buzzmeup

Has anyone other than the writer of the article used this procedure. Getting ready to try it on 86 Camaro SC. If so any other suggestions on how to do this. I saw 1 post that said it did not work. Don't know if he was referring to the procedure or the or getting tot he link. Trued contactning the writer with e-mail got it back.

thanks

greatpumpkin_68

i need to do this as well.. was wondering what type of sealant to use. if anyone has done it i too would like to hear about it. thanks!

okfoz

I did that to my hatch and have not had any problems leaking... I just used 3M black strip caulk without any issues...

Its not too bad of a job, but it takes a little time... Just be careful, like anything else...

John

buzzmeup

Thanks for the reply, Took everything apart last nite. That factory sealant is some bad stuff. Is 3M strip caulk the same as beautle(SP) strip caulk use in the glass industry.

okfoz

I am not sure,

The strip caulk pretty much stays soft for its life... it can be gooie, and messy, I would recommend using some gloves when using it, but it is not a big deal either way. it cleans up really easily with lighter fluid (naptha) or mineral spirits... Not at all with water...

I want to think that the windshield sealer is a urethane of some sort....

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...glSNZRWQSX0Dbl

My box is red, the link shows a blue box...

John

Shadygrady

iTrader: (3)

Ive been wondering about the hatch alignment.In the tech article it seems they move the lid above the tag and lights with the spoiler on it,correct?Or do you adjust it where the hatch attaches to the roof of the car.Thanks

buzzmeup

I think you would normally adjust the side to side and the clearance around the glass and the top with the bolts that attach the hatch to the top of the car. Just finished aligning the rear (spoiler) on my 86 by following the tech article, looks alot better, mine had slipped back about a 1/4 of an inch. I did a couple of things differently. First it is a must to have some help to get the shocks off, I took mine completely off, they will get in the way later if you do not. I cut a 2x4 the width of the car, placed some rags on the top of the rear fenders turned the 2x4 on its side and let the glass rest on it while I got the metal cut loose from the glass, after everything was cleaned up I removed the 2x4 and let the glass down, positioned the metal on the glass, aligned the spoiler with the fender lines and then marked the glass. I used 3M window sealer instead of silicone caulk, its about 18.00 a tube(NAPA) and its some nasty stuff, however its is a lot better adhesive, I used about 1/4 tube, wish I had put more on after I finished. My car is not a daily driver so I am letting it cure for about a week before installing the shocks. Hope this helps, Wayne

Eagle223usa

Probably a dumb question but, How much of a gap should you have at the top of the glass near the roof? Anyone know the factory spec? My rear spoiler needs realigned but we had the whole rear hatch off during the repaint and it is out about 1/2 inch. Thanks.

buzzmeup

I have about a 1/4 inch from glass to roof, not sure if you can get 1/2 out of adjusting the hinge where it connects to roof. If you removed the hinges from the glass you might get some adjustment there. if you do the adjustment ref. the tech article I had used 3m window sealer when i put mine back together last week, it leak, so I took it apart again. The sealer did not stick as well as I thought it would, could have been my prep job. I am using 3M Window-Weld ribbon sealer when I put it back.. This stuff is more inline with what I removed when I took it apart. Be sure to note exactly where the factory sealer is located so you can duplicate that. It was about 30 days before i put mine back together. Good Luck

fyrebird68

iTrader: (1)

I needed to adjust my deck lid, too:

It looks like it may have been out since day one, since it was covered by the spoiler and you really couldn't see it unless you looked for it.

The adjustment described by the OP moves the metal part of the lid forward in relation to the glass. I didn't see any evidence that the glass had slid in relation to the metal part of the lid, so I went looking elsewhere.

The GM service manual says to loosen the bolts that hold the hinges to the body, and adjust the lid via these oversize holes. They are NOT oversize. As you can see, the hinge bolt has a square boss that exactly fits in the square hole in the body:



Definitely did not want to oversize the hinge holes holding the glass, and give it the opportunity to move under pressure from the stabilizers. I removed the hinges and bent them forward about 30 degrees. I made a little animated gif to show how it works:


Now lines up perfectly at the tail lights, AND I have a much nicer, smaller gap at the body line up front. (Clearances are fine; my parts in the GIF are not all correctly scaled...)

Dezined

How did you bend the hinge? I don't have anything strong enough to punch out the pin, and I don't wanna bend the slight angle built into the hinge. I don't have a torch, and was trying the vice, but wasn't having luck getting that thick metal to bend.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Don't bend the hinge!!!!!!!!
The correct way to to it is to loosen the glass to hinge bolts and or do the proper adjustment of the rear decklid to the glass.
If the hinge to body bolts have been removed you need to use a sealer to keep them from leaking when you put it back together. just a FYI.

When you bend the hinge it also can move the glass postion to the seal. Most cars have shims under the hinges to set that height properly.

Sure its a pain and takes longer to do things properly but its worth it.

fast400

Nice write up, but not fully correct. The square you see on the hinge is dried up sealer. Pick at it with a screwdriver, and you'll see. You can adjust the hatch from there.

okfoz

I have a question, not sure if it has been asked before... In my experience it appears to be more of a Norwood issue than a Van Nuys issue, as my Van Nuys cars really seem to be better than my Norwood cars... Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this too???

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

Mine is a Norwood car,and you can see clearly the hatch hanging over the back.This has been like this since I bought new in 86,I always thought it was normal and never questioned it.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

[quote=TTOP350;5379407]DON'T bend the hinge!!!!!!!!
The correct way to to it is to loosen the glass to hinge bolts and or do the proper adjustment of the rear decklid to the glass.
If the hinge to body bolts have been removed you need to use a sealer to keep them from leaking when you put it back together. just a FYI.

When you bend the hinge it also can move the glass postion to the seal. Most cars have shims under the hinges to set that height properly.

Sure its a pain and takes longer to do things properly but its worth it

I came to this thread for advice, But I am giving some here. NO WAY do you bend the hinge. The hinge is either aluminum or potmetal, and if you have messed with this stuff much you know bending it is a NO NO. I read a few threads on this today, and the deck lid to glass movement makes much sense. Constant pressure of both struts pushing in the aft direction for 20-30 years with the help of baking in the sun will allow movement.

fyrebird68

iTrader: (1)

I found this not to be correct for my car. I have the car apart for paint and the square peg and hole fit snugly together.

Hinge is steel. I took the deck apart and found no evidence that the metal has slid in relation to the window, so the hinge was my method of adjustment. Not saying anyone else is wrong, just stating what I found and what I did. Worked for me, may not for someone else.

Opinion-wise, I think this originally may have been a manufacturing tolerance problem from the factory. See mantaguy's statement above.

fyrebird68

iTrader: (1)

Sorry, duplicate post

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

Hinge is steel.


I'm not backpedaling here, and I don't have my car here to check for sure about the composition of the body side mount of the hinge. I was going from memory and I knew the glass side most assuredly is a cast, non ferrous metal. It is possible we may both be right.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

At any rate, bending the hinge or wallowing out holes (as suggested in another thread) is never a true solution to an alignment problem. It just moves the problem to another place. This will make the gap on the glass to body wrong.

fyrebird68

iTrader: (1)

Actually, one of the reasons I chose this route was that I felt the gap was too wide on the car (about 1"). It is now about 5/8" which was visually more appealing for me because the forward gap is now the same as the gap on the sides, without creating closing clearance issues.

I hear where you're coming from - I have a hard time convincing myself that 100 GM engineers are wrong and I am right . I think we just care more than they did. I think this adjustment is a judgement call for any owner wanting to do this.

Car is about 60 days from completion. I'll be sure to post some pics when I get it back together.