Neff oven door hinges getting weak

[nospam]

SWMBO just complained that the main oven door on our Neff U1661N1GB/09 oven isn't fully closing. A quick investigation revealed nothing stuck so I guess one or both of the spring-loaded hinges is/are tired. I've rigged a temporary "fix" with a couple of small, eccentrically pivoted, pieces of plywood but will need to take the door apart next week to see what's going-on. Has anyone been through the same problem? New hinges are about £27 each so I don't really want to replace both if I don't have to - have you successfully stretched or pre-loaded the springs, or found some other fix?

[newshound]

My experience (with Kenwood) is that there is no easy fix. My replacements were much cheaper than this though.

[nospam]

I've had a look at the old ones now and there's no visible wear but the springs are surprisingly serious beasts so I've decided not to try messing about with them. I'll pull the oven tonight and see if I can slightly change the angle of the hinge "receivers" to improve the situation.

[newshound]

Originally, I was puzzled as to why oven springs "weaken" in service, because they don't get very hot. Motorcyclists from the old days will be familiar with the need to replace valve springs because they shorten in service, particularly the exhaust ones. I'd always assumed this was because of a high temperature process, creep. Performance engines use expensive nimonic exhaust valves for the same reason.

A metallurgist with a production engineering background tells me the relaxation is actually caused by plastic deformation around microcracks and other defects

[nospam]

I pulled the oven and removed the "receivers" (needs the oven bottom removing) and found that one of them was bent in such a way that I suspect it was a manufacturing defect from 10 years ago. I introduced it to the anvil, a few steel slips and a big hammer and after a while it decided that it no longer wanted to be bent. I put both "receivers" back with a 1mm washer between the top and the oven front (to slightly increase the angle) and the door now shuts better than it ever has. Simples! Door problems seem to be quite common so maybe this will help someone.

[newshound]

Well done! I did wonder if something could be bodged when I had my Kenwood problems some time ago, but I couldn't see an obvious way.

Incidentally (for other interested readers) I puzzled for some considerable time as to how to actually get the door off, before trying YouTube and there it was, all explained and demonstrated. Many generous sharers out there.