High speed rattle.

Far be it from me to suggest my 2004 TD5 110 can cruise 70mph plus for several hours on end but yes I do,

I was wondering for a long time now and searching for the culprit of a rattle, sometimes when going over bump and hollows on the motorway and other times just random, always thought it was something on bulkhead in the engine bay or within the dashboard.
Doing some more riddling today, lubricating hinges and stuff and looked at the bonnet hinges!

WTF, the amount of play when closed was a shocker, me thinks ive found the rattle, the sound direction from the front seats would be right.

What are my options for taking out the hinge play? New plastic inserts, better hinges, heavier bonnet ( last year I moved the spare wheel to the rear carrier) Lining the bonnet with a sound deadener?

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Cheers.

New inserts would help if there is slack in your current ones, they're cheap enough. Also try adjusting your bonnet latch there might be some tolerance in that allowing you to tighten things up at that end.

I was thinking as the bonnet has the two rubber feet at the front end, why not put 2 at the back end of the sides as theres a double seam with rivets, it seems pretty robust so would support a couple of feet. Thinking of a rivnut with a stud and rubber foot screwed in and adjusted, then secured by a lock nut?

Anyone done similar?

Had the same squeak.
New bushes. lube the slot where the bonnet goes & also arounder the outer.
Bit of draught excluder on the bonnet edge does the trick.