CLK CAb (W208) 'hood cover' strut nut

[rowleyd3]

Hi all,

Bit of a wierd question, but how do I get to a nut to tighten it up?!!!

Its the strut on the hood cover on a 2001 CLK Cab. I might have to be a bit more specific, as I'm not sure what its actually called !!!

When you lower the roof, the rear of the hood rises, then the cover opens. If you then stop the opening sequence - its the nearside strut on this cover that is loose, as the ball-jointed bottom goes through a hole, with presumably a nut on the reverse. Despite removing trim in the boot and under the cover, I can't see how to get to the nut on the other side of the plate - that tightens it at the bottom. There seems to be a void, but it appears sealed with spotwelds etc?

Apologies if its a bit of a ambiguous description, but I'm struggling to describe it any better !!

Thanks,

Darren.

 

[television]

Welcome to the forum Darren.

Can you see the part here
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.607&CT=F&cat=45Y&SID=77&SGR=015&SGN=01

 

[rowleyd3]

Welcome to the forum Darren.

Can you see the part here
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.asp?TP=1&F=208465&M=112%2E940&GA=722%2E607&CT=F&cat=45Y&SID=77&SGR=015&SGN=01

Apologies, I should've introduced myself first (as I did on my other forums ). I have been a member for a year, but just as a lurker ....

Not, its not there - its the strut that holds the 'cover' up not the hood. Its right next to the cover hinge. I think its at the base of '190' here - http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.607&CT=F&cat=45Y&SID=75&SGR=060&SGN=03

Darren.

 

[television]

This is the only other one that we have

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.607&CT=F&cat=45Y&SID=77&SGR=030&SGN=02

 

[rowleyd3]

Apologies, I should've introduced myself first (as I did on my other forums )

Not, its not there - its the strut that holds the 'cover' up not the hood. Its right next to the cover hinge. I think its at the base of '190' here - http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.607&CT=F&cat=45Y&SID=75&SGR=060&SGN=03

Darren.

I edited my post, but we might have overlapped -

"Not, its not there - its the strut that holds the 'cover' up not the hood. Its right next to the cover hinge. I think its at the base of '190' here - http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.607&CT=F&cat=45Y&SID=75&SGR=060&SGN=03 "

Thanks,

Darren.

 

[television]

OK I have tuned into it now,,I will have a look in the workshop pages later,, it may not be this evening

 

[rowleyd3]

I edited my post, but we might have overlapped -

"Not, its not there - its the strut that holds the 'cover' up not the hood. Its right next to the cover hinge. I think its at the base of '190' here - http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.607&CT=F&cat=45Y&SID=75&SGR=060&SGN=03 "

Thanks,

Darren.

If Malcolm is struggling - anyone else know?

Thanks,

Darren.

 

[television]

OK darren send me a Email address I think that I am getting near it

Put it up here you can edit it out in a few mins

 

[rowleyd3]

OK darren send me a Email address I think that I am getting near it

Put it up here you can edit it out in a few mins

Thanks,

Darren.

 

[television]

Its gone, take away Email address, tell me how near I am

 

[rowleyd3]

If anyone else fancies a crack, here are the pics/description:

1st pic - 'Merc-manual' - is showing the manual (where it is)
2nd pic - 'W208 nut and bolt' - is my rough diagram of what the problem is

On the first photo, bolt 7 has 2 ends. The right-hand end is a ball-joint attached to the bottom of the strut/cylinder, but it’s the other end I need to tighten.

The left-hand side of ‘bolt 7’ is pressed up to a plate and the whole of bolt 7 continues through the plate and is threaded - and presumably tightened by a nut the other side of that plate – that is the nut that’s loose.

Where the number 7 is, appears to be a solid piece of metal that stretches the width of the car. In the boot side appears to be another piece, again stretching the full width of the car. A third piece on the top appears to make those two pieces into a triangular box section with no way in !!! (to get a spanner on the bolt !!!)

Thanks for your help on this. The Mercedes tech who took a quick look at it was stumped and said I had to book it in (with the associated £150/hour charges) – a bit steep to tighten a nut I thought ……

Darren.

 

[rowleyd3]

Resolved !!!

Just in case it happens to anyone, I have 'closure' now....

It turned out the nut was 'captive', meaning it was welded-in during production. It was this weld that had broken, meaning that over time the nut was getting looser and looser until it was interfering with the opening.

The mechanic managed to get the nut to 'stay' with a bit of tension on the strut, however there wasn't enough tension to tighten it. He decided to remove the nut completely, let it fall into the box section and tip a bit a glue/locite into it to stop it rattling around.

He then inserted a 'nutsert' which is like one of those metal rawplugs. Unfortunately he couldn't get his tightening gun into the gap, so had to try and tighten manually with a bolt. This still didn't have enough grip to catch, so he tried to put two small welds at the top/bottom of the nutsert collar in order to be able to tighten the bolt and collapse the nutsert (a la rawplugs). Unfortunately again, the weld wouldn't 'take' - so that idea didn't work.

He then recommended AutoCraft in Telford who eventually got round the problem by expanding an existing hole in the box section and inserting a magnetic pole with a magnetic/gripping nut on the end and positioning it immediately behind the hole. This DID give enough grip for the bolt to be tightened, so it all works now.

Sorry for the ramble, but if it saves someone else the hassle I thought it was well worth it.

Thanks for the suggestions (both here, on other forums and via email)

Darren.