just now trying to get it all back together. The chrome hinges were a mess so i purchased a new shiny set from Minispares but these are binding when I shut the boot. They're quite bad, so bad they flex the hinge panel when you shut the boot fully. I could grind away the surplus material, but as they are chrome they'll be as rusty as the old ones in no time. As I bought them ages ago the old ones are long gone, so I can't compare them to see why they didn't bind. Are there other options for hinges and has anyone had this same problem? I've tried them the other way round too, as I believe they are sided. Daz.

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[Steam]

Perhaps some discrete packing would ease the issue.

[Rubbershorts]

Thanks Steam. I tried that on the bottom section by replicating another gasket, so doubling up, but this made it worse. It pushes it out in the wrong direction. At the moment I've just left the bolts loose so I can at least shut the boot.

[nicklouse]

Ok, you should use new gaskets each time the hinges are replaced. You do have them on the correct sides?

[alpder]

It may be that the sill panel is at a steeper angle than it should be. If so, the old hinges possibly allowed more slack due to wear on the hinge-pins.

 

If it was mine, I'd try 3D-printing some wedge-shape gaskets (in black flex material) to go under the bottom parts, to tilt them forwards slightly.

[Rubbershorts]

Ok, you should use new gaskets each time the hinges are replaced. You do have them on the correct sides?

New gaskets and swapped them around to check I had them right.

[Rubbershorts]

It may be that the sill panel is at a steeper angle than it should be. If so, the old hinges possibly allowed more slack due to wear on the hinge-pins.
 
If it was mine, I'd try 3D-printing some wedge-shape gaskets (in black flex material) to go under the bottom parts, to tilt them forwards slightly.

I think you're right about the wear on the old ones. The printing of a wedge is a brilliant idea. If only I had a 3d printer.

[Ethel]

It looks like it wouldn't take much of a touch with a file to create some clearance where they kiss.

[stuart bowes]

I'm not sure I'd trust a 3d print, obviously though that depends what filament you're using..  I've only really played with PLA and Im sure that would be too brittle over time, it'd end up cracking with repeated use I think.  maybe ABS or something might work ok

 

I would rather machine a piece from steel or alloy or something I think (or get someone to do that for me)

 

or as Ethel says, tweak the hinge slightly till it moves far enough

 

I think i'm going to have to do something similar on mine, where I replaced the bottom edge, left/right the door lines up well, but opening and closing I'm not sure, possibly just because I haven't got he rubber seal on it yet. probably some fettling required

Edited by stuart bowes, 28 March 2025 - 10:54 AM.

[sonscar]

The screw looks a poor fit in the hole holding the hinge at an angle.I would file up some aluminium wedges.Steve..

[stuart bowes]

just quickly acknowledging that Alpder did specify a flexible material..

 

I really should play around with some other filaments really just never got around to it

[alpder]

I really should play around with some other filaments really just never got around to it

For rigid things, PET is the business, but only if you have a heated bed. I've made external light brackets for my teardrop trailers from it. Prusa's own PET-G is expensive but far better than generics from Amazon etc. Zero pong, loads of colours including translucent options, and has a lovely finish. Needs £special£ glue though, and can't be solvent-smoothed like ABS can, either.

 

ABS is horrible to use - very smelly. But can be glued easily. PLA, as you say, is veg-based and not great outdoors long-term. I haven't used either since the very early days on a home-made Mendel (remember those shonky things... how we suffered with glass beds and endlessly replacing the Kapton tape. Got it so easy nowadays.)

 

Flexifill 98A is a really useful one to keep on the shelf: slightly flexible, doesn't creep or go brittle, and doesn't seem to suffer outdoors - I've used it to make gaskets to go under my non-standard door mirrors because the mirror base is flat but the door isn't, for flexible stalks to hold reflectors on trailers, and bespoke covers for + terminals on batteries.

[stuart bowes]

that's really helpful cheers, will do a bit of googling/shopping at some point I think

 

I do have a heated bed yeah, what sort of temps are we talking (apologies for derailment, just this one last question lol)

[alpder]

This table is a good guide: https://help.prusa3d...-material-guide . Most of the exotic materials (ones that require heated enclosure and/or require hardened nozzle and/or require special types of bed surface) are too much faff or won't print reliably. PLA, PET-G, ABS, and Flex (Flexifil 98A etc) are the mainstays for most hobbyists. Prusa's smooth and textured PEI bed surfaces are superb for these materials and other printer beds may struggle to bond (or to de-bond after printing) and might need different bed temps. If you need more, do start a thread in 'Chit-Chat', link it in this thread, and we can continue there.

[Steam]

Didn't you say packing made it worse?