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Stripped hood latch bolt

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pdplot

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When will I ever learn? My old latch worked fine but had no safety catch so I ordered a new one from TRF. After some fiddling with the spring length, I started to install and adjust the latch (which did not seem to be the same quality as the original). Whilst adjusting the latch, I inadvertently stripped one of the caged nuts in the hood. Has anyone ever done this and what did you do? I don't want to start drilling and retapping the nut since there's not much room there and getting at the nut seems impossible. What a stupid design. Any ideas would be appreciated.

PD
 
I see you got no takers, so I'll try. There is a chance you can reach behind to pry the nut's cage open at the end. If you can, you should be able to replace the nut.

If that does not work, you will be stuck cutting and tack welding a new cage.

Best of luck,

John
 
There's no sign of the nut. However it looks like there's enough metal on the bulkhead to tap and install a helicoil. In the alternative, I could drill out and retap a larger bolt hole, but I think the helicoil is a better idea. If that doesn't work - I hate to think of the alternative - either cutting the bulkhead and welding in another nut or drilling a hole clean through the bonnet, neither of which choices are appetizing. And - since no one else stepped up to the plate, I thank you John for your reply. I hope no one else runs into this problem. I didn't even tighten the bolt that much as I was adjusting the catch.

PD
 
I, for one, am not clear where these bolts and their cage nuts are located.

My latch/safety catch is secured to the front lip on the bonnet with two very small diamter studs and a pair of nuts. Perhaps this is not as original.

pdplot said:
There's no sign of the nut. However it looks like there's enough metal on the bulkhead to tap and install a helicoil...
Click to expand...

Or perhaps you're talking about somewhere else entirely since what I'm thinking of is nowhere near the bulkhead.

<span style="font-style: italic">Never mind, I see on your profile that you have a TR6.</span>
 
What year is your TR6? Mine is a '71. What I call the bulkhead is a welded panel running the width of the hood at the rearmost edge where it engages the latch mounted to the firewall. It's sealed throughout with no way in from the outside short of cutting through the panel. There are two bolt holes which had caged nuts welded to the inside of the panel. One of these nuts has disappeared leaving just a 1/4" hole in the panel. If yours has studs, someone had a better idea and screwed the studs into the bolt holes meaning that it would be impossible to strip out or break loose the caged nut since you tighten against the panel and not into the caged nut. I would recommend that all TR6 owners do the same to avoid what happened to me. Double-nut the stud into the bolt hole and be sure not to over tighten. Has anyone else done this or did the factory realize its mistake and change the bolt to a stud and nut in later cars?

PD
 
Sorry about the confusion -- your original post and subject made no mention what car this was about and I was thinking of the safety catch on the TR3 (TR4s had no safety catch and then later a catch was added to that same latch design for the TR4A, TR250 & TR6).
 
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