nigethomas Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Hi everyone In need of bit of advice.fitted bonnet catch today and fitted the safety release mechanism first.I shut the bonnet down and came to pull the release rod and it just jammed now I can't open the bonnet.the normal release cable was not connected so haven't got clue how to get at it to release the mechanism.looked underneath and no access.any advice would be appreciated thanks. Nige Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark69 Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Hi Nigel, Have you tried pushing down on bonnet above catch and get a second person to pull release cable. I have read somewhere on the forum using wire from inside the car through firewall bulkhead and locating catch . Good luck Mark. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Hi Nige, what have you done. If you do as Mark states (somebody press down as you pull the cable) and the bonnet does not pop up then it may well be possible that the centre pin of the springy catch is off centre and may be jammed. Get somebody to pull the cable and using a lever at the rear of the bonnet try and lift the bonnet - be careful. Finally - remove both headlamps and bowls and undo the two hinges. This will free the front and should allow the back to pop up. As a tip for the future do not fit the screw on the side of the hinge/bonnet assy. That will make bonnet removal easier. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Hi Nige, part 2. When you come to refit the bonnet, cover the catch hole (one the bulkhead) with masking tape. Lower the bonnet onto the catch hole. Raise bonnet and the spring catch should leave an imprint of where it touched. You should be able to see if it is off-centre. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Suggest you both read the post again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nigethomas Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Thanks for the quick responses guys.The problem I have is the emergency pull rod has pulled away from the catch so is doing nothing now.the bonnet cable wasn't connected so basically I'm in the s--t. The only way round this I reckon is to bore large hole under firewall big enough to get pry bar through and try and push catch over that way.can't see any other way round it. Nige Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nigethomas Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Lol ntc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Nige No you are not, remove the drivers side headlamp and bowl . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nigethomas Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Will remove that then and see if I can get something on the mechanism to release it. Cheers Nige Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barkerwilliams Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Nige, If you are to start probing the depths to release the catch then a endoscope camera makes for a better chance of success. On ebay for less than £10. Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 No need to bore hole the firewall. Just use a rod similar to the home-made one below. Use the existing holes of the heater or tachometer cable (don't remember which one), insert the rod and pull the peg from inside the bonnet catch housing (the dotted arrow) not from outside. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nigethomas Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Hi Geko It's just getting the bar onto the catch and enough force to release it. Nige Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 PS Beware of shorting on the battery if there is one fitted. Through RH headlamp hole as NTC says - try a boorm handle with hook in the end. Peter W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Hi Geko It's just getting the bar onto the catch and enough force to release it. Nige it's hooking the small hook of the rod to the catch and pulling to release it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Hi Nige, if the bonnet catch is out of alignment then you may not be able to move the latch with a long stick. As I stated earlier remove both hinges. This will allow you to waggle the bonnet and re-align. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nigethomas Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 OK Roger Will remove lamp first and see if it will release with long stick and if not I'll take hinges off.Thanks for advice on this and everyone else hopefully get it sorted.like you say it can't be lined up properly and jammed on catch. Nige Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Nige, You are lucky it's not a TR6. They can suffer from the same problem - but you can't access the catch from the headlight. Typically, the bonnet has to be cut. On the TR4, once the bonnet is disconnected from the hinge (and it's the hinge to bonnet bolts you have to remove, not the hinge to inner wing) it can be lifted just high enough to push a long stick inside to the catch and hopefully release it. AlanR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted October 15, 2016 Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 One of our forum members some time ago posted his solution which was to use a hole saw from the drivers footwell. Later sealed with a bung ready for the next time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4A1965 Posted October 15, 2016 Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 Nige:-) What a bummer - it happened to me. You can visit my website here to visually see what we did but it is a long way down the page so be patient as it loads. The last pictures show us undoing the bonnet hinges. http://tr4a.weebly.com/body-repair-fit-and-paint.html Below is the text I wrote at the time. The short version is: 3 people. Put the car on a ramp if you can as it will save a lot of agro. If not no matter. Undo the hinges from beneath. 