Bonnet Latch Cable Improvement.

**Dougal** · 13th October 2013, 11:43 AM

Anyone with a classic rangie or disco knows how stiff the bonnet release cables are. Because they are so stiff a common failure is the end being broken off.

If you have broken the pull-knob off, you can simply undo the nuts behind the collar which holds the cable outer and pull that. This will pull the whole inner and outer cable for an emergency bonnet release. It works well but is hard on the fingers.

But upon ordering a new cable, you'll probably notice the cable housing is internally just spiral wound steel. Just like your average push-bike brake cable.
Now ever bike brake or gear cable for the last 25 years or so has a plastic liner to reduce friction. We're talking a $3 retail cable, apparently on their $100k rangerovers that wasn't necessary.

So when installing the new cable, get a 5cc syringe and fill it up with grease. Any grease will do, but I used a teflon grease which is full of little flakes of solid teflon. These wedge in the holes and provide lubrication even when the oil in the rest of the grease has dried out or run away. This type of grease usually smells less than wheel bearing type greases too.

Put the syringe into a short piece of PVC hose which just fits over the end of the bonnet release outer cable (inner wire removed) and squirt it as far in as you can.
Then chase it in with the wire (doesn't matter that it's the wrong end) and repeat this process until you've got grease spread down at least half of the inside of the cable housing.
It is the bonnet end that needs the grease due to the corner it must turn from guard to grille.
Be careful not to spread dirt and grit into the grease. Keep a lot of paper towels handy and wipe the inner wire clean when putting it down to stop it picking up grit.

Once you're done greasing up the outer, wipe it clean and install in the normal manner. I also used an electrical gland to seal the cable through the firewall as the original grommets just don't stay put.
Make sure you wipe clean the end of the cable you intend to clamp. You don't want this clamp slipping.

When you're done, you'll have a bonnet cable that instead of the whole arm pull braced with a foot against the vehicle can be opened with just two fingers worth of pull. Just like a normal car.

This should also be the end of broken cable ends.

**PAT303** · 13th October 2013, 12:05 PM

Or an easier solution is to lubricate the latch with anti-sieze or a good dose of Lanolin spray so it doesn't sieze up,never had an issue by doing it that way. Pat

**Phil HH** · 13th October 2013, 12:11 PM

I have released my '81 RRC bonnet release outer cable from the plastic clip that holds it to the bodywork near the actual bonnet release catch. This means that I can then pull the right front of the bonnet up with one hand and pull on the outer cable with the fingertips of the other hand, thus releasing the bonnet. Somewhere in the engine bay I have hidden a spare key.

**Dougal** · 13th October 2013, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by PAT303

Or an easier solution is to lubricate the latch with anti-sieze or a good dose of Lanolin spray so it doesn't sieze up,never had an issue by doing it that way. Pat

Waste of time. The friction is in the cable, not the latch.

**Dougal** · 13th October 2013, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Phil HH

I have released my '81 RRC bonnet release outer cable from the plastic clip that holds it to the bodywork near the actual bonnet release catch. This means that I can then pull the right front of the bonnet up with one hand and pull on the outer cable with the fingertips of the other hand, thus releasing the bonnet. Somewhere in the engine bay I have hidden a spare key.

Just reaching in the gap between the bonnet and top of the grille?
It's a good plan. My 85 also has the exposed cable there. But on my 93 it's enclosed in a steel pipe to prevent such efforts.

**Randylandy** · 13th October 2013, 01:01 PM

I lubed my cable the other day. I disconnected the cable from the latch then fond a scrap piece of tube that fitted over the outer, I then filled that tube with oil and hooked up the air compressor to blast he oil down the cable. Worked a treat.

**workingonit** · 13th October 2013, 03:05 PM

Thanks for the thread Dougal.

Recently bought an 82 RRC. Latch cable works OK at moment, but the spring that is supposed to lift the bonnet for finger access is weak. So no matter how many times I pull the release cable the bonnet stays planted.

Got to the point that before pulling the release cable I shove a medium sized shifter by the handle under the nose of the bonnet, allowing the working end of the shifter (the lump end) to provide the little bit of leverage assist required by the spring. Will get a new spring eventually.

I'm also thinking about making an old fashioned series finger through the radiator grill release catch while preserving the in cab cable release. At least in the RRC the release cable is on the driver side, unlike the Disco.

And then there is the final little hook device that you can hardly get your fingers to. Who designs these things?

And while going Series retro on the RRC I might look at a hand crank...for starting the soon to be implanted 4BD1T and MSA5G box (guess which of this comment is the joke) (oh, don't tell me Dougal that you can hand crank the engine!!

Would like to talk to you about how you mated the MSA to the LT230 – Sheldon? the_grubb hasn't responded to any of my expressions of interest in his systems, but I'm giving it time as he may be very busy as per last of his postings, unless I'm missing something?

Having to write all my posts in a word processor and paste to aurlo, so no not using any imoticons. The reason? My log on to aulro goes broke quickly, not sure why, though I'm using Fuduntu that works well otherwise.

Has anyone bothered to make an alloy bonnet for the RRC? (save the price on a new spring, ha ha) Coming from a Disco background I got a surprise first time I lifted the RRC bonnet.

**workingonit** · 13th October 2013, 03:09 PM

What do you know, if I type a colon and bracket in a word processor and past, aulro interprets a smiley face!! Might have to be careful about non alpha combos...

**loanrangie** · 13th October 2013, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by workingonit

Thanks for the thread Dougal.

Recently bought an 82 RRC. Latch cable works OK at moment, but the spring that is supposed to lift the bonnet for finger access is weak. So no matter how many times I pull the release cable the bonnet stays planted.

Got to the point that before pulling the release cable I shove a medium sized shifter by the handle under the nose of the bonnet, allowing the working end of the shifter (the lump end) to provide the little bit of leverage assist required by the spring. Will get a new spring eventually.

I'm also thinking about making an old fashioned series finger through the radiator grill release catch while preserving the in cab cable release. At least in the RRC the release cable is on the driver side, unlike the Disco.

And then there is the final little hook device that you can hardly get your fingers to. Who designs these things?

And while going Series retro on the RRC I might look at a hand crank...for starting the soon to be implanted 4BD1T and MSA5G box (guess which of this comment is the joke) (oh, don't tell me Dougal that you can hand crank the engine!!

Would like to talk to you about how you mated the MSA to the LT230 – Sheldon? the_grubb hasn't responded to any of my expressions of interest in his systems, but I'm giving it time as he may be very busy as per last of his postings, unless I'm missing something?

Having to write all my posts in a word processor and paste to aurlo, so no not using any imoticons. The reason? My log on to aulro goes broke quickly, not sure why, though I'm using Fuduntu that works well otherwise.

Has anyone bothered to make an alloy bonnet for the RRC? (save the price on a new spring, ha ha) Coming from a Disco background I got a surprise first time I lifted the RRC bonnet.

Arent the late RRC bonnets alloy ?

**workingonit** · 13th October 2013, 03:53 PM

If they are alloy then I better look around - thanks for that.

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