1995 SuperSport Rear Deck Hinges

[workky]

I need to tighten these things up,any idea how?The screw just free spins on the bottom,cannot even see the nut.Looks like the cover will need to come off.I dont know.somebody help me

[DavidF]

RE: 1995 SuperSport Rear Deck Hinges

Yep, you have to get under the vinyl to reach the nylock nuts. I tightened mine up when I replaced the sun deck vinyl.

[Chexi]

RE: 1995 SuperSport Rear Deck Hinges

Yes, this is a serious design flaw. I could not figure out a way to do this without being inside the vinyl, which as David can probably attest, made putting the new vinyl on the rear hatch no fun. It certainly made you start stapling on that side, then put the hinges on before stapling the other side. It requires a leap of faith that you got everything just right.

In your case, since it does not sound like you are replacing the vinyl, you should be able to get away with unstapling just the sides and maybe a little of the hinge side. Just enough to get your arms in there. David, do you remember the size of the nuts?

The real danger here is that you will not have extra vinyl to pull on to restretch back in to place before stapling. You also need stainless or better Monel staples.

Bottom line is unless they are really loose, I'd leave em be or take it to a pro otherwise you are about to open up a nasty can of worms.

[DavidF]

RE: 1995 SuperSport Rear Deck Hinges

I believe the nuts are 3/8" (but could be 7/16"). I left the hinges installed on the deck when I re-vinyled. Simply stapled and cut around the hinge and tucked the vinyl up under the hinge. Seemed this is the way it was done at the factory as there was no vinyl or staples under the hinges originally. Worked out fine.

I do not think unstapling and restapling old vinyl will be a problem. The vinyl has more than likel taken a set and thus should be easy to reposition for stapling.

[Mr.O]

RE: 1995 SuperSport Rear Deck Hinges

I have a 96 and have lag screws - no nuts! There were those plastic plugs like you put in drywall. Replacing the plugs didn't do much as they're set in foam. How this is supposed to be I have no clue. I loosened the hinge off, and tried to glue it up with 5200. Seems to be working OK for now, and it beats the alternative of spending 30-40 hours fixing it right.