Bonnet adjustment

[IanW]

I've just had some long overdue bodywork and paintwork tidying up done on the car and all looks good, except that the the driver's side of the bonnet has started "fluttering" when driving along. Everything looks right - the bonnet fits squarely into place and the rubber stops on top of the wings at the windscreen endare boththere - but the bonnet isn't sitting tight enough to the body on the top (windscreen) offside edge.

Obviously the bonnet was removed and refitted during the work and needs some adjustment, butI can't see how to get any vertical movement on the hinge.

Any ideas anyone? Is this just a case of some gentle twisting of the whole bonnet until I get it snug??

Ian

[Ian Durrant]

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Hi Ian,

There is some adjustment in the length of the shaft (inside the spring) on the bonnet half of the catch. in the end of the shaft is a screwdriver slot and at the other end of the shaft (under the spring) is a locknut. By loosening the locknut you should be able to use a screwdriver to shorten the shaft and then try closing it again. Once you get it right you can tighten the locknut again.

This should get it sitting lower at the windscreen end and mean that it sits tighter on the rubber stops, thus preventing it vibrating at speed. All stag bonnets seem to have a very slight twist in them but they flex enough that they will sit properly on the rubber stops both sides if the lock is correctly adjusted.

Hope that helps
Ian

[Guest]

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Hi Ian, welcome to the Forum mate, join in - go mad ! The easiest way to sort your bonnet, is to slacken the four bolts that hold the catch to the firewall, then tap the catch down gently, retighten and try it out, then adjust again if needed,it takes very little movement to settlethebonneton the little bump stops, good luck, Martin.

[IanW]

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Thanks Ian - that's great ! I've just tried this out and you are absolutely right. Haven't road tested it yet, but it is now much tighter on the stops. I'll give it a run during the week and see if it needs any more adjustment.

When I was fiddling, I remembered that there is a very similar arrangement on the rear section of thesoft top. A few years ago, the lock nut on mine had somehow worked loose and the bolt had extended and bent slightly - meaning that the spring wasn't able to push clear of the catch. I had the devil of a job to release it !!

Anyway. Thanks once again.

Ian

[IanW]

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Thanks for your suggestion as well Martin. I was messing in the garage so didn't see it before replying to Ian. I guess that this is the way to go if you haven't enough adjustment on the spring/bolt.

...now back to that G&T

Ian

[DJT]

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Ian Durrant wrote:

All stag bonnets seem to have a very slight twist in them but they flex enough that they will sit properly on the rubber stops both sides if the lock is correctly adjusted.

It always bugs me when someone opens or closes the bonnet on my Stag holding the corner. I always reach across and lift the bonnet from the centre by the air intake. Avoids all stress on the hinges and any risk of introducing twists. Likewise to close, I lower it in the same way and then push in the centre, or drop it the last few inches, again from thecentre of the top edge.

Just fussy I guess..........

Dave

[GDPR]

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You and me both Dave - the last time I let someone else under my bonnet, they just released the stay and dropped it - resulting in the bonnet twisting and oscillating on the way down and a great chunk of paint knocked out of the front scuttle from the bonnet corner - it comes nowhere near the body if you just lower it and then just push it down to lock.....

Some respect for my Stag please!!

[Sheepdip]

imported post

IanW wrote:

Thanks Ian - that's great ! I've just tried this out and you are absolutely right. Haven't road tested it yet, but it is now much tighter on the stops. I'll give it a run during the week and see if it needs any more adjustment.

When I was fiddling, I remembered that there is a very similar arrangement on the rear section of thesoft top. A few years ago, the lock nut on mine had somehow worked loose and the bolt had extended and bent slightly - meaning that the spring wasn't able to push clear of the catch. I had the devil of a job to release it !!

Anyway. Thanks once again.

Ian

My original Stag was fine until I removed the sealing strip at rear of bonnet (for cooling) and now it flutters - annoying, it will go back on.. A word of warning, don't adjust bonnet without checking you can still open it. Sounds daft but I put my bonnet back on, shut it and it wouldn't open...and you can't get to the catch. Luckily I jacked the car up to try underneath and bonnet came open, flexing I guess.