Check yer bonnet bolts!
Discussion
Just had a slightly trouser-browning experience
on the way to work, doing a-hem, a little over
60 mph and accellerating to terminal, the passenger
side of the bonnet starts flying up in the air!
I jammed on the anchors sharpish and it came down
below 40. Bit like flying a kite really except
it would do some damage if it came off....
Turns out the pivot bolt on that side had undone,
and it swivelled so that it escaped the bonnet
catch at the top. Luckily the bolt had landed on
the wheelarch so I didn't lose it.
If I had been tunning it up, it would have been
V8 al fresco and an expensive spray job. So
check yer bonnet bolts, chaps!
- Adam
on the way to work, doing a-hem, a little over
60 mph and accellerating to terminal, the passenger
side of the bonnet starts flying up in the air!
I jammed on the anchors sharpish and it came down
below 40. Bit like flying a kite really except
it would do some damage if it came off....
Turns out the pivot bolt on that side had undone,
and it swivelled so that it escaped the bonnet
catch at the top. Luckily the bolt had landed on
the wheelarch so I didn't lose it.
If I had been tunning it up, it would have been
V8 al fresco and an expensive spray job. So
check yer bonnet bolts, chaps!
- Adam
That happened to me a few years ago, but the bolt had disappeared. Fortunately had a roll of duck tape in the boot so that saved the day for a 200 mile drive home.
On another occasion drove 250 miles home with duck tape holding the left hand side of the front spoiler/air dam on after the bolts had pulled through the fibre glass.
Wonderful stuff duck tape.
On another occasion drove 250 miles home with duck tape holding the left hand side of the front spoiler/air dam on after the bolts had pulled through the fibre glass.
Wonderful stuff duck tape.
stevehall said:
That happened to me a few years ago, but the bolt had disappeared. Fortunately had a roll of duck tape in the boot so that saved the day for a 200 mile drive home.
On another occasion drove 250 miles home with duck tape holding the left hand side of the front spoiler/air dam on after the bolts had pulled through the fibre glass.
Wonderful stuff duck tape.
Yes, my bonnet bolt was loose last year, also used the wonder ducktape to hold the n/s light pod down on the way back from Le Mans Last Year when the pivot bolt fellout!
montegogt said:
Do the bolt go into blind holes? If they are through holes, I would be worried about the bolt being too tight and pulling a hole in the bonnet flange. Should there be a washer or spacer between the bonnet and the body?
Mine are blind holes and can still be done up too tight. There is a washer as you say on mine. Looks like a piece of white pvc tube from the DIY cut to lenght. Looks good and seems to do the job. Mind you I check the oil and water every day I drive it so have a quick butchers for any oddies as well.
Just a thought, my early 350 had drilled bolt heads that were wire locked.
Hmmmm... I think I will whip mine out 
and lift the bonnet out of the way and see how far the bolts do actually go in.
We have some nylon spacers at work, so I think I will fit one each side then tighten, with some Loktite. Not sure about the wire locking. A tab washer may be a better solution.
and lift the bonnet out of the way and see how far the bolts do actually go in. We have some nylon spacers at work, so I think I will fit one each side then tighten, with some Loktite. Not sure about the wire locking. A tab washer may be a better solution.Gassing Station | Wedges | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff