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An adjustable hinge set and a method for making it improves mounting of a deck lid to a motor vehicle body by permitting mass production adjustments without distortion or multiplication of the parts installed. A hinge set bracket with spaced flanges receiving a pivot strap and pivot therebetween is

An adjustable hinge set and a method for making it improves mounting of a deck lid to a motor vehicle body by permitting mass production adjustments without distortion or multiplication of the parts installed. A hinge set bracket with spaced flanges receiving a pivot strap and pivot therebetween is formed with a substantially vertical slot in each flange. At least one insert having a collar and a stem, reinforces the spacing between the support flanges, as the pivot pin compressionally engages the flanges. Preferably, two inserts having a collar and a stem have a combined length that reinforces the predetermined spacing within a predetermined tolerance when compression is adjusted.

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1. An adjustable hinge set for a motor vehicle deck lid, the hinge set comprising: a pivot pin including a bolt and a nut, the bolt having a head end and a threaded end;a hinge bracket having a pair of pivot support flanges spaced apart from each other, each pivot support flange having an elongated

1. An adjustable hinge set for a motor vehicle deck lid, the hinge set comprising: a pivot pin including a bolt and a nut, the bolt having a head end and a threaded end;a hinge bracket having a pair of pivot support flanges spaced apart from each other, each pivot support flange having an elongated slot for receiving the pivot pin;a strap having an end pivotally supported between the pair of pivot support flanges by the pivot pin, the end of the strap including a pair of bushings defining a pivot opening aligned with the elongated slots of the pivot support flanges, the pivot pin being received through the pivot opening in the end of the strap; andan insert assembly including a tubular insert and a pair of collars, the tubular insert receivable through the pivot opening in the strap and receiving the pivot pin therethrough, the tubular insert having a length corresponding to the space between the pivot support flanges, each collar located at an opposite end of the tubular insert and disposed between the strap and a respective pivot support flange, and each collar extending radially outward from the respective end of the tubular insert beyond the elongated slot to cover a portion of the pivot support flange;wherein the insert assembly forms a rigid column extending from one of the pivot support flanges to the other pivot support flange, and the pivot pin, when inserted through the insert assembly and elongated slots and tightened against the pivot support flanges, introduces a compressive load on the insert assembly sufficient to maintain the pivot pin in a fixed position within the elongated slots while limiting the clamping force applied to the strap. 2. The adjustable hinge set of claim 1, wherein the tubular insert comprises a pair of inserts, each insert having a stem such that the combined end-to-end alignment of the pair of inserts has the length corresponding to the space between the pivot support flanges. 3. The adjustable hinge set of claim 2, wherein each collar is integral with a respective one of the pair of inserts. 4. The adjustable hinge set of claim 3, wherein each stem of the pair of inserts includes a mating edge at an axial end opposite the collar, the pair of inserts engaging each other at their respective mating edges to form the tubular insert for receiving the pivot pin. 5. The adjustable hinge set of claim 3, wherein each bushing has a stem and a flange extending radially outward from the stem, the flange of each bushing having a first annular dimension and each collar having a second annular dimension at least as large as the first annular dimension. 6. The adjustable hinge set of claim 1, wherein the pivot pin includes an anti-rotation feature that locks the pivot pin from rotation relative to the pivot support flanges. 7. The adjustable hinge set of claim 6, wherein the anti-rotation feature is a neck provided on the bolt for engaging with one of the elongated slots. 8. An adjustable hinge set for a motor vehicle deck lid, the hinge set comprising: a hinge bracket having a pair of pivot support flanges spaced apart from each other, each pivot support flange having an elongated slot;a pivot pin received in the elongated slot of the pivot support flanges;a tubular strap having an end pivotally supported between the pair of pivot support flanges by the pivot pin, the end of the strap defining a pair of holes aligned with one another and with the elongated slots of the pivot support flanges, the pivot pin being received through the pair of aligned holes in the end of the strap;a pair of bushings, each bushing inserted in a respective one of the aligned holes of the strap, and the bushings defining a pivot opening for receiving the pivot pin; anda pair of tubular inserts receivable through the pivot opening and receiving the pivot pin, each tubular insert having an axially-extending stem insertable through one of the pair of bushings and a radially-extending collar disposed at an end of the stem between the strap and a respective pivot support flange and covering a portion of the elongated slot, the stems of the tubular inserts having mating edges disposed at ends opposite the collars such that the combined end-to-end alignment of the pair of tubular inserts has a length extending continuously from one of the pivot support flanges to the other pivot support flange. 