Need photo of hood latch (1 Viewer)

[Andino]

Hey,
This is a cry for help. I went to pull the hood release and got nothing. So I cut the cable, bent a 90 in a piece of 1/4 rebar and fished it down the front of the radiator. Then I grabbed it with vise grips and gave it some good yanks. Nice and solid, no pop in the latch. So basically I ripped the cable out

I'm trying to get it open without as someone suggested on another post "drilling a hole in the hood" although if you could convince me it had another use - like checking my coolant without popping the hood, I might do it.

Will someone please post a photo of the hood release so I can try and manipulate it with some 'tools'.

Thanks!

Thanks.

 

[High Desert]

Hope this helps

Take a look at the schematics at SOR that might help too.

The latch is shielded around the bottom, it is not going to be easy to get to the mechanism. Looking at the photo that is the top view, you need to push up on the lever that the right end of the spring is attached to. That will release it. Seems you could get in there with the grill off, maybe, then with a angled small pry bar type deal you might get a push on it..

 

[2mbb]

is it possible to get a socket or wrench on the three mounting bolts with the hood down? Take the latch off if you can't release it.

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Pay close attention to the top last two pictures. They show the cable coming into the latch. If the cable is not in place and secured in the latch then when you pull nothing will happen. The cable is held in tension by an end piece that rests inside the back of the latch.

 

[Rigger]

Can you remove the grille and access the latch that way?

Can you access the hood hinges and just unbolt the hood that way? Maybe thru removing the inner fenders?

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Grill clips are usually accessed when the hood is up. Although I'm sure it can be finagled with the hood down.

 

[Rigger]

I'm gonna go home and look at my 62's front end. There HAS to be a way to pop that latch w/o damaging the hood.

 

[Rigger]

I looked at the latch on mine.

Can't remove the grill w/o opening the hood because of the headlight frame screws. Access from below is not good. Can't reach the latch from below. Reaching the hood hinges is not possible at all. Long shot: if you remove the steel plate under the radiator, you just might (if you have arms like an orangutan) be able to reach up to the DS fender and grab the cable and give it a yank.

I say do not drill the hood. Instead, sawzall the grill apart and access it from there. Replacing the grill has to be cheaper than replacing or repairing the hood.

This is an interesting problem. I'd love to know how this one turns out.

 

[Randy88FJ62]

This can be done without damaging your vehicle... We have to have some enginuity and we'll get it to work. How do you think the Toyota dealership would fix this? They don't break parts, do they?

 

[Andino]

Thanks guys
I'm going to take another shot this afternoon - I'll update when I've got news. Thanks High Desert for the photos - that should help a ton!

 

[2mbb]

I fooled around with this a little last night, but ultimately was not successful. In the pictures above, the right end of the spring (as shown in the picture) is connected to the lever that is moved when the cable is pulled. With a tool that has a 90 degree bend you should be able to insert the tool through the grill (just above the second "O" in toyota and get the tip of the tool between the radiator support and the latch. Feel around for the end of the sprng and try and push up on the lever. The tool could be a piece of flat metal that is bent about 2" from one end. the tool I made was too flismy to push the lever when the latch is closed (an the spring is under tension).

 

[Andino]

Success worth the silver star! Thanks!

Got it - here are the photos of the tool and how I did it. My job was complicated a bit by the grill guard, as you'll notice it has chicken wire on it to keep the rocks out of the radiator. So I wasn't real motivated to remove the entire guard, break out the grill, etc... So I continued along the same lines as 2mbb suggested, but from below.

I already had a the bent 1/4" piece of rebar that I had tried to push the tab with the night before. I was going straight up on it because I have an A/C hose blocking the view from the left side of the grill.

So, armed with 2mbb's encouragement and the above photos, I went after it. It only takes about 45 seconds once you know what to do. I cut the top surface of the rebar in a grid pattern with the cutoff saw. Hacksaw would work, but slowly. The idea was to get a good grip on the tab. Then I pushed on it from down below angling up from the passenger side shackle. That did the trick. I did it again to make sure, and like I said, it only took 45 seconds to lay down, insert the tool and push it. Bingo.

