Attaching a stainless steel windshield hinge question.

[71massbronco]

I am wondering if my stainless steel hinge would be better if it was attached using a stainless steel to steel adhesive instead of welding? Do they make this? How does welding stainless to regular work? Or should I rivet?

 

[WorkerBee]

I am wondering if my stainless steel hinge would be better if it was attached using a stainless steel to steel adhesive instead of welding? Do they make this? How does welding stainless to regular work? Or should I rivet?

There is no issue welding stainless to mild steel. With rivets the grip length is what's critical. Once you have it matched to your application rivets work well too. Good luck.

 

[turbotim2]

I drilled mine and and am using screws just in case it ever needs to come off again. I chamfered to holes and used phillips flat head machine screws and lock nuts so they are flush.

 

[Broncitis]

I have installed these with knurled steel Rivnuts so I could make it removable like the early years had.

 

[ScottC]

Broncitis, can you post some pics of your install?

I had mine repainted and am in the process of reassembly, and after folding the windshield up and down a few times for various things, the paint is flaking off the hinge. I think I'd like to just remove it and use unpainted stainless, but I don't want to weld since all my paint is fresh.

 

[sp71eb]

I wouldn't use a panel bond adhesive on the windshield frame. The way the frame puts a load on the hinge isn't ideal for metal bonding. Panel bond has good shear strength and not so good peel strength that means that it wont pull straight apart easily but it will peel apart with a side load and once it starts going it will just fly off. I would go ahead and weld it or bolt it as explained above.

 

[71massbronco]

Thanks guys, got the answers I am looking for!

 

[Broncitis]

Broncitis, can you post some pics of your install?

I had mine repainted and am in the process of reassembly, and after folding the windshield up and down a few times for various things, the paint is flaking off the hinge. I think I'd like to just remove it and use unpainted stainless, but I don't want to weld since all my paint is fresh.

I'll have to see if I have any. I have done this on a couple customers rigs, but and not sure if I took any pics in process.

One think is the gap between the hinge leafs is generally smaller than the head height of hex bolts. The early factory bolts have thin heads, so I just chucked some SS 1/4-20's in the lathe and faced them for a thin head so they will allow the hinge to fully close. You could probably also use a pan head phillips or some other lower profile head?

 

[Revelation]

Used stainless/Stainless pop rivets on mine, 2 years and 16000 miles and still tight.