adjsuting bonnet/hinges

[jonnyboy54321]

Hi all

Got the front end nearly sorted on my 1998 Colorado.
New bonnet is chafing on scuttle panel - is there a way to adjust the hinges? Does the scuttle panel come off?
Confused a bit here - can't see how you get to the hinge body mounting points.
Thx

 

[AndyCook]

you cannot directly adjust the hinges
but you can undo the bolts holding them to bonnet or bodywork, and put washers between the bracket/body or bracket/bonnet to allow you to space the bonnet away from the scuttle panel

 

[jonnyboy54321]

thanks Andy.
bonnet is actually sitting too far back and fouling along length of scuttle panel.
The bonnet bolts have a stepped shank to centre in the hinges, I tried normal bolts to get an extra cpl of mm with no success.
So I guess I need to access the hinges, how do I get to them anyone?

 

[Shayne]

Just took a look at my bonnet hinges i think if i had your problem i would just unbolt the bonnet leaving the hinges in place and drill the bolt holes in the bonnet a bit bigger so you can slide the bonnet forward and bolt it up tight .

 

[AndyCook]

guess you also need to see how-much lee-way there is in the catch as well at the front

 

[jonnyboy54321]

catch etc at the front not much of an issue as I am re-aligning slam panel to suit, it's pushed back.
may have to ease the holes in the hinges to get it right as the bonnet holes are captives.
considering a slide hammer on hinges - after all what went back should come forward...
having problems aligning headlamps/bumper etc, bl**dy difficult when you don't know how its supposed to look alignment wise when repaired!!!
front panel where headlamp bowls etc are pushed back a bit, not too much.
Question - when the lights are in and bumper is on, should the shape of the bottom edge of the headlamps follow the moulding of the bumper, and should the top edge of the headlamps be in line with the leading edge of the bonnet or do they stick out a bit? Am determined to get this looking right...!

 

[stumog]

where abouts in the uk are you?

 

[Shayne]

Headlights run perfectly in line with my bonnet there is no more than a 10mm gap between both but if you run your hand over the bonnet and light they sit perfectly flush . Don't use the bumper for alignment as its not exactly solid . After fitting a body lift i couldn't get my bumper to sit tidy so i cut the brackets off the steel hidden bumper and bent them slightly so now my plastic bumper sits perfectly flush and tight with the mudguards meaning the bottom of the lights protude slightly over the bumper to allow rain to drip onto the bumper .

 

[jonnyboy54321]

where abouts in the uk are you?

Camberley, Surrey

 

[stumog]

bit far to come and help i am afraid. when mine gets home i will take some pictures if you like.
stu

 

[jonnyboy54321]

Headlights run perfectly in line with my bonnet there is no more than a 10mm gap between both but if you run your hand over the bonnet and light they sit perfectly flush . Don't use the bumper for alignment as its not exactly solid . After fitting a body lift i couldn't get my bumper to sit tidy so i cut the brackets off the steel hidden bumper and bent them slightly so now my plastic bumper sits perfectly flush and tight with the mudguards meaning the bottom of the lights protude slightly over the bumper to allow rain to drip onto the bumper .

Am heading back out into the rain in a minute to have a look at the bonnet as I need to start there I guess.
Busy trying to sort out all the d1ckh3ads on eBay who are messing up my auction for one of the Saabs I am moving on. Fed up with timewasters - 3rd time
(rant over!!)

 

[Shayne]

Just thinking if your original bonnet was crushed in a smash your hinges are likely bent anyway and you need to start from the back and work your way forwards to achieve anything close to proper alignment . If you remove the bonnet it should be pretty easy to undo the 2 bolts that hold the hinges in , so then you could just turn the hinge sideways and pull it out . With a bit of luck what's bent will be obvious so you will be able to straighten it to put things right .

 

[jonnyboy54321]

Just thinking if your original bonnet was crushed in a smash your hinges are likely bent anyway and you need to start from the back and work your way forwards to achieve anything close to proper alignment . If you remove the bonnet it should be pretty easy to undo the 2 bolts that hold the hinges in , so then you could just turn the hinge sideways and pull it out . With a bit of luck what's bent will be obvious so you will be able to straighten it to put things right .

Trouble was I couldn't see how to get to hinge fixings, hence thinking that the scuttle panel needed to come out?

 

[Shayne]

On mine a 1996 swb colorado there are 2 bolts to the bonnet and just under the scuttle 2 bolts holding the hinge to the body , its a bit tight but i would get a socket on the rear hinge bolt without to much trouble i think .

The actual pivot is high up and hard to see but that will come out with the hinge .

 

[jonnyboy54321]

Scuttle is out - it actually had a couple of broken clips, so I think it may actually be the case that the scuttle panel had moved anyway. Very difficult to see whether hinges are bent so I have loosened and lined bonnet up from front edge of wings. Now to sort lights/bumper again.
Clips to be ordered tomorrow, no doubt they will be a bl00dy fortune and long lead time!!!

 

[Shayne]

Jeez that must have been one hell of an impact are you sure once all the money is spent it will get through an M.O.T anyway , a bent chassis has no chance ?

 

[jonnyboy54321]

Very light impact actually Shayne. Chassis is straight as are inner wings. Wouldn't have gone near it otherwise, trust me! It's not a bad old bus other than that to be honest.
Bonnet pinged upwards and I think its just tweaked the scuttle - which is only held in with plastic clips and four screws (couldn't believe how easy it was to remove, should have looked a bit harder before posting!!!).
Bumper reinforcing bar attachment points a little bit twisted but nothing structural, now sorted.
It's purely the alignment of the under-headlamp panels that's throwing me off. Am waiting for the os headlamp to arrive, supposed to be here Thursday - have been effectively working blind so not doing much more till it comes.
Once I'm done I'll be happy (as I am pedantic so always do a good job not a bodge so to speak!!).

 

[Shayne]

As far as i can tell the sidelamps have little or no room for adjustment and the sit perfectly flush and tight fitting with the wings . The headlight sits so tight against the side lamp they appear as one piece glass . Do you have plastic arches on your wings (some don't) if so your bumper wants to line up with the arches rather than anything else .

 

[jonnyboy54321]

Yep got the arches on and bumper will line up with them.
Front panels with the headlamp cutout are what 's throwing stuff out as the little "wing" that attached the headlamp supports seems to not sit in the same place on either side. Blocked it out with washers etc but that forced the headlamp too far out so it's back to how it was, wait (patiently) for the second headlamp then I know where I am at so to speak. I'll sort it..

 

[jonnyboy54321]

all on and together.
Not 100% happy with the fit but it will do for mot, it'll probably look a lot better when the bonnet is painted to be fair.

For anyone interested, the scuttle is easy peasy to remove, and can (just) be done with the bonnet on.
Six screws along the bulkhead joint, I used a right angled driver to crack them then just by hand with a driver bit.
Once done, making sure you have removed the wipers, slide the scuttle forward towards the engine. There are six clips, two at the wings, and four under the screen. For the wing ones, you want a little flat-blade for each side, lever the "wing" of the clip towards the centreline of the scuttle, it will ease the sprung part out of the slot. As you pull the scuttle forward, hopefully it will release from the rear clips without breaking them. I didn't know how to do it so attempted to take the bottom screen trim off, breaking the clips. A full set of six was £47 with my discount, absolute robbery for what they are, but they have to be 100% for the scuttle to fit and the screen trim to go back on (if you even take it off). That was a lesson.....