TR4/4A Hood/Bonnet Prop Rod Rattle

RJS

Jedi Warrior

Offline

• Jul 20, 2013

• #1

Hi

Does anyone have any neat ideas on eliminating the prop rod rattle when the bonnet is down and latched? When idling at a traffic light, the rattle is REALLY annoying.

Cheers

Bob

 

Darrell_Walker

Jedi Knight

Silver

Online

• Jul 20, 2013

• #2

I have a couple of those little felt dots where the rod rests. I've also seen heat shrink tubing used, which I plan to do next time I'm messing around.

 

TR3driver

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P

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• Jul 20, 2013

• #3

I assume you're talking about the center spring loaded push rod, rather than the long rod used to prop the hood open. I managed to eliminate the hood shake by adding more rubber buffers at the back, and getting the front ones quite tight; plus added a drop of oil to the push rod where it goes through the brackets.

However, a friend opened up the holes in the brackets and inserted nylon bushings, which is a more complete solution IMO. If it becomes an issue again, I'm going to try that.

 

OP

RJS

Jedi Warrior

Offline

• Jul 20, 2013

• #4

Hey Randall,

It's the long prop rod to hold the hood open - not the spring loaded locking pin. When the hood is down on the TR4A it rests on the inside top of the fender well. There's a little metal retainer which it rattles against when in the resting position.

Got any of your neat ideas?

Bob

 

TR3driver

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P

Offline

• Jul 20, 2013

• #5

Sorry, Bob, my bad. Thinking TR3/A, not TR4A. I know practically nothing about the later bodies.

Isn't the rod supposed to rest on the 601663 rubber buffer? If not, then Darrell's idea of a self-adhesive felt dot sounds good to me. They're readily available at Home Depot, etc.

 

Darrell_Walker

Jedi Knight

Silver

Online

• Jul 20, 2013

• #6

Here are the felt pads I put on. I think the theory of the buffer is that as the bonnet closes, the wheel well pushes it up into the buffer. But that doesn't seem to happen in practice. I'm also missing a bit of metal on the bracket that helps align the rod, but I don't think that would affect the interaction with the buffer. Note that even when everything is there properly, the rod drags across the wheel well and will scuff the paint.

 

T

TR4eh

Senior Member

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• Jul 20, 2013

• #7

Get a sheet of neoprene and glue it to the fender where the rod lies. https://www.grainger.com/Grainger/Rubber-Strip-1MYJ4 for example. Just a thought.

 

TR4nut

Yoda

Offline

• Jul 20, 2013

• #8

Darrell_Walker said:

Note that even when everything is there properly, the rod drags across the wheel well and will scuff the paint.

Click to expand...

I don't have a picture handy, but I came up with an easy fix for that which has worked for several years. Cut about a 3/8" piece of fuel line and slide it over the end of the rod - not too far to goof up the latch operation. The fuel line acts as a nice rubber bumper when it slides over the wheel well. Works nice!

 

Tr6easyrider

Senior Member

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• Jul 20, 2013

• #9

Try a piece of velcro

 

OP

RJS

Jedi Warrior

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• Jul 20, 2013

• #10

OK, thanks everyone for your ideas.

I ended going to the basement and found some Self Stick High Density 3/4" Rubber Foam Weather-Stripping. It came from Home Depot and I think the brand was Frost King.

It was a huge roll and I used all of 4" of it. Cut three pieces - one for the bottom (on the fender well) and one for each side on the inside of the prop rod retainer to keep the prop rod centered in place.

Done...

Bob

 

OP

RJS

Jedi Warrior

Offline

• Jul 21, 2013

• #11

Here are photos





I also hand snugged the nut holding the prop rod to the bonnet. It was extremely loose and was rattling there as well

Bob