2 people lift the bonnet at the front from both sides VERY gently so as not to distort it. Then, we used a coat hangar that was actually 2 coat hangars as the run from front of bonnet to back is long. Get the hook of the coat hangar (made to be a 90 degree right angle at the end) to fiddle about and pull the release back. If you can have another person above the catch pushing down and jigging the panel around over the catch that helps also. We had the guy at the front holding up the panel and operating the coat hangar:-) I was jigging and eventually it popped. IT IS A SOD OF A JOB BUT BETTER THAN CUTTING ANY HOLES INTHE BULK HEAD. Good luck. If you are in Kent I have a ramp - and 3 guys experienced in these matters:-) Triumph TR4A Bonnet / Hood Catch - when they stick!!!Whilst fitting the bonnet / hood it got itself stuck and we could not release it!!!!! It had a good cable on it and an 'Emergency Bonnet Release' should the cable ever brake. This was not our problem. The spring in the release catch was not returning. So, when the catch went in to the latch it sailed passed the catch mechanism and lodged itself under the catch and hole in the latch??? Make sense?? THOUGHT NOT!!! So, if your latch has an old spring throw it away and buy a new one as no amount of cables and emergency release equipment will fix this problem. How to release a stuck TR4A Bonnet / Hood.This will take time and it will need a couple of you and a ramp. Put the TR4A on a ramp and access the bonnet hinges from below and undo all of the bolts that hold the hinges to the body and the bonnet / hood. Once you have done this there will be enough movement in the bonnet to access the side bolts that keep the bonnet in place. Once they have all been removed you can gently jig the bonnet around and it should free up. If it is your catch that has locked then you can make a release out of very stiff coat hangar/metal wire with with a hook on the end and pull the latch. You will need someone to hold the bonnet up for you and you'll also need a torch. It took 3 of us an hour to get the bonnet off. Needless to say we have ordered a new bonnet latch for the bulkhead. This is not a nice job to do and you do need help and a ramp at all possible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted October 15, 2016 Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 IT IS A SOD OF A JOB BUT BETTER THAN CUTTING ANY HOLES INTHE BULK HEAD. Using my method is one person, use existing hole (speedo cable hole actually). About 2 minutes job. Works every time Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4A1965 Posted October 15, 2016 Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 Stef. where were you when we needed you:-)??. We still joke with my mate Chris who shut the bonnet in the first place - you need someone to blame when it happens:-) Best Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted October 15, 2016 Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 Nige, You didn';t say whether your catch is a new one or the existing/old one. I have had this problem recently on a TR4 fitted with a new catch AND an emergency release. It jammed. So - it's not the cable pulls that are not working - they are. But the pin is still jammed in the catch. Talking to my restorers, who have a good deal of experience, they tell me that this sometimes happens with new catches. When it does, they have examined the misbehaving catch to see the problem - and they have not found any fault. Their solution is to fit another new catch. Seems that occasionally, new catches can cause this problem. AlanR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 16, 2016 Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 Hi Nige, if operating the catch with the cable did not work - and the cable broke then as stated above it is jammed. Undoing the hinge to bonnet screws may not help as there is a side screw keeping it in place. You need to undo the hinge to inner wing screws. This is not too easy as the hinge arm covers them but is possible. On the catch I think you will find the central spring pokey thing is off centre. If the operating cable was intact then pulling the cable and banging down on the bonnet above the catch often works. However you have no cable. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bob-menhennett Posted October 16, 2016 Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 Having been in the same situation twice , do as Roger says... hinge to inner wing nuts removed. I propped up the bonnet an inch or two with blocks of wood at the front edge. A bright torch to see. Using a long wooden batten and a club hammer for gentle tapping , place the free end on the spring and hit it. An assistant , if available , can push down on the count of three co-ordinating with your strike. ( Cause is the very strong spring " gripping the bracket " when the pin is of centre and then you're stuck.) I used a circle of Blu tack to centralise the pin , after the eyeball attempt failed miserably ! Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nigethomas Posted October 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 Hi guys Well I took all your advice and had a go at releasing the bonnet catch today.removed both headlamps and bolts that fasten hinge to the bonnet.once I lifted the front slightly the catch released and bonnet was open.I then put masking tape over the catch mechanism and wiped copper grease around the end of the spring.gently dropped it down and it was quite misaligned.I've now got this aligned spot on.once again thanks for advice on this everyone who replied.I'm just about ready for putting trim in next having finished all wiring off.still long way to go but hope to be taking it to Malvern next year. Cheers Nige Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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