Fitting Bonnet lifters.

[mrgf]

This post is as described, fitting bonnet lifters, after finding the tool to loosen the bonnet hinges, post.

 

My tool arrived Saturday and I had the time to fit them today. They were slightly more work then Mr Panzer's "Sokie" Variant but at around £20, worth the saving!

The main difference is the connection bracket, where it has a sliding fit and utilises both front and rear bolt, on the bonnet hinge.

 

This gives some degree of adjustability but I think it is pointless really. It also means you need to be a little cautious about removing the bolts to fit the bracket as there is a potential to mis-alight the bonnet. 

The easiest way is to remove the front, uppermost bolt first, lovely fit the bracket on, with just enough movement to slide a little, then remove the lower, rearmost bonnet hinge bolt, slide the bracket to align the hole, then tighten. Fit both sides first, check the bonnet lines up nicely and then proceed to fitting the dampers. It will be easier this way, as the dampers will just add resistance, making the alignment check and adjustment harder. 

You then bolt the dampers on to the brackets, with the ball jointed bolts that are on the struts already, bolt the other ball jointed bolts, along with washers on to the cars front panel. (You will need to remove the pre-fitted bolts to do this). Then just "Click" the struts to the ball joints. 

If you look at where UrbanPanzer fitted his lower fixings, mine fit to the bolt just in front, the silver ones with the large-ish washer. 

 

So, now I have front bonnet lifters and an automatic boot lifter, via the remote boot pop.

That said, my original boot lifters are a little weak so I ordered a new set and will replace them within a day or two. They lift but stick a little, needing a little encouragement to open fully. They are strong enough to hold up the tailgate but have always, at least for a few years, been slow or reluctant to fully lift the tailgate. 

This may be due to the extra weight of the parcel shelf, over estate versions, as they use the same force of lifter, partly to the added boot net thing I have on the shelf, to carry small items. This adds even more weight to the tailgate. 

I ordred a set of Dromedary branded, lifetime guarantee, struts, so hope they live up to their expectations! 

 

So, to the front lifters, I am happy with the price and the looks. Similar to the "Sokie" apart from the bracket. Mine looks a little more "Finished" but the Sokie ones looked better packaged. Mine were jiffy bagged and bubble wrapped, rather then nicely boxed but then, the box goes in the bin at the end!

 

They work nicely, not too much force they surprise you but a slow, steady raise to fully opened. I notice that fully opened is a few cm less then standard but this can most likely be dialled out, with a little adjustment on the bracket, which has around 100mm of adjustment, although in practice, this will most likely come down to half of that.

I may also have had the extra few cm, had I fitted the lower bracket the where UrbanPanzer did but when fitting, the other bolt hole looked "Right" and the thread was correct so I went with that! Not sure I can be bothered to play around more with it, to try gaining such a small difference.

In a sentence then,

Not as simple to fit but easy enough, half the price with no hidden "Extra" postage, Looks similar, works the same.

I found them on Aliexpress, for around £20.

 

Car Bonnet Hood Support Lift Spring Bracket Strut Bar Hydraulic Rod for Skoda Fabia 2007-2019 Car accessories

 

That should help find them...

 

 

 

•  

 

 

Edited 13 May, 2019 by mrgf

[mrgf]

2 hours ago, mrgf said:

This post is as described, fitting bonnet lifters, after finding the tool to loosen the bonnet hinges, post.

 

My tool arrived Saturday and I had the time to fit them today. They were slightly more work then Mr Panzer's "Sokie" Variant but at around £20, worth the saving!

The main difference is the connection bracket, where it has a sliding fit and utilises both front and rear bolt, on the bonnet hinge.

 

This gives some degree of adjustability but I think it is pointless really. It also means you need to be a little cautious about removing the bolts to fit the bracket as there is a potential to mis-alight the bonnet. 

The easiest way is to remove the front, uppermost bolt first, lovely fit the bracket on, with just enough movement to slide a little, then remove the lower, rearmost bonnet hinge bolt, slide the bracket to align the hole, then tighten. Fit both sides first, check the bonnet lines up nicely and then proceed to fitting the dampers. It will be easier this way, as the dampers will just add resistance, making the alignment check and adjustment harder. 

You then bolt the dampers on to the brackets, with the ball jointed bolts that are on the struts already, bolt the other ball jointed bolts, along with washers on to the cars front panel. (You will need to remove the pre-fitted bolts to do this). Then just "Click" the struts to the ball joints. 

If you look at where UrbanPanzer fitted his lower fixings, mine fit to the bolt just in front, the silver ones with the large-ish washer. 

 

So, now I have front bonnet lifters and an automatic boot lifter, via the remote boot pop.

That said, my original boot lifters are a little weak so I ordered a new set and will replace them within a day or two. They lift but stick a little, needing a little encouragement to open fully. They are strong enough to hold up the tailgate but have always, at least for a few years, been slow or reluctant to fully lift the tailgate. 

This may be due to the extra weight of the parcel shelf, over estate versions, as they use the same force of lifter, partly to the added boot net thing I have on the shelf, to carry small items. This adds even more weight to the tailgate. 

I ordred a set of Dromedary branded, lifetime guarantee, struts, so hope they live up to their expectations! 

 

So, to the front lifters, I am happy with the price and the looks. Similar to the "Sokie" apart from the bracket. Mine looks a little more "Finished" but the Sokie ones looked better packaged. Mine were jiffy bagged and bubble wrapped, rather then nicely boxed but then, the box goes in the bin at the end!

 

They work nicely, not too much force they surprise you but a slow, steady raise to fully opened. I notice that fully opened is a few cm less then standard but this can most likely be dialled out, with a little adjustment on the bracket, which has around 100mm of adjustment, although in practice, this will most likely come down to half of that.

