Bonnet support ?

[macL]

I seem to recall someone fitting a gas lift/Strut to the bonnet
has anyone any details, it looked a good idea
and surely must work better than the current arrangement.
I presume the only complicated bit would be
getting the right length of gas strut and arranging the fixing at the bonnet end
any help would be appreciated
Ian

[GreenGriff400]

When I had my S I fitted the bonnet strut of an XJS. Picked it up from a scrap yard for about £10 and it bolts straight on in place of the existing rod. Worked really well.

[tvrgit]

Yep the XJS strut fits straight on.

I first fitted a second hand one in 2004: http://www.haggishead.myby.co.uk/TVR/apr04.html#d17 

But then last year, that lost its pressure so I bought a new one for about £20 on ebay (that was for 2, I gave the other one away) and fitted it a bit better: http://www.haggishead.myby.co.uk/TVR/oct06.html#d21 

[V8ish]

"...on Wednesday (while lying awake clenching my bum shut as a result of eating something that didn't agree with me), I realised how..."



I wonder why you felt it necessary to include this information but it made me p myself!

Back on topic...Like the gas strut idea, gonna give it a go.

Edited by V8ish on Friday 28th March 15:47

[entwistlea]

slightly off subject, but having touble with lifting my bonnet. On flat groud it wont lift high enough to fit the support without hitting the ground, front of the car looks a little lower than the rear but i don;t think its been lowered. Is this normal or do i need to look at my springs / shocks?

Ta Muchly

[ketvrin]

ride height for an S3 taken at corner of outriggers is

160mm Front
170mm Rear

I believe I recorded this from Gazman advice at some stage

so if you shox are shot you will be lower at the front...

assuming your bonnet is correctly aligned ? could you adjust/lift it ? it doesnt need to move much to gain or lose you clearance when opening the bonnet. Also I carry two short lengths of two inch blocks to drive onto if the ground is rough,

K

[Longers]

entwistlea said:

Is this normal or do i need to look at my springs / shocks?

Might be worth checking springs/shocks but of the 3 S's I've had only one of the bonnets opened all of the way up
One solution is to park with the front wheels on small wooden blocks to get some extra clearance or, as I've done, drill an extra hole in the bonnet bracket so that the support fits ok.

Hope that helps

Longers

[tvrgit]

V8ish said:

"...on Wednesday (while lying awake clenching my bum shut as a result of eating something that didn't agree with me), I realised how..."



I wonder why you felt it necessary to include this information but it made me p myself!

Back on topic...Like the gas strut idea, gonna give it a go.

I like to relate the (w)hole experience.

As for the gas strut - it really does make a difference (and when the bonnet is UP it stays up - in a slight breeze I found that the stay would vibrate out of the hole and the bonnet would fall shut, usually while I was under it, so I ended up hanging out the side like a sweaty dog's tongue.)

[Barkychoc]

If anyone doesn't want to install the gas strut I use a small length of velcro wrapped around the stay and the bonnet catch spring to stop it falling out (its double sided stuff that sticks to itself).
I can bring some lengths to S Club if we want to have bonnets open without the risk of the wind blowing the bonnet & the stay falling out.

Chris

Edited by Barkychoc on Friday 28th March 18:38