Stuck bonnet please can anyone help (1 Viewer)

staging lady

Free Member
Nov 12, 2007
1,131
55
North Wales in the Hills
Funster No
826
MH
A Class
Exp
6 years but caravan owner in past
Hi everyone,
Due to family illness we have not been out since January in our van Frankia 2.5TDI 1990 .
However we are very excited to be taking daughter ( a keen knitter)to the Wonder wool Wales show at Builth Wells at the week end if we can sort out the bonnet.:Sad:

The bonnet release cable doesn't seem to open the bonnet. We have tried to find and open the catch from under the grill, but no luck. Can any one help, please?

Lucille
 

Digger Driver

Free Member
Oct 4, 2007
578
4
Lancashire
Funster No
541
MH
C Class
Exp
1
Sometimes if you get someone to push down the bonnet while you pull the release cable it will work!
Once open give it all a good spray of WD40!
Hope this helps!
 
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staging lady

staging lady

Free Member
Nov 12, 2007
1,131
55
North Wales in the Hills
Funster No
826
MH
A Class
Exp
6 years but caravan owner in past
Dear Dgiger Driver,
Thanks for the tip. We will try that with hubby pulling cable and me pushing bonnet.
Lucille

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thehutchies

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Aug 31, 2007
1,527
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The Wheelèd Shed
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200
MH
.
Exp
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The bonnet release cable is like the brake cable on a bicycle - it has an outer sheath with a cable inside.The outer sheath can become loose.

Try to get down on the cab floor low enough to see the cable where it connects to the release handle. Get a good grip of the outer sheath and (with someone pushing down on the bonnet, as DD said above) pull the release handle while pushing the outer sheath away.

Works every time for me! :roflmto:
 
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Steptoe

Free Member
Jan 6, 2008
46
1
Norfolk
Funster No
1,147
MH
B class
Exp
8
Staging lady,

I have struggled with a tricky bonnet catch for quite a while trying various bodges at the bonnet end of the cable without lasting success.

Eventually it occured to me that the problem might be at the other end as the hutchies suggested. I took off the lower dash panel under the steering wheel (my van is RHD, don't know if this makes a difference to the position of the release lever ) to access the other end of the cable. I found that the metal bracket which holds the outer sheath in place had bent towards the release lever slightly meaning that pulling the lever wasn't so effective anymore. I bent it back to the correct position and greased the inner cable as best as I could to try to prevent the problem recurring and it has been ok since (said he touching wood:winky:)

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Terry

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Dec 27, 2007
11,904
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Hi if DD sugestion does not work try pushing a wooden wedge in between the grill and bonnet -applying a little pressure- then pull the cable.I f it opens apply oil or grease wd will strip any grease off and will dry causing it to stick again.WD is very good at loosening but it then needs oil or grease:thumb:
terry
 
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camcondor

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Jul 27, 2007
1,034
480
East Midlands
Funster No
23
MH
A Class
Hopefully the van doesn't have the same bonnet setup as my old Range Rover - last week the bonnet remained solidly fixed despite my best endeavours to open it - it has no less than THREE catches - a middle safety catch and two side catches, the two side ones operated by two separate wires attached to the inside bonnet release. Well one of the wires slipped out of the mounting and nothing moved the thing - it was made to be "tamper proof". It was. Took my local independent Landie dealerthe whole of Saturday morning to break in - involved manufacturing / welding up a tool made from a wheel spanner and grinding it to a fine tip, then putting the car up on a hoist and manoevering in from below to flip the spring-loaded catch open............hope yours is a lot easier!!!!!!


Laurie
 
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staging lady

staging lady

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Nov 12, 2007
1,131
55
North Wales in the Hills
Funster No
826
MH
A Class
Exp
6 years but caravan owner in past
Oh no Laurie!!!!
Fingers crossed going to try out all your helpful suggestions now!
Staging lady

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staging lady

staging lady

Free Member
Nov 12, 2007
1,131
55
North Wales in the Hills
Funster No
826
MH
A Class
Exp
6 years but caravan owner in past
Hi Everyone,
Millions of thanks for the replies. Spent all morning with hubby ,wedges,screwdriver and fascinated cat. Glad to report we got the bonnet open. The cable from the dashboard had failed and hubby is going to replace it with brake cable from mountain bike.
That's so true, Pat, if I lived near a big city I'll bet someone could " help" me open it. Thanks again, everyone, it's great to have friends in the know.
Lucille
 
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