Liftgate hinges

Liftgate hinges (Pics inside)

It's been a while since I've had to post on here. I did a forum search, but didn't see my particular problem addressed.

I opened my liftgate ('92 EB) and was backing up to a porch...was watching the bumper, NOT the liftgate (yeah, I know, women drivers...lol). ANYWAY, I barely bumped the post on the porch, a tiny dent about a half inch long on the lower left side of the gate. Later, I went to close the liftgate, and it was thrown completely off. Would not even latch. There's a 4 to 5 inch gap on the left side now while it's in the closed position. I am assuming that I bent the hinges holding the liftgate. My problem is how do I go about changing them? What sort of contraption can I rig up to support the liftgate while changing the hinges? By the way, those things are $40 bucks each, but found them at a salvage yard for $10 (both). I managed to completely destroy the liftgate on a Bronco II trying to rob those hinges (which didn't fit ANYWAY!!) One small comfort is that the Explorer liftgate is actual metal...the Bronco was fiberglass!

Thanks in advance!!!

Amy

Okay, let's see if this works: And excuse the dirt!

 

[MONMIX]

yeah you rocked that gate real well.

I had to fix one like that last year on my buddys Explorer. Same story backing up looking low. That one turned out WAY uglier though.

I would go with TWO new OEM hinges. It is not a hard swap, but you will need help.
you will need an 8mm socket and an 11mm socket.

Remove the push pins on the headliner at the very back. Pull the headliner down and you will see the 11mm bolts, crack them loose, then crack the 8mm bolts on the lift gate.
Have one friend stand on one side and one on the other holding the lift gate.
This sucker is heavy and the blood is gonna run out of their arms rather quickly so ya gotta move fast. Remove one hinge and toss it aside and instal the new one, then do the next. Do your best to line it up with the old paint marks, the will get you in the ball park.

Now to fine tune it the 11mm bolts that connet to the body adjust the in and out, and the 8mm bolts that go to the lift gate adjust the up and down.

Good luck and let me know if you need any more help

 

[amystours]

Thanks!!

Wow...wasn't expecting such detailed information! That is going to help ALOT! I probably would have sat there turning those things all night if you hadn't specified which ones did what. Thanks!

 

[MONMIX]

not a problem
Keep me in the loop and let me know if you need any thing else

 

[amystours]

Well, here's a little update: I changed the hinges, but unfortunately, I do not think that was all of my problem. Granted, it helped SOME (at least it latches on BOTH sides now), but I think the whole liftgate got tweaked a bit. Looks like the whole mess is bent, cause there is still a gap there. Not as bad as it was, but it will still leak! Not looking forward to this repair at ALL. I'm guessing the whole mess has to come back off and be bent back???

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

I am betting where the hinge mounts to the gate got pulled out a bit. I had a problem resently where a helper at a Body shop didnt know how to in stall a gate right let my new tail gate I bought come up hit the roof and made the mount pull and cause a gap liek that on both sides. Needless to say the Gate was Trashed. Luckly I had another one in storage...

 

[amystours]

Lovely. lol I do actually have an Explorer Sport that I use for odds and end parts, and the liftgate on that one is in good condition, but it's blue. I guess there is a such a thing as paint, though, right? lol However, I will check to see if the hinge attach point has been tweaked any.

 

[MONMIX]

yeah odds are pretty good the hatch is tweaked.
I was holding my breath though,,,,

It can be tweaked back, but I would have to be there.