Post by fordgpw on Mar 19, 2023 10:53:19 GMT
Hi all.
Just thought I'd share my solution to the twisted bootlid I had on the 1968 DAF 55. I'm not sure if this is a common problem or not but this one suffered from it and looking at its design it's hardly surprising.
The problem it has is that it has one retractable stay on the R/H side, with use, the weight of the boot lid is too much on the one corner and it has creased the boot lid, it is now misaligned and raised in the top R/H corner and actually slightly fractured the hinge. I fitted one gas strut but ended up fitting two and it is now nicely supported and raises equally 'just like a Golf'. Just need to sort the bootlid now.
The gas struts are 200nm versions, 350mm on length and are relatively cheap on Amazon. The brackets are 1.5mm aluminium at the bottom and have a slice of U section rubber between the bracket and the arch so that it sits and is supported by the arch. They are bolted to the side panels (these aren't actually welded at the bottom but seam sealed so it might need welding or an angle bracket fittinf behind, that's the reason the brackets are sat on the wheel arch). The top brackets are 2mm odd steel angle screwed to the hinges themselves, I tried a few ways but this is the best solution I found to avoid stressing the hinges further. This also has the benefit of the gas struts being completely straight when closed, so no force is on them (no risk of the boot flying open), in fact to open it you push the button and lift it slightly until the struts take over.
It might be useless information but it might be food for thought for someone suffering a similar problem.
Pics below.
2023-03-19_11-33-22 by JPU121265, on Flickr
IMG_20230319_112559_1 by JPU121265, on Flickr
IMG_20230319_112121 by JPU121265, on Flickr
IMG_20230319_111821 by JPU121265, on Flickr
IMG_20230319_111341 by JPU121265, on Flickr
Just thought I'd share my solution to the twisted bootlid I had on the 1968 DAF 55. I'm not sure if this is a common problem or not but this one suffered from it and looking at its design it's hardly surprising.
The problem it has is that it has one retractable stay on the R/H side, with use, the weight of the boot lid is too much on the one corner and it has creased the boot lid, it is now misaligned and raised in the top R/H corner and actually slightly fractured the hinge. I fitted one gas strut but ended up fitting two and it is now nicely supported and raises equally 'just like a Golf'. Just need to sort the bootlid now.
The gas struts are 200nm versions, 350mm on length and are relatively cheap on Amazon. The brackets are 1.5mm aluminium at the bottom and have a slice of U section rubber between the bracket and the arch so that it sits and is supported by the arch. They are bolted to the side panels (these aren't actually welded at the bottom but seam sealed so it might need welding or an angle bracket fittinf behind, that's the reason the brackets are sat on the wheel arch). The top brackets are 2mm odd steel angle screwed to the hinges themselves, I tried a few ways but this is the best solution I found to avoid stressing the hinges further. This also has the benefit of the gas struts being completely straight when closed, so no force is on them (no risk of the boot flying open), in fact to open it you push the button and lift it slightly until the struts take over.
It might be useless information but it might be food for thought for someone suffering a similar problem.
Pics below.
2023-03-19_11-33-22 by JPU121265, on Flickr
IMG_20230319_112559_1 by JPU121265, on Flickr
IMG_20230319_112121 by JPU121265, on Flickr
IMG_20230319_111821 by JPU121265, on Flickr
IMG_20230319_111341 by JPU121265, on Flickr