Replacing lift a dot pegs on back of a TR4A hood

[MichaelH]

Hi All

The central lift a dot peg pulled out of my car with all the summer driving around  with the tonneau

I thought a simple replacement  but the peg element turned out to be very difficult to hold and try to compress the retaining fastener

Result that I failed twice

Looking at the internet shows a very solid press with a die to hold the peg and a press tool to splay the base out as required

I suspect that formites have solved this problem without that expense or have used one of the various hand press tools available for much less investment

If anyone has solved this can you share your solution please

Thanks in advance

Michael H

[jerrytr5]

Maybe I misunderstand, but the pegs are available as self tapper or machine screw versions. Will they fit?

https://www.ratsport.com/hood-fasteners-lift-the-dot-c102x1652168

Jerry

[Ralph Whitaker]

Hi Michael, 

I am assuming you are refering to the fastener itself and the two parts which have to be clamped together through the material of the hood.  I found you need to lay the hood/tonneau upside down on a hard smooth surface with the prongs of the outer part of the fastener positioned through the slots in the material. You can then place the inner retaining plate over the prongs and press it down as hard as you can and using the side of a flat blade screwdriver I was able to bend each prong over to hold the plates together, finishing off by gently tapping each prong with a small "toffee hammer" to get them to lay flat and pull the 2 halves of the fastener together.

I do think that the new LTD fasteners are not as well made as the originals, probably the tooling is worn out now, and can be very difficult to remove sometimes, This is compounded by the fact that you cannot get the original short studs anymore, and the fasteners go further on to the longer studs and will not release unless you first slide them up the peg into the groove near the top.

Ralph

[Lebro]

1 hour ago, Ralph Whitaker said:

Hi Michael, 

I am assuming you are refering to the fastener itself and the two parts which have to be clamped together through the material of the hood.  I found you need to lay the hood/tonneau upside down on a hard smooth surface with the prongs of the outer part of the fastener positioned through the slots in the material. You can then place the inner retaining plate over the prongs and press it down as hard as you can and using the side of a flat blade screwdriver I was able to bend each prong over to hold the plates together, finishing off by gently tapping each prong with a small "toffee hammer" to get them to lay flat and pull the 2 halves of the fastener together.

Ralph

+1, exactly how I do it, but was not sure if it was this part he was referring to ?

Bob

[MichaelH]

Thanks

  Will try again With the peg in the centre of a self locking nut (has a rolled edge) held in my vice.then follow your method with a flat blade screwdriver

I agree with the lesser quality of the newer pegs

MichaelH

[Lebro]

I assume this is what is being refered to, but where on a TR is this type used ?

[MichaelH]

Hi Lebro

Not  that one

This one is used across the back of the hood so as to attach the rear of a tonneau

 

[Charlie D]

Ah... Never seen one of those before.

It looks like a press stud, and you do really need the correct punch to flare the tubular bit to make it grab onto the bit it fits into.

It is possible to expand it using a center punch first and then a "Punch" that just has a flat end to tighten the thing up.

You could hold the peg in a piece of wood with a hole drilled in it.

Edit: Just thought... Maybe part of a brake pipe flaring kit could act as the punch. (if you have one.)

Edited September 3, 2025 by Charlie D

[Dale Moore]

My 4a has these along the back of the hood, to hold the hood bag on. Not sure about a tonneau as I don't have one.

Dale

Having said that the same studs are along the tops of the doors and the dash. Always assumed that if I had a tonneau that would be how it was meant to be attached 

Edited September 3, 2025 by Dale  Moore

[Lebro]

Those are not the same, they are "press studs"

Bob

[Dale Moore]

Interested to know why Michaels are different 

[Dale Moore]

Well I've learnt something today. All the suppliers  show  Michaels style studs along the back.  I always assumed the hood cover was original to the car when I bought it. hence why I fitted the press studs to suit it  wow 😲 

[Ralph Whitaker]

I have never seen those type of studs, but  I have a cheap kit of ordinary press studs bought off Ebay, and it came with the correct punch and die etc for fitting them, I wonder if the same punch would work on Michaels LTD pegs. Would be fairly easy to grind down the end of a bolt to make a simple tool to spread the hollow rivet.

Ralph

[MichaelH]

Thanks

I have a standard punch and die set and tried to use the relevant half but need to work on a stable base to compress the bottom tube out and capture the retaining washer

more difficult as it has to go through the metal back plate and two lots of hood material

So using a self locking nut held in my vice as the die to hold the peg

It is all lot of faff as the rest of the hood and frame are watching me struggle

MichaelH

[stuart]

18 hours ago, Dale  Moore said:

My 4a has these along the back of the hood, to hold the hood bag on. Not sure about a tonneau as I don't have one.

Dale

Having said that the same studs are along the tops of the doors and the dash. Always assumed that if I had a tonneau that would be how it was meant to be attached 

Thats a TR5/6 arrangement.

Stuart.

[Dale Moore]

Thanks Stuart, I wondered if that was the case.  I really can't remember if the old hood that came with the car had the same arrangement. As I said, I was always under the impression they would have been original.  The hood was well goosed even thought it wrapped and stored for the 18 years or so the vehicle had been taken off the road. The hood cover was quite good, and still is, but it has plastic fasteners rather than the metal ones, which I've always thought strange.

 Dale

 

[AlanG]

For FWIW I fitted ones with longer pegs so as to fit tonneau without having to remove hood cover.

Alan.

[MichaelH]

Finally got the peg secured in place by putting the peg in the hole of a 7/16the self locking nut held on the vice, place the hood over it to push the peg base through Hood and held in place on the vice with a couple welding clamps.  Push the washer over the peg base then use a variety if drifts and screwdriver to expand the peg bottom over the washer.

Then replace hood in the car

A lot of work for one stud!

Michael H

 

Edited September 6, 2025 by MichaelH