9. The adjustable hinge set of claim 8, wherein each bushing has a stem and a flange extending radially outward from the stem, the flange of each bushing having a first annular dimension and each collar having a second annular dimension at least as large as the first annular dimension. 10. The adjustable hinge set of claim 8, wherein the pivot pin includes a bolt and a nut torqued together to induce a compressive load on the tubular insert sufficient to maintain the pivot pin in a fixed position within the elongated slots. 11. The adjustable hinge set of claim 10, wherein the pivot pin includes an anti-rotation feature that locks the pivot pin from rotation relative to the pivot support flanges. 12. The adjustable hinge set of claim 11, wherein the anti-rotation feature is a neck provided on the bolt for engaging with one of the elongated slots. 13. A method for facilitating up/down adjustment of a motor vehicle hinge assembly pivot held by spaced-apart, pivot support flanges that have substantially vertical elongated slots, the method comprising: positioning an end of a strap between the pivot support flanges, the end of the strap including a pair of holes aligned with one another and including a pair of bushings each inserted into a respective one of the aligned holes, the bushings defining a pivot opening;the step of positioning the strap between the pivot support flanges including aligning the holes of the strap with the elongated slots of the pivot support flanges,installing a tubular insert into the pivot opening, the tubular insert having a stem with a length extending from one of the pivot support flanges to the other pivot support flange;inserting a pivot pin through the elongated slots of the pivot support flanges and the stem of the tubular insert, the pivot pin formed from a bolt and a nut;adjusting alignment of the pivot pin in the elongated slots; andtightening the bolt and nut. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein installing the structural tubular insert comprises installing a pair of inserts, each of the pair of inserts having a stem and a collar located at an end of the insert, each collar disposed between the strap and a respective pivot support flange and covering a portion of an elongated slot, the combined end-to-end alignment of the pair of inserts having the length corresponding to the space between the pivot support flanges. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein each stem of the pair of inserts includes a mating edge at an opposite end of the collar, the pair of inserts engaging each other at their respective mating edges to form the tubular insert for receiving the pivot pin. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising locking the pivot pin against rotation relative to the pivot support flanges. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the pivot pin includes an antirotation feature for engaging with at least one elongated slot to resist rotation relative to the pivot support flanges. 18. The adjustable hinge set of claim 1, wherein the pivot pin, when inserted through the insert assembly and elongated slots and tightened against the pivot support flanges, introduces a compressive load on the insert assembly sufficient to maintain the pivot pin in a fixed position within the elongated slots while limiting the clamping force applied to the strap. 19. The adjustable hinge set of claim 7, wherein the neck is received in the elongated slot and has a dimension matching a dimension of the elongated slot to resist rotation. 20. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of tightening the bolt and nut introduces rigid resistance to a compressive load applied by the bolt and nut to the tubular insert. 21. The adjustable hinge set of claim 1, wherein each collar is disposed axially between the strap and the respective pivot support flange, and the collars are disposed parallel to the pivot support flanges. 22. The adjustable hinge set of claim 8, wherein each collar is disposed axially between the strap and the respective pivot support flange, and the collars are disposed parallel to the pivot support flanges. 23. The method of claim 14, wherein each collar is disposed axially between the strap and the respective pivot support flange, and the collars are disposed parallel to the pivot support flanges.