One for the hood experts

[V Mad]

The top end of the torsion spring is meant to be in front of the tab, like the RH one.

The purpose of the torsion springs is simply to stop the hood crashing onto the top of the windscreen when raised. If the springs catch in the mechanism they can jam the hood completely

[Guest]

V Mad, sorry to be a pain here. The spring on the LH side is in front of the tab and behind it (and wobbly and probably making the clank noise)) on the right hand one. Or are we talking different backs and fronts!

I think the LH one is doing its job because the RH side of the hood nearly touches the windscreen on raising and the LH side is much higher.

I'll be back in the barn this afternoon for another look. I'm learning as I go along.

[V Mad]

Sorry, yes, I agree. LH one is correct, right hand one is wrong.

You will proably find that the RH one will not stay in front unless you do something to fix the spring (re-bend the spring or fitting a piece of tubing over the end could be a quick fix).

[Guest]

Thanks - Footie on now, so I'll be late in the barn today!

[Guest]

V Mad,

Update.

P1010623.jpg

I fixed the RH spring along the lines you recommended. However, it is still weaker than the LH spring, so the hood goes up like this:

P1010626.jpg

No problem with that as I just pull the hood down to locate the catches.

Last comment, I really have to thump the tonneau cover to get the catches to locate, as both sides of the cover are bearing on the mechanism. As my experience is just my car, would you say this was normal? I might try the unzipping method to see if that makes any difference.

[V Mad]

The spring has probably become bent and so is partially closed up. To resolve that you would need to reset the spring (not easy with hood in car).

If the hood is not folding down fully into the well, have you tried pulling the folds in the cover material out of the frame towards the rear? Is it the frame at the back thats too high or the fronts?

[Guest]

It is the fronts that are too high. The frame at the back sits nicely on to whatever metal bit it sits on below. I haven't been at the Stag today. I have tried pulling out the bits as you suggested, but I'll have another go at that.

[V Mad]

OK, that probably means the frame is loaded up, due to stiff joints. Lube all the pivots including the front corners, and move them around to free them up. If that doesnt do it, the frame has probably already twisted.

[Guest]

Update. Oiled all the joints and took out the length of pipe insulation in the window fold. The window is a tight fit going into the hood well and I think the insulation was making it tighter. Maybe that is why some folks unzip the window. So, now with going from side to side tucking in the window and making sure there is no fabric trapped between bits of the mechanism as the hood goes down and giving it a gentle waggle from side to side - it goes down easier and better. One push clicks in the LH side of the tonneau and two pushes on the RH side did the trick. Before it was heavy thumps. So I think we are OK now. I still have to move the RH mechanism over a bit to clear the RH tonneau catch, but I can live with that.

So, many thanks for all the advice.

[V Mad]

.......and giving it a gentle waggle from side to side - it goes.....
.

Surprising what difference a little bit of lubrication makes.....