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Sometimes, a little controversy can draw some unknown facts and strengths into the limelight. In this particular case, I’m talking about the INEOS Grenadier hinges.
In the past, hinges have been one of the contributing elements that have earned certain 4x4s negative acclaim amongst the overlanding and off-road community. Some entrepreneurs then took that weakness and turned it in their favour by producing state-of-the-art replacements that have indeed proved themselves a worthy investment and adding value to a vehicle which would otherwise start to (literally) fall apart.
CALLING A SPADE A SPADE
When INEOS set out to develop a replacement for the void created after the original Defender’s demise, they reflected some of its greater characteristics, re-invented components that did not meet their standards, and abided by legislative red tape until they came up with what we now know as the INEOS Grenadier.
One significant flaw the engineers addressed and alleviated concerns the door hinges. Now, without going into too much detail, the decade-old recipe of steel, aluminium and some antiquated production methods has proven to be a hotspot for corrosion. Defender hinges, for example, will likely cause a problem if the vehicle owner does not stay on top of regular and conscientious maintenance.
One company picked up on this historical problem and, prematurely, implied the same pitfall applies to the Grenadier:
“Similarly to the original Defender, replacing the hinges on the Ineos Grenadier is one of those jobs you cannot avoid. The factory hinges are assembled, uncoated, onto a bare steel door. Ineos only install a paper seal between the two surfaces. In the long run, this will cause massive rust problems. In a worst case scenario, this could even lead to door replacement.”
ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM
I reached out to INEOS and asked for their comments on the above statement. In summary, here is their response:
Having checked this with the engineering team, it’s clear that the above statement and concerns regarding the quality of INEOS Grenadier hinges is entirely unfounded.
The Grenadier hinges have been engineered with an absolute focus on durability and safety, to the point that Grenadier’s hinges represent the benchmark for hinges on this type of off-road vehicle.
- The hinges are coated by the supplier before the paint process at Hambach.
- The Grenadier’s doors are aluminium, not steel.
- The bodyside part of the hinge is steel for crash protection purposes.
- All steel components used in body and hinge package are galvanised.
TESTING AND CERTIFICATION
The Grenadier hinge has been tested over 100,000 cycles under forced climatic conditions ranging between -40°C degrees and +90°C.
The Grenadier hinge is crash test certified.
CONCLUSION
From a practical point of view, it is far too early to comment on the longevity and durability of the factory INEOS Grenadier hinges. However, the above statement from INEOS, along with the disclosures regarding materials used, processes employed, test procedures and safety certification, the evidence suggests the Grenadier’s hinges are the best OEM solutions available today and that any related quality issues we may have previously seen elsewhere, belong in the annals.
INEOS Grenadier — Built on Purpose
