Good fix for weak or broken Xantia Door Hinges

[citroenxm]

Hi Nigel

Ill be welding her myself when I fix my welder!

Thanks for the tips!

Paul

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Paul,

Just one more bit of advice, I had a garage weld my top xantia drivers door hinge to the door but at the first attempt he didnt get the metal hot enough so the door came away from the hinge again.

heat seems to be the key.

I know little or nothing about the welding process, but this may be useful
to you.

regards Nigel.

[citroenxm]

Cheers Nigel,

Ive welded BOTH sets of cills on my two XM's and they have held now for 2 years... LOL

Advice welcome, any tips can always help...

Paul

[citroenxm]

Right - attempted this, with the wing off, and a wedge in the door...

BUT - I used an Arc Welder in work! As the age of the ole girl and general tidyness is slightly on the side on scruffy, due to milage, I was not too worried about looks!!

So, after TWO sticks, YES 2 Sticks of weld, and a massive mountain on the edge of the hinge the door is SOLID as a rock!!

I went through the tin metal and onto the solid plate behind!

Result: PERFECT! the door opens and closes without a hint of a drop!

Well pleased!

Thanks
Paul

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Phew!!! thats a relief it does work on other peoples cars then.

regards Nigel.

[ashy90]

Sounds an absolutely terrible design. Can't believe they Bodged it with filler - on brand new cars!?

[addo]

It was one of those things where good engineering theory was overrun by factory practice.

If performed in the manner specified, the outcome would have been a great strong system. But instead the factory setup (or possibly operators) failed to appreciate just how significant that requirement was, to fuse the two layers.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

more like over run by flippin robots and no quality control.

[addo]

No - it would almost certainly be the other way around - production staff with only a specific approach to welding, not a grasp of the need to really arc it up.

[ashy90]

I often think the story of Citroen is some very good designs and ideas, and also some very poor ones - mixed together.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

oh I see a cheap electric welder with 1mm rods and very low amps. absolutely useless.

[stedmancinques]

Never known a hatchback to suffer the same problem, , but I'm sure somebody will be along in a minute to contra that.

'fraid so. Happened to my '97 2.0 Desire Auto hatchback. Had a go at welding it up, without a great deal of success. Obtained a door from an on-line scrappy for £40 delivered, right colour too! Only difference was that the window winder on mine was Bosch, and on the replacement Magneti Marelli. The connectors are, of course, different. The scrappy had wound the window right down for safety in transit, making getting the mechanism out a problem, until I made up some leads, and with a spare battery, wound it back up.
If anyone wants a perfectly good Magneti Marelli window mechanism, they're welcome....
I'm sure one of the tecchies on here can show me how to put quotes from other members into one of those nice grey boxes.
Cheers

[red_dwarfers]

'fraid so. Happened to my '97 2.0 Desire Auto hatchback.
Cheers

You know, I had the same thing on my '97 hatchback on the door itself, like yours. It does make me wonder if it was a bad batch. Can't remember the RP on mine but it was built around Oct/Nov 97 time.

[MikeT]

I'm sure one of the tecchies on here can show me how to put quotes from other members into one of those nice grey boxes.
Cheers

Just click the QUOTE box in the post you want quoting from and it's all done for you. You can even edit out what you don't want appearing as I've done.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

20th of Feb 2012 the hinge is still holding stronger than it was new I reckon.
regards Nigel.