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Bonnet front adjustment

The car: 1989 Saab 900 T8 Special

My bonnet/hood (hereafter "bonnet") has been bugging me recently. With it closed, I can fit my index finger between the headlamp and the bonnet on the off-side and my little finger in the nearside. Have a look at this picture to see what I mean:

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I've had a thumb through the Haynes and found no mention of what to do here. I've opened the bonnet and had a good look at the mechanism. I think I've found what appear to be adjustment bolts. The bonnet to secured to the body either side of the radiator in the engine bay. In front of the radiator, there are two bolts that can be accessed by removing the grille. The off-side bolt is pretty sheared and couldn't be turned, but I was able to turn to near-side.

Assuming I'm doing the right thing here, which way do I turn them to lower to bonnet at the front? The near-side is fully turned in, but slackening it off appears to allow the bonnet to raise at the front so I presume tightening it lowers the bonnet front. Could I lower it further by packing some washers behind the bolt? What about the off-side sheared nut? It should be a 13mm socket, but this spins on the nut. Is it worth forcing an Imperial socket onto this to remove and replace?

Any advice would be very much appreciated,

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
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Reply to
Paul Halliday
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Turning them clockwise (in, so that there's less sticking out) makes the bonnet edge go up. Turning them anti clockwise (so that there's more sticking out) makes the bonnet edge go down.

No, when the bolt is fully out, that's it - that's as far as you can go.

Difficult to call it from here, it depends how rounded it is. I have a set of Metrinch sockets which are great for just such occasions. Othewise I usually just weld a piece of steel onto the nut and remove it that way.

Good luck Paul.

Reply to
Grunff

in article bj2pdg$dtsst$ snipped-for-privacy@ID-152899.news.uni-berlin.de, Grunff at snipped-for-privacy@ixxa.com wrote on 02/09/2003 20:00:

Uh? "Ploink" > The near-side is fully turned in, but slackening it

Bugger! There's still about half a centimetre I'd like rid of. I suppose a length of door trim would close up the gap nicely.

The nut has literally had the edges skimmed so that at 13mm socket grips enough to hold some torque but then slips around. I think someone has had a go before with improper tools, but found the nut too tight with rust.

I was thinking of trying to saw a slot into it to get at it with a screwdriver, but it's pretty rusted in. I'll pour some anti-cease into the area tonight and see tomorrow. There's a very good tool shop on my way to work that might come up with a solution.

Out of interest, do you know the size of nut I should buy as a replacement? I'd rather have the replacement to put in immediately.

Thanks Grunff - prompt and helpful as usual.

Paul

Reply to
Paul Halliday

Hmmm...fraid not, I just dig one out of the big icecream tub labelled "saab nuts"...

Anytime.

Reply to
Grunff

I've never heard of a Usenet group being described as an icecream tub before.

Dave "also as usual" Hinz

Reply to
Dave Hinz

in article bj2vg0$ev4r0$ snipped-for-privacy@ID-134476.news.uni-berlin.de, Dave Hinz at snipped-for-privacy@spamcop.net wrote on 02/09/2003 21:44:

Sing along?

"We all live in a big ice cream tub, a big ice cream tub, a big ice cream tub ..."

Reply to
Paul Halliday

If you get it slotted for the biggest screw driver you can find (make the slot very deep), try putting a Bolster/Masonary/Coal chisel in and giving it a few sharp taps to try and brake the rust, then put the Anti seize on, and tap again.

After that, try an Impact driver with the largest screwdriver bit in. Might just be enough to break it loose, without shearing it.

If it takes the head off, but the bolt stays, get the power drill, centre punch, and progressivley bigger metal bits out.

You can usually drill it out close enough if youa re carefull, to actually spin the remaining treads of the old bolt out with a punch as a drift.

That of course is the last resort.

Reply to
MeatballTurbo

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