rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
I had my hood fly open on me while driving down the road. Along with the bent hood I also bent the hinges. This thread details the way I went about fixing this problem.
Hood latch alignment
- Thread starter rsbcruiser
- Start date
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rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #2
Latch alignment
It is easy enough to figure if your hood is misaligned by leaving the hood inn the open but down position. Just look and see how the hood pinn lines up with the latch. as you can see from teh picture the hood latch pin is shifted back and to the right.
It is easy enough to figure if your hood is misaligned by leaving the hood inn the open but down position. Just look and see how the hood pinn lines up with the latch. as you can see from teh picture the hood latch pin is shifted back and to the right.
rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #3
Hood to cowl
If the hinge is bent then you might end up with this issue. Notice how the hood is higher than the cowl.
If the hinge is bent then you might end up with this issue. Notice how the hood is higher than the cowl.
rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #4
Hinge adjustments
The hinges have slots under the bolts that allow for adjustment in the directions shown.
The hinges have slots under the bolts that allow for adjustment in the directions shown.
rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #5
Latch adjustment
The latch has an adjustment also. The two bolts have slots under them that allow for some adjustment as indicated.
The latch has an adjustment also. The two bolts have slots under them that allow for some adjustment as indicated.
rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #6
The cowl
Now, if you have just minor alignment issues you might be able to get away with just using the adjustments already shown. But, if you have really gone and doneit like I did
You will have to remove the cowl first. Trust me, in the end it will be worth it. Good time to state what a HASSLE all this is. You will need to also pay attention to the gap indicated.
Now, if you have just minor alignment issues you might be able to get away with just using the adjustments already shown. But, if you have really gone and doneit like I did
You will have to remove the cowl first. Trust me, in the end it will be worth it. Good time to state what a HASSLE all this is. You will need to also pay attention to the gap indicated.
rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #7
Fixing the hinges
Remove one hinge at a time. I regrert to inform you but the old 3 pound drilling hammer won't do you a lick of good.
Darn It.
Remove one hinge at a time. I regrert to inform you but the old 3 pound drilling hammer won't do you a lick of good.
Darn It.
rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #8
Bending the hinge
I used the biggest C-clamp I had on hand. A bigger stronger clamp would have been nice. For that matter a 10 ton press would have been nicer yet. Bend, install, repeat until the hood lines up with the cowl. After you have retored the hinge to its original arc you will have to go back and use a similiar method to align the flat piece in relation to the rest of the hinge so that it lines up with the hood. Install the hinge in place and repeat for the other hinge.
I used the biggest C-clamp I had on hand. A bigger stronger clamp would have been nice. For that matter a 10 ton press would have been nicer yet. Bend, install, repeat until the hood lines up with the cowl. After you have retored the hinge to its original arc you will have to go back and use a similiar method to align the flat piece in relation to the rest of the hinge so that it lines up with the hood. Install the hinge in place and repeat for the other hinge.
rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #9
Final tips
Leave the four bolts that hold the hinge to the hood just snug, close the hood. Check your aligments all around. Snug them up after it all fits.
Leave the four bolts that hold the hinge to the hood just snug, close the hood. Check your aligments all around. Snug them up after it all fits.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Great visuals!!!
Bummer about your hood flying up...
Mind the gap!
Bummer about your hood flying up...
Mind the gap!
rsbcruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #11
Thanks PabloCruise. The secondary latch bent when I closed the hood. That was enough to pop the hood open at 55mph, not fun at all. Had to use bungy cords to get it home
.
I went through all that a couple years ago when the morons at envirotest tried to slam my hood closed twice
jfz80
Cruisin’
Happened here too, managed to acquire these to get me through the day 
Nice writeup and well executed. If my pig had more metal than bondo I would have had to give that a shot.
Nice writeup and well executed. If my pig had more metal than bondo I would have had to give that a shot.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Little did I know in 2010 that this would be such a big part of my Pig Party 2019 experience!
I should add some pictures that explain how to adjust the plunger depth...
I should add some pictures that explain how to adjust the plunger depth...
heh, I was reading this thread thinking " this was really timely". Turns out its a thread revival and probably partially because of me.
I been daily driving it since the party. Haven't done anything to it at all.
Bringing this back up. We've had a lot of new guys who might need this advise.
The hood latch is right up there with the black magic of the tailgate. I would suggest taking the latch apart and cleaning every part or at the least cleaning it of all the old grease and grime without disassembly. Here's a couple pictures of it apart and what it should look like together.
In order to get it totally apart you need to drill out some rivets and use small screws to reassemble, so you might not what to go that route. It does work smooth when you have all the grit out of it. Follow the above instructions on adjustment and you should have a functioning latch
In order to get it totally apart you need to drill out some rivets and use small screws to reassemble, so you might not what to go that route. It does work smooth when you have all the grit out of it. Follow the above instructions on adjustment and you should have a functioning latch
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Let me dig through some pictures!
