Bonnet "chattering"

[MarkCW]

Hi all,

As the title says really (and no, that doesn't mean i talk to the bonnet as i go along!), at certian speeds the bonnets seems to "chatter", have had a look through here but cannot find anything that helps.

Any ideas on how to make bonnet stay put? Worried that a) bonnet will open at speed or b) by chattering it will damage the painwork.

Any ideas gratefully received.

Mark

[spend]

There are 2 rubber stops on the inner wings that support the bonnet, make sure these are turned so that the bonnet is firmly against them. Check that the hinge is still bonded in, you can also adjust this. Last of all you can adjust the catch. Getting it all lined up is a bit fiddly but not difficult, just need patience/perseverance

Dave

[valhalla]

A quick sort for this is go to B&Q get a pack of little self adhesive felt pads that you might stick to the bottom of chair legs to stop them marking your nice laminate flooring.They come in all sizes,but i used 20mm ones in a pack of half a dozen or so,experiment as to where the bonnet is chattering, apply pad to adjacent area under bonnet. End of problem!!!and have loads of uses.
Good luck...Dave

[C4PNE]

I've had the same problem with mine and have adjusted the 2 end stops until they touch the bonnet but this didn't stop it flapping at speed.

Next adjusted them till they pushed hard up against the bonnet. It didn't fully cured the flappy bonnet and now makes the bonnet stick up above the wings - which looks plain old wrong!

I think that the real cause of the problem may be the lack of splitter underneath the front of the car. Most cars loose their splitters after encounters with sleeping policemen or ploughed fields!

I will be putting a splitter back on soon which should reduce the air pressure in the engine bay. This will help with engine cooling and also help to keep the bonnet from flapping!

Take a look at the 'splitter' thread running in this forum for more info.

[Whizz65]

Hello

Does any one have the dimensions of a spliter?
My 450 doesn’t have one and I’d like to make one, then fit it to see if there is any difference at all. Saw one on Ebay a while back but it seamed a lot of money for a bit of bent tin!

[TVR keith]

Go onto Spend's profile, there is a link to his website which tells you how he made on at low cost I believe

[Gaffer]

Also check that the screws in the bonnet box are not loose, or that the fiberglass is cracked around there as that can cause bonnet flap.

Claire

[spend]

Gaffer said:

..bonnet box...

Please elaborate, not an item I can visualize

Dave

[Gaffer]

Ahh sorry, Ok. Open the bonnet, at the bottom is a strengthend bit where the screws go in.

Thats your bonnet box.

The screws are fiberglassed in, this area can fragment and then the bonnet can be moved/wobbled.

Making sense..?

Claire

[spend]

The bit of metal bonded inside the front lip of the bonnet Thats what I meant by ensuring the hinges were bonded in earlier.. We need a glossary (but I'd still verbally misuse it anyway )

Not sure of OPs model, but when I cut the cross braces out of an early cars grill (for greater air to rad) I found that the bodywork part of the hinge flexed under load. I had to replace the cross bracing with alloy strips to re-instate the 'rigidity' of the grill.

Dave

[Gaffer]

Ahh now mine is fiberglass. Not sure if it differs to earlier or later cars either.

God knows with TVR's

claire

[spend]

That's probably part of the early /late bonnet differences? Mine is the early (lightweight?) with ally strut cross bracing rather than the later version with the integral fibre glass cross bracing. Must admit had never considered the front bit being different, you learn something new every day

Dave