Adjusting Bonnet - Huge Gap

[ThreePointFive]

I know this is a common problem and there's loads of threads on loads of forums about it, but I think mine is an extreme example and none of the existing information really solves this as they boil down to 'adjust the stops'.

I have a panel gap at the front of my bonnet so bad it looks open when it isn't.

No, that really is closed. The latch is holding it, it can't be opened without releasing it via the cable, but this is as small as the gap will get. If I put weight on it, I can close it to something near a normal gap but it immediately springs back up. I don't have any bonnet buffer/stop things so there's nothing holding it up, it's like the latch itself is gripping the pin too low (if that makes sense).

Is there any way to adjust this down? I have tried tightening the bonnet spring which shortens it as I thought this was pushing the bonnet up, but all that did was to prevent the latch from latching it at all.

It's worth noting that the bonnet is catching on a rivet each side where the Xcess bonnet ram kit is fitted which is making the bonnet sit higher but not this high. I'll replace those rivets with counter sunk bolts but they're not the cause.

[Anderzander]

What’s the gap along the bonnet edges where it sits over the wings? 

[Maverik]

You can screw the locator bayonet inwards on the early bonnets, it should move the bite point closer to the bonnet effectively reducing the gap.

You loosen the locking nut and use a slotted screw driver to wind the pin in...

[Lightning]

As above, you can screw the locating pin down on the catch.

You'll also need to adjust the rubber stops (on at each front corner of the bonnet.

Keep an eye on the gap between the bonnet and the wings, because if you adjust it too much the bonnet will touch there, and not only will it rattle like crazy but it will rub off the paint.

The bonnet was designed to fit properly and look right on models equipped with aircon, these have a front grille that sticks out about 1" further.

Sadly if you don't have aircon, the bonnet won't look quite right at the front. 

l've adjusted mine as far as it will go without touching wings, and it still looks like it's not closed properly!

[Maverik]

7 hours ago, Lightning said:

The bonnet was designed to fit properly and look right on models equipped with aircon, these have a front grille that sticks out about 1" further.

Sadly if you don't have aircon, the bonnet won't look quite right at the front. 

l've adjusted mine as far as it will go without touching wings, and it still looks like it's not closed properly!

 

I'm going to be pedantic here - Urmm, thats quite the sweeping statement... can't say I've ever seen a Stage 1 v8 with the air conditioning grill on it... they weren't designed to have a stand out proud grill - that first appeared I'd hazard a guess around the Td5 era, when rover couldn't be bothered to pack it all in the hole they had probably something to do with the Td5's bigger intercooler, I believe all pre Td5 defenders with AC never had the stand out grill.

So you can make it look perfectly correct, you just need a little more adjustment.

[Retroanaconda]

Pretty sure the sticky-out nose pre-dates Td5 by some way.

This is original I believe, for example:

[Lightning]

2 hours ago, Maverik said:

I'm going to be pedantic here - Urmm, thats quite the sweeping statement... can't say I've ever seen a Stage 1 v8 with the air conditioning grill on it... they weren't designed to have a stand out proud grill - that first appeared I'd hazard a guess around the Td5 era, when rover couldn't be bothered to pack it all in the hole they had probably something to do with the Td5's bigger intercooler, I believe all pre Td5 defenders with AC never had the stand out grill.

So you can make it look perfectly correct, you just need a little more adjustment.

No, you can't.

 

The bonnet is about 1" too long to look perfect on the non-aircon version.

Edited August 13, 2021 by Lightning

[Maverik]

Not convinced I'm afraid, but I stand to be corrected by some indisputable proof...

In my humble opinion there is not one thing that looks "designed" with the extended grill. - more "Gerry we need more radiator space" - "Ok just stick another 2 inches on the front"

All very subject I know. 

Basic archeology, you date somthing from the earliest component.

The first landies with that front end (bonnet and wings combo) were the Stage 1 v8's, someone show me one of those with a sticky out grill.

It just doesn't make sense either you don't design a front end then only build it for a number of.

[Lightning]

lt doesn't, but this is the Land Rover Defender!!

The only way to rectify the "too long" bonnet on a non-aircon TD5 would be to move it backwards around 1" and there's no way to do this.

You can make it look better by adjusting the height at the front, as already mentioned, but it will never look perfect.

 

[ThreePointFive]

I didnt really foresee this starting a debate on the family tree of Land Rover bonnet design but interesting nonetheless.

I did some adjustments but still not near calling it finished. I wound down the locator spring to the point where it would just still catch but not as far as before where it wouldn't. When latched it's on pretty tight, the bonnet release is quite violent. I've also drilled out the rivets holding the bonnet up off the wing plates, and it's made some difference.

