Hood pads - incessant squeaking of hood (1 Viewer)

[SteveH]

This is a first-world problem, for sure:

The hood pads (the rubber pads that sit atop the grille frame and cushion the hood) have been noisy since I got the truck. I have tried greasing them, which quiets things, but makes a big mess when you open the hood and drag your arm across the grille frame. I have made my own pads for years from strips of mud flap, etc. Obviously, FJ40s have a lot of cowl flex and this causes the hood to shift back and forth and slide on these pads, so it's the nature of the beast.

Do the OEM pads (or anyone else's) squeak less than others? Is there a miracle, non-messy lube I can put on these?

 

[Tancruiser]

It’s usually the hinge pins making all the racket on mine.

 

[rghouse]

we used hardware store weather stripping for years on our 79'. works well, but wears down over time and needs re-done in a year or two, peel off and repeat. IRCC we ran it basically the whole way across the front half where it rubs. I am a no-squeek guy too...super ocd about it. Good luck. We have the OEM ones now and hood and hinges are good and straight but truck is not road-ready yet

 

[SteveH]

Never thought of using weatherstripping that can be peeled and replaced. Thanks!

I did replace my hood hinge pin bushings (same size as door hinge bushings) years ago.

 

[offrd63]

It was the oem pads on the front grill that was sqeaking on mine. I smeared a little grease, and no more sqeaking

 

[45Kevin]

Buy a foot and a half of 1/4 vacuum line and make your own.
They are about twice as thick as the OEM solid ones but do squeeze down a bit when you close and latch the hood.

 

[brian]

i had a rattle that turned out to be the hood prop rod.

 

[Bear]

The very last 1980s FJ40s had stainless steel strips pop-riveted under the leading edge of the hood--these rode on top of the front rubber hood bumpers when closed. I could never see a reason for them, but maybe the engineers came up with a solution to the squeaking?

 

[SteveH]

Thanks everyone - if I find a definitive fix, I will pass it along.