Another leaper question.

I closed my hood and the leaper went flying through the air.

The thin cable (wire) that holds it in place broke. The dealer won't just sell me the cable and the piece it attaches to, but says I have to buy the entire assembly (including a new leaper) which is hundreds of dollars.

Has anyone ever tried to find a replacement cable that goes through the hole in the bottom of the leaper and get it to attach to the rest of the assembly?

 

never had this problem, but you could try to make your own, the cable anyways.

 

Rock, I would unbolt the leaper from your car and attempt a fix. What is the worst case situation? You have to buy another leaper? You can also look on e-bay and they have them there. Cheaper than the dealership.

 

You could also decide to forgo the leaper and replace it with the Growler emblem, which some owners have done in the past - I think in the UK there is some type of pedestrian safety issue with the Leaper.

 

I wont mind getting a Jag badge instead of the assembly. Its just something about that leaper....

 

My leaper came off at the car wash during the first wash I took it through when I bought it last month. Luckily, the bottom piece (spring) was still there. All I did was go to the hardware store and bought a foot of the same steel braided wire that the leaper (I would've called it the Jaguar) uses to attach to the spring loaded piece below the hood. I bought about a half dozen cable crimps and attached the "leaper" to the cable with the crimp. I then placed it on the hood and had a friend hold the spring loaded side tight in place with a needle nose vise grip while I crimped the clip. Warning, the cable is almost impossible to cut with an ordinary wire cutter, so have a good sharp one. Worked perfectly.

Next time I went to the car wash I watched to make sure the wash didn't do anything to it as it was coming out of the wash. It was perfect, seemed the other cable must've rusted shut like the guys there said when it happened. Fine, I get to my car and the "leaper" is sideways. I can't tell you how pissed I was at the guys who dried it. Needless to say that whenever I go through a wash now I warn them when it exits to not touch the "leaper".

Note: Take the "Leaper" (I love saying that) into the hardware store with you because you'll have to get the size that fits the little hole it goes into.

 

LEAPER, love that word. Can't tell by my screen name though.

 

I really have nothing to contribute. I just thought a fun title would have been "Jaguar leaps off of hood" although Leaper is such a fun word too.

 

Is that a Leaper in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

 

lol Chris...