Defender bonnet cables. What can go wrong?

[@MrRobmellor]

I,m so glad that my 1984 110 hasn't got a cable. It has a lever that you get to via the grill, and there is a lock on the front panel that I have to turn after unlocking it , making the bonnet secure. My father worked in a wire rope factory all his life, and one thing that I cherish is a pair of cutters for cutting wire cable, it has two Vee jaws that come together around the cable so that the cable does not flatten, Also, during the manufacturing process of multi strand cable, it runs in oil, so it can sometimes be very hard to get a good solder joint, I clean it with meths or carbon tetrachloride. With the thicker cable, it was heated with and induction coil then when it was red hot turned untill it parted, the same can be done with a blow torch on the smaller cables. I can't wait for the next part of this video, feels like when I was a kid going the the saturday morning picture house or a batman film. A really enjoyable video Mike. Please keep up the good work. Yorkshire Rob..

[@BritannicaRestorations]

I have a video of soldering cables in order to cut them this weekend! Thanks Rob!

[@MrRobmellor]

I can hardly wait to learn something new from you Mike. I was the only person that was trusted to soldier the nipples onto clutch cables on motor bikes that raced in the IOM TT races, but no one is ever learned up. Best wishes. Yorkshire Rob.

[@rvrnnr987]

I used a choke cable from the 3.5 V8. I mounted the pull handle under the very bottom inside corner of the left wing. The cable loops up behind the grill and to the latch release. Works perfectly. Is much stronger than the original. I've had it like that for 2 years, and it still works better than the original configuration without showing any signs of wear or adjustment needed.

[@mattryan2536]

I can't wait for the part 2 of cable installation. 👍🇺🇸

[@BritannicaRestorations]

I have to order one so may be a while

[@מישהבלך]

Hi Mike, You indeed touched a painful subject. On my previous 97 110 with original cable and a spare wheel on the bonnet, it was a nightmare... So I decided to get to the bottom of this, the problem was the original cable had only steel wire and nylon cover (no steel spiral beneath the nylon)! So I fabricated a simple lever for the cabin and bought a universal brake cable from a bike shop (really cheap bought I think 4 meters) that actually worked like a charm fo many years. But on my next defender I found even a better solution, I installed the td5 bonnet cable it is much better engineered.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

That is why I use universal engine stops - solid cable and they never break

[@defender90keswick.nigelsla59]

On the Puma they changed it to a lever type design just in front of your left knee. Guess what happened when I removed the cable.. it broke.

[@mohammadnoormauludadnan2545]

I just removed the original cable and replaced with korean 4x4 cable and opening latch. solved the problem forever.

[@defendermodsandtravels]

With the bull bar, auxiliary lights and what not, the main radiator is effectively masked. Worse still if there's an intercooler in front too. You might get away with it in Canada but you wouldn't in a hotter climate. If the owner does heavy towing or climbing mountain passes the engine will overheat. 4xoverland made an interesting video showing how even a minor obstruction to the cooling ducts on a Landcruiser caused a major degradation in cooling efficiency. I come back to a point I have made before. So often the problems experienced by Land Rovers are caused by the actions of their owners.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Yes I am glad you understand - I have a winch on my 130 but sits low - no lights or bull bar - the 300Tdi rad is a double pass and not the most efficient at the bests of times

[@nzrestoration9486]

Just a tip, go to the fishing shop and buy a small packet of crimps used to secure wire trace. Cheap and a lot slimmer than those electric crimps.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Fishing? Canada? Winter? lol! Mike

[@nickboylen6873]

After having a cable seize up with dust contamination, I installed the exterior latches as used on Series 1s, Camel Trophy 110s and all MoD Land Rovers. Not much security, but far easier and more reliable, especially with spare wheel on the bonnet (the cable had to be held back before as the pin spring wasn’t strong enough to lift the bonnet with spare, pioneer tools and noise proofing). Besides, what are opportunists going to steal from under the bonnet if they realise it’s unlocked?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

The early 90/110 had the best manual latch

[@nickboylen6873]

I quite liked the simple SII/SIII type!

