After changing a flat at 5 am, feeling the job well done and bed calling me, I went to shut/slam the tailgate door to my wagon and watched as one (passenger) hinge sheared off immediately, then the other one moments later, likely due to lateral forces that the mishung door quickly levered on its remaining hinge. So now of course there is no 5th door on my 245. The car is worth on paper maybe two of those brand new hinges from IPD. I'm planning on pick'n'pulling it on a day off soon.

I've had a 15-20 lb. bicycle rack attached to that door since around 2009, and for a while it was necessary to have on there in order to keep the gate from flapping while I drove, as it went thru a phase for a few years where I could never get any portion of its latch and clasp to hold properly. This is the only thing I can think of as to why my hinges spontaneously failed, since from what I've searched around here that doesn't seem to be a common problem. In fact I thought that sort of thing only happened in the National Lampoon Vacation film variety, so slapstick it wasn't actually possible, or at least after changing a tire just before dawn.


was my car sneaking off to the movies without me and getting ideas, or has anyone found themselves in the same scenario? I'm just worried that any other hinge that comes from a parts car is going to run me the same risk. Do these things just give up after 32 years of service, or was I wrong to rock the bike rack for so many years?

Just wondering if a used hinge equates to a Part 2 at a later date, if these are designed to shear after some years of use. Thanks as always, fellas, your input is always appreciated

This thread helped me: https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1210087

Should anyone want the PDFs Tatra Mike created, I still have them.


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today...I did.

fwiw
my 75 245 had one shock. on the other side was a slider device with a catch that locked in at the full open position. this held the hatch up and took the pressure off the single shock.

the plus of this system was that it took two hands to close the hatch. you had to lift the hatch and with the other hand disengage the locking tab on the slider side...holding it off, while you lowered the hatch, moving the slider past catch notch. this procedure forced you to lower the hatch without slamming it.

this however did not stop the hinge pins from rounding out the holes at the pivot point. that is a fault/wear spot ----slamming or not, it will happen.

Thanks guys, real good thinking here, all sufficiently answers my vague question. The visual accompanyments Jsun said a lot.

I'm headed to the yard today. fingers crossed. i'll figure out the finer points later.

Yeah I can't tell which part of the hinge was the first to go - the doorside flange joint around the main pin, or the door's perpendicularly angled pylon-brace-thing that is fastened by the phillips head screw. But an intact set from the local PnP were found and will finally make the fit tomorrow.

I will be mindful of letting that tailgate slam down again after that.

Also anyone trying to remove the two bolts affixing the hinge via the inside of the roof behind the headliner GRAB AN EXTENDER FOR YOUR 12mm SOCKET WRENCH AND USE IT FOR THE ENTIRE PROCESS -- I foolishly first thought it was shallow enough to reach without, and my clumsy finger workings quickly made that 12mm socket disappear down the unreachable crush space between the inner and exterior walls of the car frame surrounding the door. Having expected such things to happen by now, I wasn't surprised or upset, since 95% of the car has otherwise been very forgiving, but still - losing a 12 when you do volvo is like losing a vowel on your keyboard, and is not easily forgotten.

Two thoughts, having recently replaced the hinges on my 76 245.

First, you note that the hatch has had difficulty closing for a number of years. I have observed that the hatches on these cars really seem to close with a BANG already (I have new struts on mine, and I'm surprised at how they still aren't exactly subtle in their action). I think that years of slamming definitely weaken the hinges in two different ways.

(hence my 2nd thought)

On my car, I had one hinge where over time the pin basically crept out to the point where it was barely holding through one hole. See pics below.





That second picture is trying to show how much the pin had shifted. I replaced the hinge, but eventually the pin would pull entirely out of the hole and the hinge would likely bust apart in no time. Maybe this is what happened to yours. I've yet to figure out how to press this thing back to its proper position. I'd love to be able to do that as I'd have a nice hinge if I could fix this.

In addition, I've found junkyard hinges where the long piece that goes down into the hatch is busted clean off while the hinge was still secured to the car. The long piece in this photo:



You can still use the hinge with just the 3 big bolts (2 on the car body, 1 on the hatch), but I suspect that over time it's less secure and could fail.

Bottom line is that decades of constant slamming does seem to take a toll on the hinges. But as has been noted here, you can probably find decent ones from other board members or at a junkyard.

They do close hard which is why most 245 owners ease the tailgate shut.

The kids, the neighbors, anyone who might have occasion to close it have all heard, "Don't slam the tailgate," usually half a second too late.


--
'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon, '15 XC70 T6

One would think that after only 32 years, Volvo would stand behind its parts. I have always had questions about the proper way to grease them, there is no grease nipple or an oil port.

No, there is no failure rate for the hinges. I expect junk yard versions to last a very long time, so long as you install the tail gate properly and latch/lock without pushing it hard.
--
Keeping it running is better than buying new

Can't answer why yours broke--maybe just wear from opening and closing along with extra weight - the kind of wear that creeps up on you over time - till it makes its presence known :-( I have used hinges if you don't want to have to hit the yards. $30 for a pair + postage. Write me at ---fastforwardphoto(AT)yahoo(DOT)com----Dave

I've had one break in a manner similar to what you describe.