Estate drivers door hinge

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FatAl
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Post by FatAl »

Excellent! I've just applied Yawler's bolted fix to my Xantia estate (160,000 miles. First indication was the external weld cracking on the lower hinge. I got this fixed but the problem just got worse.
I drilled from the inside using standard length 6.5mm and 8mm bits. By holding only the last half-inch or so in the chuck I was able to drill through the pillar and hinge. Due to a slightly off-target first hole I realised I could get 2 bolts in instead of 1 so I put in 2 lengths of M8 studding with big washers on the inside. One washer had to be trimmed as they are close together. On tightening up the inner panel initially just dishes by about 1cm to begin with but then clamps up against the inner structure. It seems to be fine. Total cost about 2 quid if you discount the long drill bit I didn't need.
By the way, I think the problem is probably aggravated by hinge pin wear, the door dropping and twisting the lower hinge. Perhaps replacing the pins early would help prevent or delay it.
Thanks!
j_roc
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Post by j_roc »

My Xantia has (or had???) a broken hinge - O/S/F upper hinge, but its a hatchback. I think mine was somehow damaged when somebody broke into it before I owned it. They bent the top of the door down trying to gain access as I have a grey/greenish door on a metallic blue car. I have also noticed this method on :- Cavalier's, Mondeo's, Sierra's, Corsa's and the Xantia. What a mess it makes to the door. The result - 1 new door needed.
rossnunn
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Post by rossnunn »

why does it only effect the estate?
c.morewood
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Post by c.morewood »

I can really reccomend the guys at Hamworthy Body in Poole Dorset, they knew instantly what I was talking about and did a great job in just 5 hours, £55.00 each for 2 doors and a free loan car thrown in!! They were really friendly and helpful. Can't reccomend them enough.
Chris
Last edited by c.morewood on 17 Nov 2006, 10:34, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
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citronut
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Post by citronut »

if you get them welded back in place before they come away to fare it should not be hard to line them back up corectly,i have done a couple of XANTS and many BXs
regards malcolm
john alexander
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Post by john alexander »

Hi the estates were not built by citroen but by heuliez. I think they built the BX and XM estates as well .I had to weld the top hinge back on a 405 once ,must be the same idea. Regards john.
jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... &postorder

Whole thread is interesting - seems our very own Malcolm (Citronut) does them (Sussex) or Hamworthy (Poole)
jeremy
mrjohnson
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Preventative fix

Post by mrjohnson »

Just bought a '99 Xantia HDi estate. There's a little play in the door, so I'm guessing the failure process is starting.

First can someone confirm the metal bits involved for me? From what I can gather:

Outside:

Hinge
Pillar steel skin

Inside:

Steel Reinforcing plate
Air gap
Further metal skin(s)

How thick is the reinforcing plate? Is it thick enough to tap a thread into?

If so, as an alternative to welding or putting a big bolts through multiple skins with a big washer on the inside, could I just :

Drill holes through the hinge, skin and plate
Tap the lot to put in threads
Slightly increase the hole size in the hinge to allow for thread width
Bung in bolts and tighten up.

What do you experts think?

Thanks,

Martyn
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Post by KSY »

Oh dear, you get me worried guys - is it about Xantia Estates only, or affects C5 as well?
Robin
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Post by Robin »

I have repaired my own hinge with a non weld solution. The bolts through the outer skin and hinge with larger plates inside for the hinge to clamp to has worked very well. All work done from the inside.
Needs some patience and ingenuity to place the plate and bolts which went from inside to outside. Length is important to ensure just enough to capture the nuts and leave the job looking tidy. The inner skin is very tough and took some work to cut the access holes.
Robin
Citroens are dedicated to those who take a big bite - and just keep on chewing!
mrjohnson
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Post by mrjohnson »

Robin - so did you put in a new inner reinforcing plate, or an extra one, or use the existing one?

How thick was the existing plate? If it's still in place on my car, and thick enough, my idea was to tap threads into it from the OUTSIDE, then bolt into those threads from the outside too.

Cheers

Martyn
Richard Gallagher
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Post by Richard Gallagher »

Has anyone contacted Citroen about this fault to see if they will pay/contribute to the repair?

Having a reputation for producing cars on which the doors fall off after a few years is not exactly good for a manufacturers image!! I can't help but think this is akin to some old Laurel and Hardy sketch :lol:
Last edited by Richard Gallagher on 18 Nov 2006, 11:28, edited 1 time in total.
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toldemoldham
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Post by toldemoldham »

I reparaired my lower hinge with a mig welder i know not every 1 has got access to 1 but took me 10 mins to do mine with the door still attatched to the car and welded the vertical weld that had cracked plus put a small run of weld on the top part of the angle which has none on to make it more secure, repaired it in june 05 and still holding its own and the door is in regular use,wish the dreaded clutch cable clip and heater blower was as easy to repair lol
Robin
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Post by Robin »

mrjohnson, I used a pair of heavy penny washers on the inside, required a smaller hole than a plate. The inner panel is heavy by body panel thickness standards, about 1 mm only so not enough to hold a substantial thread. If the hinge is still held in place but flexing the bolted solution is remarkably robust and rigid. If however the hinge has broken away completely then I suggest that a welded solution is probably the only way.
Robin.
Citroens are dedicated to those who take a big bite - and just keep on chewing!
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