one of two ways i open bonnets that are mounted with a tyre (i'm only 5'2")
keep the bumper clear of obstacles to stand on safely and lift the bonnet from there, better without the little curved infill panel
or i just remove the spare when i need to open the bonnet, again by standing on the bumper to gain access to the bolts clamping the spare down and then roll the wheel to the front edge of the bonnet so i can maul it off safely
i'd be concerned about gas struts developing a leak, i've had tailgates on estate cars decide the struts have passed thier "sell by date" and then the tailgate has dropped on me, i think i'd be pretty iffy about getting whacked in the back of the head by a bonnet latch pin
keep the bumper clear of obstacles to stand on safely and lift the bonnet from there, better without the little curved infill panel
or i just remove the spare when i need to open the bonnet, again by standing on the bumper to gain access to the bolts clamping the spare down and then roll the wheel to the front edge of the bonnet so i can maul it off safely
i'd be concerned about gas struts developing a leak, i've had tailgates on estate cars decide the struts have passed thier "sell by date" and then the tailgate has dropped on me, i think i'd be pretty iffy about getting whacked in the back of the head by a bonnet latch pin
You'd have to have extremely strong and reliable gas struts to do this, I've got a front tyre on the bonnet (750) and wouldn't think about sticking my head under the bonnet without the std locking strut/ bonnet support in place. If it failed.....! If I'm doing any decent work on the engine bay I take off the tryre and pull the bonnet support strut out of the lug and tip it right back against the windscreen. For normal access maybe get someone to help ?
sp00k
Well-Known Member
Been there
, and it landed on my thumb. Hurts a lot. Mine was tied back, it happened when I untied it and was about to shut it.
I have installed gas struts in various things, but wouldn't on a standard SIII.
Two reasons really. The first is that the bonnet hinges are brilliant at letting you lift the bonnet off, but that is a real problem with a gas strut. If you remember your O Level Physics you'll see that the force that the strut has to supply is several times the weight of the bonnet, and will tend to push it out of the hinges when it's up. So I'd have to change the hinges. Not doing so, or a weak hinge failure would be a bit of a shocker.
Next reason is that the bonnet just isn't strong enough at the point where you'd need to attach the strut. It wasn't designed for edge loads. Reinforcement needed.
Two reasons really. The first is that the bonnet hinges are brilliant at letting you lift the bonnet off, but that is a real problem with a gas strut. If you remember your O Level Physics you'll see that the force that the strut has to supply is several times the weight of the bonnet, and will tend to push it out of the hinges when it's up. So I'd have to change the hinges. Not doing so, or a weak hinge failure would be a bit of a shocker.
Next reason is that the bonnet just isn't strong enough at the point where you'd need to attach the strut. It wasn't designed for edge loads. Reinforcement needed.
onecelledcreature
Active Member
i've been removing the bonnet and replacing it on my own everytime i've worked on it recently, it has never occurred to me to just tie it upright. could have avoided so many strained backs and squashed fingers, not to mention scratched paintwork
doh
Mind the wiper spindles tho ...
TooMany2cvs
Active Member
Even without a tyre on the bonnet, I tend to remove the bonnet for anything more than a fluid-level check. Apart from ease of acccess, I'm getting peed off with grease from the latch in my hair...
i prefer tying/bungeeing them back, i've had the wind lift a bonnet off a broomstick and educate me on how hard a bonnet pin can whack me
tottot
Well-Known Member
GOT the bonnet pin scar for that reason.
