One thing I've allways wondered...

[Scorpion]

...why did Lego transition from the classic hinge on windshields to the current clicky hinge? That allways bugged me.

I miss some of the classic hinged pieces: the classic space windshields, the car roof with sunroof, that windshield extension thingy...

Does anybody know the reason of this change? I ask because it happened right in the middle of my Dark Age...

Sorry if this is innapropriate!

Brick on!

Scorpion

[simonwillems]

I have wondered about this as well and I think there are a couple of reasons:

After many years of use the old hinges loose their grip somewhat, making them fail to stand in upright position. The joints get more loose. I do not know how this same effect affects the new hinges because they have not been around that long...

The other reason can be that the teeth of the hinges can break off, I have several broken teeth on my hinges, making them less stiff in holding the roof.

Still it's a shame that they changed the mechanism from the subtile looking old hinge to the blocky looking new contraption.

Luckily I have a small drawer full of the old hinges and they are still widely available on Bricklink!

[Matt Dawson]

I personally would've preferred Lego to re-do the design for the hold type hinge - it was much more 'hidable'. Plus it was easier to use!

[CP5670]

Someone asked Steve Witt this question at the Brickfair Q&A and he said something about the old hinges requiring a standard of quality that was too hard to achieve, but he was pretty vague about it.

I think the real reason is that the design itself was flawed. If you look at them carefully, they fit together in a way that bends and crushes the plastic. The plastic slightly deforms right away when you first put them together. They lose their grip over time, especially if you take them apart and re-assemble them a few times.

However, the roof/canopy pieces you mention had the fingers placed further apart and didn't seem to suffer from this issue, so I'm not sure why those were changed. Probably just to fit in with the new system.

Edited September 8, 2009 by CP5670

[Big Cam]

Someone asked Steve Witt this question at the Brickfair Q&A and he said something about the old hinges requiring a standard of quality that was too hard to achieve, but he was pretty vague about it.

I think the real reason is that the design itself was flawed. If you look at them carefully, they fit together in a way that bends and crushes the plastic. The plastic slightly deforms right away when you first put them together. They lose their grip over time, especially if you take them apart and re-assemble them a few times.

However, the roof/canopy pieces you mention had the fingers placed further apart and didn't seem to suffer from this issue, so I'm not sure why those were changed. Probably just to fit in with the new system.

I agree, but I wonder if LEGO got alot of comlplaints on these pieces breaking. I for one never realized this unitl this thread. All of my hinges still work fine but I understand that after heavy use they probably would break.

Bring them back LEGO!

[mikey]

This issue was my biggest disapointment when I came back to Lego. I had encountered them first in my nephew's Star Wars sets, and I was gutted when I found out the Fingered Hinge was out of production.

Both types of design have advantages and flaws, and I can say from my Childhood expierence that the Fingered Hinge will eventully wear out and provide no friction. I presume that the Click Hinge is more resilient, although I do think that the actual Click could also be eroded with constant use. I think the Click Hinge is a really usefull part, and would not be without it now, but the Finger Hinge is essential as well. I use both, sometimes the Holding Power of our new fangled friend, the Bulky Click is needed. Another time the full Range of Movement which our classic and gracefull old companian, the Fingered Hinge provides is essential.

The search for a decent sized stash of Finger Hinges lead me to my first BrickLink purchase.

Edited September 8, 2009 by mikey

[Rick]

I don't think we'll ever see back the old style hinges, as TLG seems to have replaced them with this pair:

At least they provide for 'free angles', but they are still slighty bulkier than the old style hinge.

[The Green Brick Giant]

I like the new ones more for the most part.

I think LEGO switched because the little "teeth" in the old style would break. I do miss the cars with the sunroof, I wish those would get a redo, but I will live.

[davee123]

I think it's also about having a system of hinges, too. In the past there have been a wide variety of hinge types:

- 1x2 hinge bricks (still around)

- 1x2/1x4 hinge bricks (still around)

- 1x4 fingered hinge plates (replaced with click hinges)

- 1x2 fingered hinge plates (replaced with click hinges)

- snakey connectors (replaced with click hinges)

- 2x4.5 plate hinges (replaced or removed)

- 1x4/1x8 brick hinges (long gone)

So, switching to click hinges helps to reduce the various types of hinges that LEGO produces. But as stated, the click hinge also has the advantage of better enduring typical child play, without requiring high tolerances. The finger hinges need very high tolerances in order to work well for a long time with kids' normal wear-and-tear. But click hinges hold up better, and don't require the same tolerance.

DaveE

[Captain Green Hair]

I've been buying up old style plate hinges ever since those hideous and useless ones hit the market.

I say useless as they are a bit longer then the old ones, so they don't fit perfectly into the system any more.

I don't think we'll ever see back the old style hinges, as TLG seems to have replaced them with this pair:

At least they provide for 'free angles', but they are still slighty bulkier than the old style hinge.

Those actually make nice hinges for gunports on somewhat larger ship i think.

[mikey]

In defence of the Click Hinge system we now have

and a array of variants, which I have recently found to be very usefull.

In some ways if you have a supply of the Finger system, the Click system adds new possibilities. But it is sad to think at one point in the future all the Finger Hinge produced will be broken, and it will not be possible to ever use one again.