Abstract: A vehicle rear lift gate hinge and counterbalance assembly (22) includes a pair of laterally spaced hinges (24) and a counterbalance (25) including a torque rod (26) for pivotally supporting and counterbalancing a vehicle rear lift gate (18) for movement between open and closed positions with respect to a rear opening (14). Each hinge (24) includes a vehicle mounted hinge member (28) and a gate mounted hinge member (30) pivotally connected to each other. The torque rod (26) has a unitary construction including a central portion (38) ends (40) that include U-shaped bight portions (42) respectively received between laterally spaced portions (34) of one of the hinge members and engageable with an engagement portion (36) of the other hinge member to provide counterbalancing adjacent the closed position of the lift gate (18).

Abstract: An adjustable gooseneck hinge (22) for supporting a vehicle closure member (20) includes an adjuster (60) having an adjuster strap pivotally supported by a pivotal connection (32) on a vehicle body mounted hinge member (26) and including a pin and elongated slot connection (64) that connects a first end (42) of a gooseneck strap (40) with the pivotal connection and the adjuster strap. An adjustable connection (65) of the adjuster (60) adjusts the spacing between the pivotal connection (32) and a curved gooseneck portion (48) of the gooseneck strap (40), that connects the first end thereof with a second end (44) thereof on which the closure member (20) is mounted. A second pin and elongated slot connection (66) is also provided between the adjuster strap (62) and the gooseneck strap first end (42) at a spaced location from the pivotal connection (32).

Abstract: A gooseneck type hinge (18) for a vehicle body deck lid (16) includes a gooseneck member (20) moved by a control link (42) between a vertically extending orientation in an open position of the deck lid and a horizontally extending orientation in a closed position of the a deck lid so as to limit the extent to which the gooseneck member (20) of the hinge intrudes into the usable space of the associated vehicle body compartment (12). A universal hinge member (30) of the hinge has a first pivotal connection (32) for providing pivoting thereof about a first axis A on a vehicle body mounted member (28) and also has a second pivotal connection (34) that mounts a first end (22) of the gooseneck member (20) with respect thereto about a second axis B that is generally transverse to the first axis A.