something just snapped

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:43 pm

Opened the front bonnet this morning to fit my mk2 wiper when i lifted it something snapped. now the bonnet wont lift right up. Will it be hard to fit a new beacket as i think that is what snapped?

Cheers

Craig

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 8:36 pm

Not just me having bonnet trouble then...

Is it up clear of the catch or is the catch jammed? Mine came away from the clam at the front as the hinge had seized.

Rich

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:59 pm

cant really open it mate unless i pull it towards the windscren then it will go up. have you fixed it?

Cheers
Craig

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:10 pm

Is it the hinge or the catch? I fixed the hinge, sounds like you have catch problems. The bonnet is held on by 3 bolts through oversize holes in the hinge. Ths means you have loads of movement to re-adjust the alignment. Does it have an even panel gap around it when shut? If not adjust it.

The catch is quite simple too but if it worked before something else is out of line. The catch has some adjust I think too. I'll go and get a pic.

Rich

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:18 pm

Rich its defo the hing that has snapped the catch is fine.

Cheers
Craig

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:20 pm

OK the catch has 2 allen bolts and will move a little, better would probably be the hinge bolts in the other pic:

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:22 pm

yeah its the hing that has snapped. the 3 bolts are fine its where it is attched to the car that has snapped i think

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:36 pm

Ah exactly like mine then, don't worry it's an easy fix. The hinge is very crude and will pull off eventually, it's stuck on with bathroom sealant and a couple of pop rivets.

Tools:

3mm drill
knife
8 and 10 mm spanners
5 ad 6 mm stainless bolts (If you want)
threadlock
grease for hinge
sikaflex (Ideally) or some bathroom sealant
more rivets or some small bolts (I used highlocks for a neater finish, I'll try and get some more)
Wet/Dry abrasive paper

Drill out rivets if they are still there (Mine had sheared)
Pull the bonnet off carefully, I used a stanley to cut the glue
Remove hinge from bonnet (10mm spanner/socket) keep all the shims.
Take the hinge to bits (8mm spanner) and clean all of the rust up with wet/dry paper. Reassemble and threadlock the bolts into the hinge then grease all the moving bits. I replaced all the bolts with stainless cos I could.
I found it easier to bolt the hinge to the car first, dry run first to ensure it's the right way round (Again- don't ask!) then wet assemble it with the sealenat/Sikaflex.
'Simply' bolt the bonnet on (Fun!) and align it with the catch.

/haynes

Good luck

Rich

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:48 pm

cheers rich.

i will have a go. not that am any good at DIY lol.

Cheers again mate

Craig i will let you no how i get on.

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:54 pm

I'll have a shuftie at work for some highlocks, they are like bolts but have a hex head cut in the threaded end. Make a neater and easier finish. I'll let you know if I can find some, I'm on nights tomorrow. I've also got some ss bolts & washers if you want.

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:59 pm

that would be ace mate ta very much.

Cheers

Craig

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:40 pm

Right, I have all the bits you need, where do you want'em sending?

Quick lesson on Hi-locks though:

This is a pair of Hi-locks:

The blue bolt has a small allen key socket in the threaded bit. Use a spanner on the red coller.

It's up to you but if you want you can make these a permanent repair, all you do is keep tightening until the hex part shears off (It's designed to) I didn't so they will come undone as the shear torque required is quite high and might crush he fiberglass.

The collars have a self locking portion so they are quire stiff. Put a pair of the stainless washers around the blue bolts then thru the outside of the gutter into the front compartment, apply glue/sealant to the reassembled hinge and the get glue all over your hands while you line them up. Once in place and the bolts are thru the holes in the hinge then put the collers on and do them up.

They shouldn't ever corrode as they are titanium apparently.

Rich

Post by **Shug** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 4:20 pm

So rich..... If I give you a list of all the fasteners on the Elise, what would the chances be of blagging a compete set in Ti?

(father used to work at BAe faction)

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 4:31 pm

Not alot I'm afraid

(Not that I've looked, of course) Only the hilocks and I had to drive half way round camp for those* Most of our panel work is now done in Norfolk curiously. Marham, not Hethel (Mite explain a few things though

)

Most of our bolts are special to type, else you wouldn't have to go to BAe Systems anymore and B&Q would have a branch at each camp. No point giving the competition a helping hand! And besides it stops people nicking them for their cars!

(*Obviously, Mr Plod, I went through the bins and there were no batch numbers, no primary packaging etc, so they were scrap and couldn't be used on jets...)

Post by **Shug** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 4:33 pm

Heh, yeah - was jesting. I know of the interesting types used in aerospace - assumed it would be even more weird in military apps.

You wouldn't imagine the things that were 'thrown out' from BAe and ended up in my shed