Closing the Boot

Bongeezer · Post by **Bongeezer** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:36 pm

I have to slam the boot really quite hard in oredr to get it to close properly. Has anyone else experienced this and is theer a fairly simple cure? If I close it 'normally' the catch engages but there is a lot of play. It needs a proper slam to close up properly.

Lovejoy · Post by **Lovejoy** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:48 pm

I think it's because it's a big tailgate and forces a lot of air into the vehicle when you swing it shut. The air has nowhere to go and hence causes compression, stopping the tailgate closing properly first time.

If the side door is open, the tailgate usually closes forst time.

The only other way is to close it more slowly, so you are not pushing a big mass of air into the vehicle, but allowing it to escape from the back, then giving it a last minute hard shove to engage the catch.

I used to have a Vauxhall Calibra which did the same thing. It had a huge tailgate and the air could not escape in time if you shut it too quickly. It would be okay with one of the other doors open.

madmile · Post by **madmile** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:54 pm

I think lovejoy is right - I have this problem and find that a hand placed on the lower part of the tailgate in the centre helps to close it in one attempt.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:38 pm

Have you tried checking the bolts to the catch on the tailgate?

I think there is a fair amount of variation in the alignment of the catch of the tailgate on bongo's... some need a slam, and others dont.

I often find mine just closes on the first "click" which then means the central locking wont lock the tailgate.

Veg_Ian · Post by **Veg_Ian** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 7:18 am

The catch plate can be adjusted by slackening the two bolts then moving the plate in towards the van. Trial and error but I was lucky and got mine right first time. Rattles have gone and no need to slam.

tigs · Post by **tigs** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 7:47 am

Same ere and it never looks like its properly closed. Always have to double check its locked.

rontrousers · Post by **rontrousers** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:51 pm

Hello there Bongeezer,

Try cleaning and lubricating the piston of each of the gas struts. Mine was terrrible until I did the same. It seeems that leaving the rear door open makes the problem worse (probably collecting dust and debris)

I used silicon lubricant on mine.

Ron

izzizm · Post by **izzizm** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:00 pm

silicon lubricant -99p in lidl's is the perfect thing for this .. and a million other uses -genius stuff
i don't go with the 'air trapped' theory - mine is adjusted and shuts easily - iz

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:31 pm

don't clean the pistons with wd40 - it will cause the rubber seals to shrink and allow the gas to escape.

Colin Lambert · Post by **Colin Lambert** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:50 pm

Sorry to the 'trapped air' theorists but it is not that. The Bongo like all modern cars has through flow ventilation which will let the air out. Apart from which if you think about it by the time the tailgate latches most of the air it was pushing has come out the sides!.
Your striker plate is maladjusted!

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:19 pm

Talking of closing the boot, I did so today and noticed the off/side of the door has a bit of play

... I seem to be missing the rubber stopper/bumper.

Boot closes ok, but have noticed it closes easier when another door or window is open at the time.

Lovejoy · Post by **Lovejoy** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:19 am

Colin Lambert wrote:Sorry to the 'trapped air' theorists but it is not that. The Bongo like all modern cars has through flow ventilation which will let the air out. Apart from which if you think about it by the time the tailgate latches most of the air it was pushing has come out the sides!.
Your striker plate is maladjusted!

Sorry Colin, but I think the air pressure thing IS a factor. It might not be the only factor and might be more noticeable if you have a misaligned striker plate.

But I find I get the same effect on my Freelander, where it happens on all three doors. If all the other doors are shut, the remaining door needs an extra shove to get it to close properly. Not a huge shove, but just a little extra.
If any of the other doors are open, then a door will close with noticeably less force, effort and resistance.

I'm not sure what through flow ventilation is or how it is supposed to work, but I can only talk from experience, and that experience is that some vehicles show resistance to closing doors when all other doors are shut.
And this can only be due to the air pressure being generated inside the vehicle - surely

The only other explanation I can think of is that by the time you have closed the three other doors (in the case of a Bongo), and you come to the tailgate, then due to the onset of age, and the need to reach up so high, ones arm is slightly weaker from the preceeding effort, and you unconsciously give it a more feeble shove

So maybe it is the younger or fitter amongst you who do not suffer this problem, and the rest of us need to go on a fitness regime instead of lolling about in the back of a camper van on Sunday afternoons

Veg_Ian · Post by **Veg_Ian** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:16 pm

One side effect from fitting a Fiamma bike rack is that the extra weight means you only have to push the tailgate past the horizontal then weight takes over and closes the tailgate on its own

Colin Lambert · Post by **Colin Lambert** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:30 pm

Oh, orl rite then!

(still don't agree mind you) But I don't have any problem with Berties back end and his nuts are done up tight and in the right place

AND I am 61 so I must fall in the crumbly category!

Bongeezer · Post by **Bongeezer** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:16 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions - I will go and experiment and report back. BTW I do have a Fiamma bikerack fitted and it's still a b*gger to close - hopefully some adjustment will do the trick.........