Cavalier 51 door hinge

[90grad]

Okay, this may be a really stupid question.  My Cavalier 51 has the bottle door with the two springs on the hinge.  The springs were broken, so I ordered two new ones from Funtronics.  However, it seems like these won't properly tension the hinge to keep the door closed.  Do the spring ends go under the tabs in the hinges (circled in picture), do I have the correct springs, or how are they installed?

[coke_and_stuff]

I just replaced the springs on the bottle door of my 81D. Its kind of hard to explain but what you need to do is position them and twist them until you have the desired tension. Get rid of the slack and they should work alright.

Joey

[90grad]

Joey,

Am I correct in the placement (behind the tabs)?  It seemed to me when I closed the doors, the tension wanted to push it open.  I'll play around and see what happens.

[coke_and_stuff]

I just looked over my 51 your correct under the tabs, my 51 however has one big spring instead of two smaller ones. You may want try the spring in the different direction flip it over and see if that works.

Joey

[90grad]

Thanks, Joey.  I think the key is to try to get some pre-tension in the springs before I install them.  I will try this.

[90grad]

All,

I am still perplexed by this.  Any ideas would be appreciated.  Putting them is as shown give no initial tension.

[Jim]

Wayne,

What you have to understand first is which way to add tension to the spring in order for it to keep the bottle door closed.
I'll use your photo as reference. Notice how the spring wraps clock-wise from top to bottom. This is the same direction you need to add an extra revolution while placing the hinge together with the hinge pin. I don't have an easy solution but I think a bench vise may help out for an extra set of hands...
Perhaps starting the pin into the first two sleeves of each hinge part, place the spring in place, slide the pin half way into the spring and then rotate the spring one extra clock-wise revolution with pliers or what tool will fit. While holding this position, continue to slide the pin into the rest of the hinge until you get to the second spring, then do the same steps as the previous spring until the hinge pin is completely in place. Hopefully, one revolution will be enough tension to keep the door closed tightly... If not, you know what you have to do...

[BryanH]

Wayne - my vmc's are like Joey's in that the springs are much larger... but assuming you've got the right part and the only problem is getting them torqued enough to provide proper tension, you might try this.  
- Clamp the hinge pin and another screw (or nail) into your vise.  
- Slide the spring onto the hinge pin for support
- Adjust the height of the screw (or nail) to be lower than the top leg of the spring (so that the spring can be turned without hitting it)
- Turn the spring with pliers using the screw (or nail) as an anchor to keep the spring from spinning
- Once it's torqued enough you should be able to release the spring back onto the anchor nail or screw (the legs will both pull back towards each other capturing the pin betwen them) so that you can lift the hinge pin (with torqued spring) out of the visa transfer to your hinge

[Ltransam]

Hello ,90Grad
                       Hears a picture of my C-51 Bottle door It is all orginal with the 2 springs .I also posted a pic in the auction area DUH spelling Bottle wrong . '>
                                            Ltransam

[90grad]

Thanks guys.  You were right on the money.  I managed to shake off my case of stupid and figure it out last night.  It was a pain twisting and holding the springs, but the door is on and works fine.  I can't believe it took me so long to figure out a simple spring.

[Jim]

Did you get enough tension to keep the door closed...?
Did you use one twist/revolution on the spring...?

[90grad]

Jim,

One twist was all that was required.  I inserted the tab in the door side of the hinge and then twisted the tab for the other side clockwise towards me.  This put compression in the spring, so it would try to expand, holding the hinge shut. Holding the hinge in place, I then installed the hinge pin.  Those little springs are strong.

[MoonDawg]

Quote (BryanH @ Sep. 02 2005,8:02)

- Once it's torqued enough you should be able to release the spring back onto the anchor nail or screw (the legs will both pull back towards each other capturing the pin betwen them) so that you can lift the hinge pin (with torqued spring) out of the visa transfer to your hinge

Was following fine until this part. Please explain how to install a loaded spring into a hinge?  There must be easier ways than I have been using.

[Jim]

I didn't understand this step either...

Thankfully, Wayne understood!

[BryanH]

I was working from the perspective of a single spring per hinge pin (like my VMC bottle door).  Not sure how I would thread the second spring using these steps.  But Wayne figured it out so it can certainly be done.

[90grad]

I basically used the brute force method.  I placed one tab of the spring in the door side of the hinge and laid the hinge in position.  Then, I placed the other piece of the hinge, in the closed position, on top of the door.  I slid the pin in so it was just in the spring, held the spring down with my thumb, and twisted the other end clockwise to lock the remaining tab behind the hinge piece.  Since there was now tension on the spring, it wanted to push the hinges together, thus keeping the door closed.  Sorry, I know this make little sense.