TR4/4A TR4 Bonnet Prop Rod

[Alan_Myers]

Hi all,

Many years ago, faraway in another galaxy, I removed the hood (er, bonnet) prop rod from my TR4 and kept it stored in a couple spring clips screwed to the hood cross brace. This was done to stop a nasty tendency to rattle.

I'd like to go back to a relatively stock arrangment, which is nice that it allows raising the hood from either side. But I'm wondering if TR4/4A/5/250 owners out there have found any simple but elegant solutions to the rattle, not to mention preventing the rod from scratching up itself, the bracket it slides through and the inner wheel arch itself?

I've still got the original rubber "bumper" installed, that always seemed to be on the wrong place on the bracket. And I'm experimenting with some strips of rubber glued into the base of the bracket and along the curve of the inner wheel arch where the rod slides. Dunno if this is gonna work, though. The prop rod itself will get powdercoated the next time I have a batch done. It's held in place by the "proper" wavy washer and nylock nut, and currently has a couple extra washer/spacers behind to help keep it from flopping around.

Ideas?

Or, should I just stop fussing and live with it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

 

[Dugger]

ALan,
Surely you JEST....a Triumph that rattles.....Nah...can't be....

 

[TR4]

I bought a rubber piece that fit on the fender bracket that keeps my prop rod from rattling. I forget which of the big 3 it came from. I also glued a thin hard rubber strip on the bottom of the bracket to prevent scraping.

 

[Geo Hahn]

I found somewhere some bits of black (sort of) foam rubber that were about 1/8" thick and sticky-backed. Some experimentation with location on the bracket and it soon was no-rattle. I think I had to carve a bit of a groove in the pad to make it all fit tight. I'm away from the car or I'd offer a photo but the location should be obvious.

 

[Alan_Myers]

[ QUOTE ]
I bought a rubber piece that fit on the fender bracket that keeps my prop rod from rattling. I forget which of the big 3 it came from. I also glued a thin hard rubber strip on the bottom of the bracket to prevent scraping.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi gang and thanks for the answers so far.

Is the item you mention getting from one of the TR vendors the stock rubber part that's screwed to the tab on the *top* of the fender bracket?

If so, I've still got the original in place on my car.

I just never figured out how it could do much good since the rod slides in the lower part of the bracket, not on that upper tab where the rubber is. Perhaps the rod is pressed up against it, when the hood is all the way down. It's sort of like the "light in the refrigerator". Does it really go off when the door is closed? Maybe that original rubber pad is hardened with age and due for replacement. So far, I've stopped short of pulling the engine back out of the car so I can climb into the engine compartment and observe the operation of the prop rod when the hood is fully lowered! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Yes, I've also glued a strip of 1/16-1/8" thick reinforced rubber on the bottom of the bracket and a few inches back onto the fender, where the rod slides. That seems to help.

Another irritating thing is the slot in the bracket that the rod passes through, and the metal "ramp" on the bracket it slides up on. These seem designed to scrape off whatever paint or finsih is on the prop rod. Maybe powdercoating the rod would be better, but I bet that would eventually get scraped up too.

Hmmm. Maybe I'm over-engineering this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[Guest]

FWIW, I covered the whole rod in my TR6 with black shrink tubing. Cut down on the maring of the paint and helped a wee bit with the rattle. I also eliminated the "safety catch" so that I can open the bonnet from either side now. I can't see how I would need a safety catch on a forward-hinged bonnet, unless I brake really, really, really hard.

Bill

 

[Adrio]

[ QUOTE ]
FWIW, I covered the whole rod in my TR6 with black shrink tubing. Cut down on the maring of the paint and helped a wee bit with the rattle. I also eliminated the "safety catch" so that I can open the bonnet from either side now. I can't see how I would need a safety catch on a forward-hinged bonnet, unless I brake really, really, really hard.



[/ QUOTE ]

I can't imagine this is the case with our old British cars but are not modern cars set up with a safety catch at the back of the bonnet (regardless of the way the open) so that the rear of the bonnet stays (more or less) fixed and the whole thing buckles rather then have the bonnet slice into the pax compartment through the windshield in the event of a collision (talk about a run on sentence!).

 

[Guest]

Good thinking, except that the replacement latch that I used to replace the OE latch that came on the car (broke) snapped in half after I tried torqueing it to adjust the fit. Some protection! The thought crossed my mine that there must have been a purpose to the latch but it certainly wasn't designed to withstand any force.

Bill

 

[Tomster]

I'll second the heat shrink tube or as an alternate, aquarium prump hose. It's softer than vinyl

 

[bobh]

If you go with vinyl, shrink tubing or any type of flexible tube. Pour some alcohol in the tube before you start to slide it over the rod. This will lubricate the inside of the tubing making it a little easier to slide it over the rod.