83Limited

Are your rear bin lids loose because your plastic hinges are broken? Fix, em, its easy. First, pull your entire bin assembly (either 4 or 6 screws around the frame perimeter, depending on your year). After you get the bins out, flip your door so you can get to the backside. Remove the screws so you can pull the back panel off. After you get the panel off, you will see half of your hinge. Match your hinge up to the other half at the top of the bin compartment itself. Now take one of the "super" duct tapes (I used black Gorilla tape) and run along the compartment top from the backside. Stick your half hinge off the lid to this tape, being sure you get it tight to the broken edge. Press tape firmly so it bonds. Repeat for outer side. You are basically sandwiching the hinge on both sides with the tape, and in essence the tape is becoming the "hinge". Trim the mounting holes back out of the taped area so you can get screws thru, reinstall your lid, be sure it opens and closes properly, and then put the entire assembly back in the car.....you are done....and your bins will function once again, and you dont see the tape except at the extreme top. Step by step pics follow.....

ray green

iTrader: (14)

I'm impressed, looks like a good idea.

Directfreak

iTrader: (2)

Good Stuff!

Siraniko

iTrader: (13)

Just go to a hardware store and buy the long but thin hingers for a permanent fix

83Limited

Hopefully it will last....I figure since the tape I used (gorilla tape) is a good bit thicker than regular duct tape, that maybe, just maybe it will hold its flexibility, especially since its doubled. Only time will tell, but at this point it works better than no hinge at all....

83Limited

Thought about that too, that would work if the lid didnt sandwich the hinge. If you run a piano hinge it will hold the lid off the bin at the top because you would have to mount it to the outside of the lid, rather than the "middle".....

cosmicbang

Or you could do it the right way and use actual hinge material, preferably a heavier-duty version of the original.

83Limited

Only problem with that is the top of the actual bin structure itself serves as the hinge. The hinge was molded literally in the top mounting lip. Anything you put on hingewise will change the relationship of the bin lid to the bin itself, causing the bin lid to not sit flush when closed.

cosmicbang

It was almost 30 years ago, but I think I mounted it behind the bin structure. It did work, the repair was undetectable, and lasted for many years. I couldn't find a small enough piano hinge in the proper color, geometry, and material.

A hardware-store or generic piano hinge will not look or function exactly right. However after I had already arranged to have the hinge material manufactured, I found a company that could make the correct piano hinge.

83Limited

Thats the problem I have been wrestling with, getting the proper fit after the hinge repair was made. This tape solution might not be the best method, but it seems to work and doesnt create more problems. The lids open and close as close to factory as possible, since the hinge point is actually in the same place, and is not moved for or aft in relation to the bin or lid.

Sgt Fox

iTrader: (3)

To be honest, I used black duct tape at least 5 years ago on just the outside edge as a temporary fix. Still holding strong, and you don't see it when you open the bin lid.

83Limited

Good to hear that it seems to hold. I think its you that originally put the duct tape idea in my head last year sometime.

kencunm

iTrader: (3)

Good idea, for when my hinges do finally break! I may have one of only 50 cars left that doesn't have the hinges broken.

sa7

iTrader: (13)

I did the exact same thing 2 years ago with gorilla tape, and it's still holding strong. I don't open my bins very much, but it works great, and you don't notice that it's taped.

ray green

iTrader: (14)

I actually conceived of this idea about ten years ago, when I first thought about my bins and read all that piano hinge crap.

However, I did not actually do it and I didn't take pictures so the rest of us could see how it works.

Very nice Barron! This post needs to head to the archive.