# Rear door hinges



## bigee (Oct 5, 2006)

My 2007 citroen relay conversion has a seized bottom rear door hinge, seized to the point it has started to crack the door panel. Apparently this is a common problem on these vans. Anyone got any ideas of the best way to free it? Ive tried every kind of penetrating oil to no avail, and don't really want to take it off if it can be helped because it looks a real pain of a job. I cant see how the bumper comes off to get at the bolts which still wouldn't be easy to get at. Was considering drilling and tapping to fit a grease nipple and try to force some grease into it, anyone tried this and did it work? Many thanks.


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## happygolucky (Jul 18, 2006)

Are you able to apply heat to it? Just enough to expand the hinge then liberally dose it with wd40 or GT65 again. Lubricate then with white grease.
Brian


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## happygolucky (Jul 18, 2006)

Are you able to apply heat to it? Just enough to expand the hinge then liberally dose it with wd40 or GT65 again. Lubricate then with white grease.
Brian


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

I have owned a Citroen Relay but never had to do this job, but I do know that many car door hinges have a small notch where the two halves butt up to each other to aid the application of oil. Check these are not blocked.

If you can't get the hinge off the van then you could try removing just the door leaving the hinge attached to the van. You can then get a pair of molegrips (use cardboard to protect the paint) which will give you leverage to operate the hinge while applying oil.

If that doesn't help then my experience of car hinges is that heat is the best solution as Brian suggests, but the hinge will have to come off to do it. Once it's hot enough you will see rust-coloured water oozing out, at which point you should be able to work the hinge back & forth in a vice. Once you have some movement you should be able to get some oil in there. Start with thin oil (3 in 1 or similar) and once free apply some decent oil that will last (I use engine oil). The worst part of this method is that the paint will be burned and the hinge will need respraying, but at least the main panels won't be affected.

EDIT: Just had another idea that might work, but it will require removing the hinge if possible. Instead of applying direct heat try leaving it an oven on a low for a while before trying again in a vice. I think this will save the paint from burning.


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## bigee (Oct 5, 2006)

Thanks for that i'll give that a try.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

bigee said:


> Thanks for that i'll give that a try.


I had to do all four of mine, the previous owner had only used the side door so they were solid, a real pain to do.

I took the doors of as they had split badly and the spot welds had boken.

I removed all of the hinges and drilled 3 holes in each one so they were out of site with the doors closed,a dn so they could be lubricated to free them and to maintain them.

I put one end in a vice and used a 300mm length of threaded bar to provide some leverage, I then heated up the hinge, and it eventually started to move freely, loads of WD 40 and they're all fine now, i rubbed them down and got a aerosol can made up to match so they also look ok, i keep meaning to plug the holes with some white Blue Tak to keep moisture out but might leave them.

See before pics, I'll take some after pics later when it gets light.

You might have less work to do on yours but mine were really bad and in danger of falling off if left, and although the doors did open I hadn't realised it was the metal bending and not just stiff hinges, you might just need to drill and spray WD40 into them, and just work them a bit, but they will need mig welding to stop the cracks spreading before you make them worse while trying to free them, if the splits are not as bad as mine were you could take one hinge off at a time, but be sure to support the door as they are very heavy, and will clout the main body if you're not careful.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

As promised pictures of hinge after repair.


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## bigee (Oct 5, 2006)

Hi again kev n liz. Wow, yours do look in a bad way but looks like youve done a good job. Ireally dont want to take the hinge off if i can help it, and the hinge does move, its just very tight. I think i'll drill it as you have and spray it and see if that frees it off first. As for the cracks, they're about three inches long but if i can free the hinge off i might get away with drilling a small hole at the end of the cracks to stop them spreading any more, rather than welding them. Thanks for that.


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I am not involved but may I ask how difficult it was to remove the hinges as my practical mind tells me that would be the best route to go to save any further damage to the panels.

Alan


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

They are really easy to remove if only doing one at a time as you don't need to disturb the wiring.

2 external bolts and 2 or 3 internal, I forget which, the internal ones are behind the long panel in the corners, put a bit of old rag below the bolts before taking them out as they may drop down into the bottom of the corner void and you cannot get to them, I dropped a screw down there and even with magnet they're gone forever.

I do advise taking them off as one of mine didn't feel too bad, but when off it was really stiff so still putting stress onto the door edge metal, and I would definitely get them welded drilling will stop the crack spreading and should be done even if welding but a garage could mig/tig them up in about 10 minutes each once the hinges are out of the way, then if you don't mark the hinges, a brush full of white smoothright will be fine to cover the ground down welding as it's very much out of site out of mind.


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