Before:

After:

This is still big enough to get a hand in and does invite the wrong person to give it a try if it was in a car park so can't leave it at this.

The wing lines are good but you can see that the Xcess bracket is holding it up:

I'm going to remove the brackets and see if that makes the difference, if it does then I have to either cut the plates to fit or see if I can mount the brackets on the top face of the bonnet return - which I doubt.

[pete3000]

does it make any difference to the level, at the hinge end of the bonnet, if the plastic bushes are in the hinge the wrong way? as the slot is not in the centre?

Pete

[ThreePointFive]

Interesting. I have mine thin-side up if that makes sense. If it doesn't, hopefully this crude diagram does:

 

 

 

[Maverik]

My bonnet

[Maverik]

Have you loosened off the slam panel and it's associated bolts and made sure it's at the bottom of its adjustment?

[pete3000]

1 hour ago, ThreePointFive said:

Interesting. I have mine thin-side up if that makes sense. If it doesn't, hopefully this crude diagram does:

 

 

 

That should be fine, would allow any pivot interference to allow front bonnet edge to be lower. After my rebuild my closure gap is larger. Was thinking of looking for some adjustment in wings or the slam panel.

[paime]

Is the bonnet touching the wings at the hinge end? You can adjust the height/reach of the bonnet my tilting the bulkhead but then this will misalign your doors so far from a quick fix I'm afraid. 

[hurbie]

my gues would be that it touches the X-tech mounting plate's , and therefore the bonnet will not get down at the front ...

i would remove the whole system , then get the bonnet to close as it should be , then try to refit the X-tech (or just dump it and use a proper designed one 🙂  )

[ThreePointFive]

I removed the (excellently designed and built) Xcess 4x4 bonnet mounts and it made no difference to the front gap as there is enough flex in the bonnet to take up any additional height they made. Just to be sure, I have removed the rivets on my wing plates and counterstuck them for screws instead, which is a neater solution than the rivets anyway. Just need to paint the plates again.

I loosened off the slam panel and front grille panel to try to raise it up to decrease the gap from below but it was already pretty high and I think I gained millimeters at best. @Maverikdo you think I should lower the slam panel to try to pull the bonnet down? I can see how that would work for gaps across the wings but those are reasonably good, but I'm not sure if that would improve the front edge unless the grille pannel was separated from it and pushed up. I am probably completely wrong in how I'm looking at this.

My gap is probably 1-2cm bigger than yours, I can just about slide my hand in to operate the bonnet hook thing (though it doesn't do anything if latched down, of course).

I think I might have to get it to a 'close enough' state for now and then worry about it post-MOT.

[hurbie]

if it was my job , next step would be to remove the striker and the rubber adjusters from the bonnet , so the front is clear of any obstackles . now gently close the bonnent and see if it sits at the right height . if not , try to look under the bonnet on top of the engine if something is stopping the bonnet from dropping low enough.

 

 

[Lightning]

Your bonnet looks too low at the rear. I bet your plastic bushes are in the wrong way round.

lf you turn the bushes round 180deg as suggested to raise it at the back, you will be able to lower it at the front, and it will look a whole lot better.

Also you can get a security plate that stops people from being able to flip the bonnet catch from under the front, or be removing/breaking the plastic grille.

[Retroanaconda]

@ThreePointFive did you make any more progress with this?

[ThreePointFive]

Never. It's bad enough it's still noticeable, I don't think to the point you'd think it's open but bad enough.

I don't understand how it doesn't sit flush. And no, the bushes aren't the wrong way around.

[JeffR]

I wasted nearly 25 hours of my life (at my age.......) attempting to rectify the same problem earlier on this year. Wings on, wings off, bonnet on , bonnet off, slam panels been on and off more than a lady of the nights underwear, reduced the gap ever so slightly, then decided , bugger it, the gap will increase under bonnet airflow/cooling, so I'm going to live with it.  Life is simply too short...

[hurbie]

it isn't that difficult to get right .

strip the lock and the rubber stays from the bonnet (and everything else that is fixed to the bonnet) , then see if the bonnet closses as it should be - if not see where it touches and rectifie.

if bonnet closes to the prefered position , put the lock back on , and adjust so it locks (and unlocks) propperly , then put the rubber stays in , and adjust left and right height ...

take a cold drink, and enjoy youor marvel 🙂 

[ped]

i through the bonnet catches away years ago on both my 110's
on my v8 i have locking aero catches and my work truck has rubber bonnet straps they both still have the safety catch on just in case