Worn Cobra rear-door hinges (both pin and hole)

On Dec 19, 6:51*am, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Saturday, December 17, 2011 12:51:02 PM UTC-5, Dave Nadler wrote:
Hi Folks - Anybody else had this problem ?
http://www.nadler.com/Antares/Cobra_...orn_hinge_clos...
I've got replacement pins from Spindelberger and
replacement rear corner channels, but I'm thinking
about an insert so all the loads aren't taken in
a thin bit of channel...
Thanks,
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

PS: ~55k miles on the trailer.

OK, lets recap, from thread here and private emails.

As it says above: I have NEW REPLACEMENT aluminum pins
and NEW REPLACEMENT (undrilled) corner channels
from Spindelberger.

I do not want to repeat the problem by using these
as used originally.

The structure (pins/channel) is STRONG enough, but
the aluminum pin on the thin aluminum corner channel
wears excessively. Aluminum-on-aluminum is NOT GOOD.

Suggestions so far via email and in this thread:

A bushing (as suggested by T8 and others) reduces
wear with a better fit and materials that wear less;
anything is better than aluminum-on-aluminum.

A replacement pin of steel (drill stock or cut
bolt with a couple holes through it for mounting;
no complicated machining required) will not wear
out so easily.

A steel insert, block or 1/4" plate bolted to
inside of channel, will give better wear and more
surface.

A tube insert (all the way through the corner channel)
can do likewise. Add a plastic cap on the outside
to keep the dirt out. Easy to make and install
(before riveting in replacement corner channel);
no complicated machining required.

Notes on more modern Cobra trailers:

The bottom of the existing corner channel is not
open; the sidewall extrusion is cut leaving this
area blocked. You cannot just slide a reinforcement
part in from the bottom; you have to remove the
corner channel (bunch of rivets).

The skids are mounted forward of the rear corner
channel.

Further thoughts ?
Thanks in advance,
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0....html?dsId=217....

Dave, you already have lots of good advice but here's another idea.
http://www.popsci.com/diy/gallery/20...-plans?image=4

Metal filled epoxy like this is just as strong as aluminum. It could
be used inside the frame tubes to re-size the holes. If you coated
the new pins with mold release compound and clamped the door in
perfect alignment while the epoxy set up, you'd have a tight, rattle
free fit. The fix would probably last as long as the rest of the
trailer. If it didn't, it's easy to repeat the repair.