Below are the photos of the bent hood latch and torn up cable, the top of the rebar 'tool' and another shot of the angle I used to hit the tab.

 

[2mbb]

congratulations. Don't throw that tool away. thow it in the back of the truck or clip it under the rear seat to have it for the next time.

 

[Andino]

Better yet, keep it around for breaking into my friends' Land Cruisers and pulling the coil wire at inopportune times... - oh wait, I don't have an extra 45 seconds to spend with other people because I already have the family, the 60, and the 55.

 

[troyskibert]

I used this site and it helped open up my stuck hood latch

Good thread!! I started a new thread asking someone to help me get my hood latch up after I forgot to attach the cable after an engine swap....NIGHTMARE!!

I was able to get the latch bolts off with a 1/4 inch ratchet and 10mm socket with a swivel and long extension on it.

Here are some pics and my finger is pointing at the direction the latch needs to be pushed with the special tool that I hadn't tried to make yet...only because I was able to unbolt it.

Thanks for the good Thread!!!!

 

[yakeye]

I just can't believe how helpful people can be!!!!!

I have been reading forum for several months but I am just blown away by this thread. THIS THREAD CAUSED ME TO REGISTER AND POST. A guy can't get his hood open in another country and requests a photo....It is incedible that you took the time to take a photo and post it...... and he is able to open the thing!!!!!! I have been part of fishing forums and firearm forums where there is sarcasim and bad talk and disrespect toward other members and posters. This thread is an amazing display of of kindness and helpfullness toward others. I always knew 60 and 62 people were a special and different breed. I look forward to being part of this group.

 

[Zang]

This site has been a tremendous help for many years so it is just fitting to return the favor.

The hood cable release on my 1994 broke so the hood was stuck closed. After reading some advise here and wrangling with some ideas, I finally was able to unlock it by doing these steps: remove #1 from the bottom with std ratchet wrench, remove #2 by prying down the grill ( it will flex) away from the hood and inserting a small 10mm socket in a long extension, and finally removing #3 by cutting a small portion off the grill as shown so it can be accessed with a 10mm socket in a long extension. #1 can also be removed using method used in removing #2. The whole process was pretty easy.

 

[Seth S]

I used this site and it helped open up my stuck hood latch

Good thread!! I started a new thread asking someone to help me get my hood latch up after I forgot to attach the cable after an engine swap....NIGHTMARE!!

I was able to get the latch bolts off with a 1/4 inch ratchet and 10mm socket with a swivel and long extension on it.

Here are some pics and my finger is pointing at the direction the latch needs to be pushed with the special tool that I hadn't tried to make yet...only because I was able to unbolt it.

Thanks for the good Thread!!!!
View attachment 496839

Is that an old Dodge with a "Chicken Run" chicken mounted on the front?

 

[bullsheadcruiser]

Hope this helps

Take a look at the schematics at SOR that might help too.

The latch is shielded around the bottom, it is not going to be easy to get to the mechanism. Looking at the photo that is the top view, you need to push up on the lever that the right end of the spring is attached to. That will release it. Seems you could get in there with the grill off, maybe, then with a angled small pry bar type deal you might get a push on it..
View attachment 255316View attachment 255317View attachment 255318

I'm hoping someone is still monitoring this thread - I am looking for a replacement bolt that goes front and center on the latch to keep it in place. The one with a big M on it in the first of these pictures. It doesn't have a washer as far as I remember. I dropped it and cannot for the life of me find it!

 

[2mbb]

the one in the first picture is a replacement bolt because the original was black, I think. All three of the bolts that hold the latch on are the same. The Toyota part number is 90119-06309. You can probably get the bolt from your local toyota dealer. I don't know how to decode the toyota bolt part numbers, but I did get one hit from ebay that suggests this is an M6x1mm 16mm long bolt with 17mm washer. If you get it from your local hardware store, the bolt may have a different head size, but it will probably still work if the thread diameter and pitch are the same.