Hydraulic bonnet struts

[JNR77]

Does anyone do a kit for these?

The catch on the passenger side of the bonnet has scratched the wiper panel quite badly, due to the bonnet flexing when it is lowered from the drivers side.

I have seen a strut kit for the Tuscan one piece opening bonnet.

[jonbarrett]

I'd like one too.

[JNR77]

The struts dont want to be too stong - to cause resistance aginst the locking mechanism when closed. They want to strong enough to hold the bonnet in what ever position required

[JensenA]

I have thought about this before, and did a tour of some scrap yards and bought a few struts from hatchbacks and bonnets to try out.

a) You'd be surprised at just how strong those struts are, you don't need a lot of strength to hold up a flimsy, lightweight fibre glass bonnet, but you'd need 2 of them to make sure the bonnet didn't flex as you shut it, and you'd have to be really carefull as to where you pushed on the bonnet to shut it, to overcome the struts resistance.
b) Very tricky to actually know where and how to fit the mounting brackets for them, and mount them them to a relatively flimsy fibre glass bonnet, and some sort of ugly fabricated Heath Robinson bracket on the inside of the front wings.

c) Do what the handbook says, when you lower the bonnet, hold it in the centre and lower it gently - easy.

[FarmyardPants]

How about having the bonnet open slowly by itself when the knob is turned would look but you'd have to put something on it to close it again, which wouldn't look so cool

[headcase]

And blue light under the car would look sooooo awsome :P

[JNR77]

JensenA said:

c) Do what the handbook says, when you lower the bonnet, hold it in the centre and lower it gently - easy.

I didnt realise thats what it suggests - i might stick on a small alloy plate to stop it scratching the cover.

[greenm]

Big hydraulic ram on top of the engine would do the trick run off the power steering pump, certainly stop the bonnet lifting when you hit nanno speed? I like the blue light idea as well and maybe spinning wheel centres. Being serious though the hydraulic arms would be good I have them on my Jeep bu they take a huge force holding up a very heavy bonnet right near the actual hinge when I had a new one to put on it was impossible to compress them by hand think they would tear the whole front off the car? Also my little trick when closeing it is to acually hold it slightly to one side, then you can lay the far side neatly into its space then push your side down without any scratching at all. Well all you engineers out there put your heads together on my hydraulic ram idea will you!!!

[FarmyardPants]

I just drop mine and let it slam down. Is that wrong? :P

[Steve_T]

I'd just like some decent bonnet catches - and not the ugly quick release variety either!

[Ireland]

I could be mistaken but did Steve Heath make something like this recently?

[dean_ratpac]

i'm keen to hear on the solution

[Byker28i]

FarmyardPants said:

I just drop mine and let it slam down. Is that wrong? :P

Arghhh yes. Treat it gently