I may also have had the extra few cm, had I fitted the lower bracket the where UrbanPanzer did but when fitting, the other bolt hole looked "Right" and the thread was correct so I went with that! Not sure I can be bothered to play around more with it, to try gaining such a small difference.

In a sentence then,

Not as simple to fit but easy enough, half the price with no hidden "Extra" postage, Looks similar, works the same.

I found them on Aliexpress, for around £20.

 

Car Bonnet Hood Support Lift Spring Bracket Strut Bar Hydraulic Rod for Skoda Fabia 2007-2019 Car accessories

 

That should help find them...

 

•  

 

 

 

Now fitted the new replacement rear struts and wow! What a difference! My old ones although hold up the boot, had difficulty raising it, sometimes stopping halfway. The new ones are a massive improvement for around £12.  Supposedly, they have a lifetime guarantee, too so time will tell if they last or not! These, along with the extra springs to "Pop" The tailgate with the remote and the front bonnet lifters,  are a nice set of toys to play with, keeping the old girl feeling fresh still. Stops you getting bored too easily and wanting to change the whole car!

2 hours ago, mrgf said:

 

 

[DIZZY3]

Hi mrgf, where did you get your boot lifters from , just been looking on eBay loads for sale but I am unsure which ones to get , they just say gas filled struts , are these the correct ones. Thanks.

 

[mrgf]

Tailgate Gas Struts Boot Support For Skoda Fabia MK2 Hatchback Estate 2007-2014

 

Enter that in to your eBay search and that should get you the boot lifters. They were £11.61 when I got them, gone up about a pound or so now. Still a mass cheaper then genuine ones, though and they lift my boot fine.

 

 

Be aware, they are the BOOT LIFTERS!

 

The ones for the bonnet are from aliexpress, cost around £20 and will need a little more effort to fit. Still simple, though. 

I am unsure if you want bonnet lifters or boot lifters, due to yours wearing out. 

 

I also fitted a set of springs that when you first open the boot, either by remote or manually, "Pop" The boot open with extra force, so that they then force the boot to open fully, without manual assistance. (Care needed, if in low ceiling area, such as garage/carpark).

 

The bonnet lifters still need a bit of manual lifting and to be honest, thats needed anyway as bonnets have a double catch, to prevent the bonnet from flying open accidentally.

 

So its actually three things in all.

 

If you are unsure of anything I have said here, please ask.

Edited 16 May, 2019 by mrgf

[MarkTB]

21 hours ago, mrgf said:

The ones for the bonnet are from aliexpress, cost around £20 and will need a little more effort to fit. Still simple, though. 

Do you have the link for the ones you ordered? Cheers.

[mrgf]

Type in the link below and it should show you the items. The ones I got are from a seller called Auker car accessories store. I copied and pasted that type myself and they came up first. £20.64 today as the price fluctuates with currency exchange rates. No additional postage though, when I ordered mine.

 

Go to AliExpress. Try this..   

 

Car Bonnet Hood Support Lift Spring Bracket Strut Bar Hydraulic Rod for Skoda Fabia 2007-2019 Car accessories.

[UrbanPanzer]

Ah I see so looking at these the top mounting bracket slides fully under the original bonnet bracket, quite like that idea, more work to fit, but looks good to

 

heres the direct link...

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32961932196.html?spm=2114.search0302.3.9.54132f2bxgqS7D&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0%2Csearchweb201602_0_10190_10130_453_454_10618_536_10890_317_537_319_10059_10696_10084_10083_10547_10546_10887_10307_321_10548_322_10065_10068_10103_10884_10303_10820%2Csearchweb201603_0%2CppcSwitch_0&algo_pvid=565e3893-cd24-4075-b42c-9f04d7bf2df9&algo_expid=565e3893-cd24-4075-b42c-9f04d7bf2df9-1

 

PS on a side note, no additonal costs as yet from the sokietech order.

[mrgf]

Under the bolts but not the brackets, unless I missed something! one is a black car anyway so the brackets ar kind of natural. Might be a nice idea to paint them, if it feels right. I also have nice little plastic caps that fit on the bolts so they too, look a little nicer. Just a push fit over any matching sized nut that I already have a number of. Used them on the seat nuts, door hinges, and many other nuts/bolt heads I could fit them on. 😎

Edited 17 May, 2019 by mrgf

[jamie6210]

3 hours ago, UrbanPanzer said:

Ah I see so looking at these the top mounting bracket slides fully under the original bonnet bracket, quite like that idea, more work to fit, but looks good to

 

heres the direct link...

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32961932196.html?spm=2114.search0302.3.9.54132f2bxgqS7D&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0%2Csearchweb201602_0_10190_10130_453_454_10618_536_10890_317_537_319_10059_10696_10084_10083_10547_10546_10887_10307_321_10548_322_10065_10068_10103_10884_10303_10820%2Csearchweb201603_0%2CppcSwitch_0&algo_pvid=565e3893-cd24-4075-b42c-9f04d7bf2df9&algo_expid=565e3893-cd24-4075-b42c-9f04d7bf2df9-1

 

PS on a side note, no additonal costs as yet from the sokietech order.

Quite cheap to be honest, might pick up a pair but that estimated delivery time is making me wonder if I'll receive it before Christmas 

[mrgf]

...They actually arrived in a decent time. Not fast but by no means slow! I think they always cover their backs. I just actually looked back at the timeline and once shipped, they took nine days to arrive. an extra four days processing the order so from order to arrival, around 2 weeks. 

[UrbanPanzer]

Sokie ones, 2 days!!!!..................from Taiwain...............was amazed....!!!