Hood hinge broke on 85 300sd and damaged ... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

badgator · #1 07-20-2009, 12:42 PM

One of the pivot pins sheared off on the driver side hinge when I was shutting the hood, and smashed the headlight door, slammed into windshield (didn't break!).

How do you replace the hinge?

Is it bolted to the inner fender from the back?

BTW -I regularly lube all locks and hinges on all my vehicles at the same time.

pawoSD · #2 07-20-2009, 02:23 PM

Yes, you have to remove the hood, then remove the fender, and its bolted in place inside there. Not too hard to replace....just a lot of work.

badgator · #3 07-20-2009, 07:21 PM

Can I unbolt the bottom of the fender / inner fender and reach the hinge?

Anybody?

pawoSD · #4 07-20-2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgator

Can I unbolt the bottom of the fender / inner fender and reach the hinge?

Anybody?

No. The whole outer fender must be removed.

daw_two · #5 07-20-2009, 11:12 PM

if you need a hinge, I have a pair.

Good Luck.

badgator · #6 07-21-2009, 12:49 PM

Removing the hood or fender is not needed or recommended.

1- Lift hood to 90* service level, place wood block under corner of hood by windshield. Remove 2 clips from hood pivots and prop up hood (I didn't need to do this) *** Warning do not start this if it is or will be windy!!!

2- Turn steering wheel full right, remove 1st 5 screws 5/16 -8mm from bottom rear of inner fender and carefully bend in back of tire to hold out of the way.

3- Remove 3 screws 5/16 -8mm from "egg crate" vacuum bottle, let drop out of way.

4- Removed 4 10mm nuts from back of hinge. Plenty of room to move in there, but a little awkward -sp?.

Repair- Tap out broken pin out of both ends.
I took a 7/16 x 1 1/2 bolt drilled out one side of hinge slightly to fit and machined a thin bushing on my lathe to fit other end - less than 5 minutes. Then tack welded the bolt to the back of the hinge - not required (there is limited room between the back of hinge and fender).
Use a this thin nylock nut on other side and cut off excess threads.

Hang spring back on. Bolt hinge in and check fit before screwing vac bottle and inner fender.

Hood adjustment was not needed I just lined up old paint lines.

Lube up all pivot points!!!!

Reverse for assembly. Remember to reconnect vacuum line!

pawoSD · #7 07-21-2009, 01:04 PM

Not exactly everyone has: welding equipment, welding skills, a lathe, etc...

A repair "easy" to you could just as well be "impossible" to someone else.

In our case we drilled out the old pin and put in a clevis bolt with a clip. This worked good enough (not real good) until we located a new hinge.

badgator · #8 07-21-2009, 01:42 PM

You can still install a different hinge.

Or a hacksaw, 1/2" Drill , a bushing is still needed or a piece of metal tubing?, welder is not needed.

pawoSD · #9 07-21-2009, 02:04 PM

Its really not all that hard to install a new hinge, just time consuming, and it helps to have 2-3 people to remove the hood. A new hinge can be had at the junk yard for probably under $15.

badgator · #10 07-21-2009, 03:09 PM

2-3 people? WTH? I did it by myself without removing the hood, or fender.

badgator · #11 07-21-2009, 03:26 PM

One side of the hinge pin is larger than the other side , I drilled out the smaller side to the shoulder of a course-sp? 7/16 bolt another post did about the same with a 14mm bolt? 12mm smaller dia / 14mm larger dia? Search it.

badgator · #12 07-21-2009, 03:42 PM

OK

I was at Big Lots 2 weeks ago, $5 cans of R134a for Non r12 apps!

There was 3 people trying to operate one cash register, 12 people waiting.

Doesn't make sense to me.

One CR was shut down to "see whats goin' on"