[@thomasmccauley3753]

Any Land Rover owner living in the UK knows that bonnets are quite often stolen, and then sold on to other owners who have had their bonnets stolen. Same thing happens with doors, spare wheels and bumpers.

[@philhealey449]

@@BritannicaRestorations I seem to remember my 1986 Ninety ( D420JRL) having a key latch on the bonnet or am I imagining it?

[@nickboylen6873]

Thomas, that is a blight that seems to affect Puma bonnets but rarely earlier types. Fair point, though. I did put aftermarket security hinges on my wife’s 2009 90, but my bonnet hasn’t ever been tampered with despite having standard hinges and no lock.

[@johnchetwynd3618]

Changed mine a few weeks ago after one half of the handle came off. Ashamed to say a Britpart one went on. However, how about a ‘how to’ on doing up the nut on it at the cabin end. None of my spanners would fit in the bracket. So I live in fear of the handle eventually coming undone over time and use. On the upside the operation is much smoother now and I don’t have to call on the services of Geoff Capes to release the bonnet 😂

[@eliotheasman5378]

Hi Mike very well done as always very great help many thanks Eliot

[@mrcvry]

The „modern“ cars have it electrically opened. Two cables instead of one. But how do you get to the batterie if the batterie is flat? That is fun! 😄

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Madness!

[@donahuelim4961]

I broke way too many of those cables and installed a truck engine stop cable in its place. Never again gave me trouble whatsoever.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Same here

[@kevinworthington9148]

Hi mike that vid cracked me up been down that street I use marine engine stop pull cables all stainless & brass parts ,bit pricey but fit once and forget Btw that north American parts co u use ,,,,just had a look at them *$##!¥ hell I had to take tablets the price off things !!!! Keep up the good vids mate

[@BritannicaRestorations]

as we used to say - I need a price not your phone number! Oh that IS the price!

[@desertbreeze1620]

Glad I replaced mine with to external bonnet catches....

[@SierraEire]

I wonder what you’d have to do if the bonnet closed without the pull cable in place to open it again? I imagine it would be a bit of a rigmarole.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Without all the clutter you could remove the grill and flick the lever - on later Defenders they covered this making life a bit more difficult

[@DRUMBAUN]

Hed need a massive intercooler with all them spots in front of the rad.

[@BrianM0OAB]

Nothing worse than pulling ya knob off when you least expect it.

[@defenda2477]

Hey mike is there anyway to adjust the bonnet so it pops open with a spare wheel mounted on it? I have to get some one to lift the bonnet at the same time as pulling the cable to get it open. Which is a pain.

[@paulhumphreys6652]

I have that with ours and it doesn't even have a spare wheel on it! We've only had the TD5 for a month or so and I thought it was another Land Rover 90 idiosyncrasy. I'm glad someone else has the same problem!

[@thomasmccauley3753]

Bend the grooved piece of metal slightly that the handle is fixed to then the cable will stay out as far as you pull it out. This holds the catch open away from the bonnet pin. When you get the bonnet open and propped, just push the cable back. Had to do this with my Series II which had a 7-50 X 16 spare on the bonnet.

[@MrRobmellor]

GET a stronger spring, or do what I did. Cut a piece of plywood to the length of the cable when it is pulled out. Then when you pull the cable, put the wood behind the knob so that it will not return back in. Go round to the front and lift the bonnet, then go back and take the wood out so that it clicks shut when you put the bonnet back down..... I hope this is of some help to you.Rob.

[@SiCrewe]

I wouldn't try and solder the cable into the pull-handle. If you're heating the metal tube enough to allow solder to flow, you're going to start to melt the plastic handle. Also, NEVER cut a multi-strand cable with snips. Always use a dremel with a cutting disk. Every bicyclist knows this.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Wait for this weekends experimental video!

[@waynegrixti132]

I' dont even bother with the cable. I use a screwdriver to open the catch

[@10beerman]

What a ball ache..

[@bigm383]

Your demeanour had improved since the last video on insurance... Until you got to the bullshit bar!

[@BritannicaRestorations]

As a mechanic I hate bull bars makes jobs so difficult to work on and not much need for them here

[@bigm383]

@@BritannicaRestorations Yes, their main function here is to maim pedestrians.