Leak in Cargo Hatch. Fix??

[willindsay]

Alright this ex seems to leak everywhere I have gotten all of them fixed except one. The Rear hatch seems to leak when we get anything over a light rain. I first noticed it a month ago and just thought I didn't get it clased all the way. But last week when I took it to the car wash I noticed it was leaking more.

Now my hatch when closed securely is still has about a 1/4" gap around the top and sides. Is this Normal??

And I have weather stripping only on the body part and I fairly sure that is correct. The seal seems to be good except one little tear in it where the lift shocks hit it and it doesn't appear to be loose the hinges look to be in the write spot.

So what do ya'll think the problem is and how should I go about fixing it??

I'll get some pics tomorrow if it will help.

 

[willindsay]

Bump.

 

[willindsay]

Maybe some pics will help ya'll help me.

Here's the gap on the passenger side.

Driver Side.

And here's the hole in the weather stripping on the Driver side.

 

[willindsay]

Someone's gotta have an idea.

 

[Dlee6204]

That gap is NOT normal. What do the hinges look like? Any previous accident damage? The driver's side looks fine but the passenger side is way high.

 

[willindsay]

That gap is NOT normal. What do the hinges look like? Any previous accident damage? The driver's side looks fine but the passenger side is way high.

Not real sure but I just thought of something. When I first got it it had no lift shocks on it cause one of the mounts was missing. So I fabbed one out of Aluminum angle and screwed it in place and used a bolt to hold the top of the shock. If I remember the pass side was not seated flat would that cause it to be out of line?

Here's the pass. hinge I can't see any scraped paint to indicate it has moved.

 

[willindsay]

New pics and info. Any better ideas??

 

[willindsay]

Bump anybody know how to adjust the hatch alignment???

 

[FIND]

I will get back to you tomorrow when there is more light for me to look and take some pictures for you.

 

[FIND]

Alright, now as you may have noticed, it appears your passenger side is adjusted improperly, that is what is causing your leak.

Once you get it down a bit, it will work much better, though it may need to go up despite how it appears, since it may be down so low that when the latch catches the striker, the hinge itself needs to twist to accommodate. Very trial and error process.

this is what you are looking at and the same hinge you posted in your other pic, just so you can see nothing is wrong with yours.

Now, if you look up at the top of the hinge, you will see where you can do your adjustment

As you can see, mine is adjusted with the hatch WAY down, yours doesn't necessarily need to be in the exact same position, the adjustment is to accommodate slight differences in construction and stresses that the body is subjected to over time. As you can see, there is a LOT of adjustment there, so you should be able to get to where you want to be. You may have to adjust the other side even if it is sitting right, because it could be adjusted too low and be pushing your passenger side higher when the latch hits the striker. I cannot recall if there is any adjustment for the striker, you can take a torx bit and loosen it and see. I think that is a t-50 maybe..... I can't remember. Just a tip though, don't completely remove anything, only loosen things.

Hope this helps you find your answer. It is normal sometimes for doors to have to be adjusted as a vehicle ages. The stresses a vehicle encounters every day just from normal driving can change the shape ever so slightly of your vehicle.

 

[willindsay]

Alright, now as you may have noticed, it appears your passenger side is adjusted up too high, that is what is causing your leak.

Once you get it down a bit, it will work much better.



this is what you are looking at and the same hinge you posted in your other pic, just so you can see nothing is wrong with yours.

Now, if you look up at the top of the hinge, you will see where you can do your adjustment


As you can see, mine is adjusted with the hatch WAY down, yours doesn't necessarily need to be in the exact same position, the adjustment is to accommodate slight differences in construction and stresses that the body is subjected to over time. As you can see, there is a LOT of adjustment there, so you should be able to get to where you want to be. You may have to adjust the other side even if it is sitting right, because it could be adjusted too low and be pushing your passenger side higher when the latch hits the striker. I cannot recall if there is any adjustment for the striker, you can take a torx bit and loosen it and see. I think that is a t-50 maybe..... I can't remember.

Hope this helps you find your answer. It is normal sometimes for doors to have to be adjusted as a vehicle ages. The stresses a vehicle encounters every day just from normal driving can change the shape ever so slightly of your vehicle.

Thank you!!! I've looked at them a million times and never noticed the adjustment. I'll see what I can do and post back, but it's gonna be about 3 weeks till I get a chance since I'm at school and my tools are 2hrs away at home.

 

[FIND]

I edited my post just slightly to clarify things and add a couple things I forgot.

 

[willindsay]

Ok well I tried my hand at adjusting the fit and could never get it right so I just put it back the way it was. The first time I tried I shut the hatch and only one side shut and then I had to yank it open. I tried all diff spots but it either wouldn't shut or hit the roof when opening and closing.

I might give it another try some time but for now it only leaks when in a car wasg so not to worried about it.

 

[ragajungle]

willindsay: I had a 94 sport that did the same thing... The first time I brought it through a car wash it looked like the waterfall from the blue lagoon in the back!


I tried adjusting each side in every possible position to no avail. I wound up getting a different hatch altogether and it took care of it. The only thing I can think of is that the hatch was bent. Maybe when the lift shocks get stiff when you close it it puts too much pressure on the pivot points causing the hatch door to warp?


At any rate a $65 used one and a new set of lift shocks took care of it.

 

[nexis]

had a problem kind of like that, ended up that the plastic bushings where gone on the striker pins. You would be amazed the difference having those has made. They pull the hatch closed just a little more because of the added meat on the far side. and for 5 bucks, its a cheap test.

 

[willindsay]

had a problem kind of like that, ended up that the plastic bushings where gone on the striker pins. You would be amazed the difference having those has made. They pull the hatch closed just a little more because of the added meat on the far side. and for 5 bucks, its a cheap test.

Does AutoZone or Advanced carry them and what would their technical name be. I'm willing to try anything.

 

[Jason94sport]

Bumping this....Trying to trace my water leak. I did notice the passenger side of the hatch sits a bit higher then the drivers side.
There a much bigger gap around the rear window going down to the taillight then the drivers side. I just replaced the striker pins. Those are good now.
So as stated above are the 2 bolts the only adjustments needed? I did loosen them a little & it wouldn't budge.

 

[Lizardmasterrich]

I have a leak in my third gen explorer's tailgate and I don't know what is causing it, I think it is either from the crack in the tailgate or from the gap where the rear right piller trim used to be, I still have the trim piece but I don't know what to use to reattach it