Help with Upper Hinge Screws Ripping Off

  • Thread starter Thread starter jocs_1116
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the mechanics of door hinges, specifically why the screws of the upper hinge tend to fail first. It is explained that the weight of the door creates a clockwise moment around the lower hinge, causing the upper hinge to bear more force. This imbalance means that if a door is too heavy, the upper hinge screws are more likely to be ripped out. The conversation also highlights the practical experience of hanging a door, demonstrating that the upper hinge supports the majority of the door's weight. Ultimately, the upper hinge experiences significantly greater stress than the lower hinge during normal use.
jocs_1116
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
pls help me with this one..

most doors are fastened to the wall using two hinges, which are placed symmetrically along the length. why do the screws of the upper hinge get
ripped off first? :confused:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I think the weight of the door gives rise to a clockwise moment about the lower hinge. The upper hinge therefore must apply some force to keep the door in place. Due to this if the the door is too heavy the screws of the upper hinge get ripped off.
 
Last edited:
Looked at another way:

Have you ever seen a door hung with *only* the top hinge attached? I do this when installing a door - attach the top hinge first. What does the bottom hinge do? Well, the bottom half of the door "dangles". You can easily move the door and, with just a little effort, actually put it in place, without even attaching the lower hinge.

Try hanging a door bottom hinge first. You will likely find yourself on the ground with a bump on your noggin and a door with a ripped lower hinge on top of you.

Point is, it becomes very evident that there is a *much* larger force acting on the top hinge than on the bottom hinge. The door wants to fall over, and in doing so, it will pivot about a point (the bottom corner of the door) which is very near the lower hinge.
 
So I know that electrons are fundamental, there's no 'material' that makes them up, it's like talking about a colour itself rather than a car or a flower. Now protons and neutrons and quarks and whatever other stuff is there fundamentally, I want someone to kind of teach me these, I have a lot of questions that books might not give the answer in the way I understand. Thanks
Back
Top