Hood hinge question

[squarelyfe]

If the back side of my hood won't fully go down do I need a new spring or hinge? It's sticking up quite a bit on one side the other is fine, I already tried the angle adjustment and not hitting the rubber stops on inner fender edge. It doesn't hit the crowl peg unless I push but feel resistance before it hits. Thanks!

 

[AuroraGirl]

If the back side of my hood won't fully go down do I need a new spring or hinge? It's sticking up quite a bit on one side the other is fine, I already tried the angle adjustment and not hitting the rubber stops on inner fender edge. It doesn't hit the crowl peg unless I push but feel resistance before it hits. Thanks!

my dads sits up like that.

Not sure why.

 

[WP29P4A]

Well, my guess based on the 62 words you provided would be dry crusty hinges that have not been kept clean and lubricated during their life span. Instead of being able to freely move they bind and act as a pivot point. When you pull down on the front of the hood and the hinge binds it wants to lift the back edge of the hood. When the hinges get really neglected the hood starts to bend across the center, from side to side.

I would clean them as much as possible, get the old grease, paint and rust out and lube the crap out of them. If they work you are good to go, if not it's time for new hinges.
I have had great results with gun cleaning products and oils in restoring stuff other trades would not attempt to repair. Have 2 clients with million dollar homes that were having problems with extremely expensive front door lock assemblies. Lock co. came out and said they would have to replace it. I pulled it out, opened it up and rinsed out all the old lube and metal paste from worn parts, relubricated everything and it still works perfect 10 years later.

Well that's my opinion for what its worth. It could just be a dead cat that was sleeping on the cowl when you closed the hood. With only 62 words to solve the puzzle it could even be Brandon's fault. I'm just guessing.

 

[Goldie Driver]

Mine does that too on the passenger side, but not as pronounced. Maybe a good cleaning is in order - cant hurt.

 

[WP29P4A]

On a more serious note, my son was having issues with his hood opening with the inside release and closing the hood also. I showed him how to clean out the hinges and the hood latch, the lubed everything and it open and closes like it should now. There is a whole section in my Dodge Charger service manual that deals with cleaning and lubricating all the door, hood and trunk latches and locks on a regular basis. Old cars and truck are like the tin man on the Wizard of Oz, always needing to be lubed.

 

[WP29P4A]

Dry wine and dry humor might make you happy, dry hinges, not so much. LOL

 

[Big Chip]

The hinges are worn out. When the pivot points aren't tight the spring pushes the hood up.

 

[AuroraGirl]

On a more serious note, my son was having issues with his hood opening with the inside release and closing the hood also. I showed him how to clean out the hinges and the hood latch, the lubed everything and it open and closes like it should now. There is a whole section in my Dodge Charger service manual that deals with cleaning and lubricating all the door, hood and trunk latches and locks on a regular basis. Old cars and truck are like the tin man on the Wizard of Oz, always needing to be lubed.

friction reducing coatings, long life bushings, reduced apply/loading forces/ptfe, more complex mechanisms, cushions, pivots vs linkages, lighter panels, grease for life, one time use ____, etc are all ways that the newer ones do away with the tin man part

 

[WP29P4A]

friction reducing coatings, long life bushings, reduced apply/loading forces/ptfe, more complex mechanisms, cushions, pivots vs linkages, lighter panels, grease for life, one time use ____, etc are all ways that the newer ones do away with the tin man part

Yep. you are correct.

 

[AuroraGirl]

The hinges are worn out. When the pivot points aren't tight the spring pushes the hood up.

oh but the hood is fine? that makes sense, my dad said that was why his was like that one day and he didnt explain it as the pivot and i just sat there confused how it would work normally but jack up the rear evenly and no indicator of wear or kinking

must be when both wear evenly unlike my 1980 which the one hood hinge was loosey goosey on the pivot rivets and i mean it has wobble kind of wear more than actuating which is easy to do but its not "loose" per se

Then the other side was pretty hard I think I took the spring off and used a mallet to lower it so I could get the bolts with it not in my face lol

now its upside down as a ski for a frame missing an axle.

You must be registered for see images attach

you can see the old poor thing kinked in this photo, before I started doing anything ot the truck beside 1) started 2) threw the wood into the chute 3) removed the plow, 4) turned it around and then ready to fix it from its tired 2g and all the other sins of my grandfather. well, the ones so far. lol

Poor hood at least I had a 77 chilling out with not good paint so I didnt have to put the nice 78 chevy hood on.

 

[squarelyfe]

Thanks for the replys, I lubed them well 2 yrs ago. I have a feeling the rivits are worn causing flex that in turns makes it bind up. Unfortunately you can't see the them operating with the hood closed. I'll try to relube them but it might just be at the end of it's life. I'll try to make a fast video tomorrow.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Thanks for the replys, I lubed them well 2 yrs ago. I have a feeling the rivits are worn causing flex that in turns makes it bind up. Unfortunately you can't see the them operating with the hood closed. I'll try to relube them but it might just be at the end of it's life. I'll try to make a fast video tomorrow.

Hold it open then carefully try to "lift" the back or even forward to back at each back corner. youll prob rock it. In my case, if you opened it and slightly side to side wiggle it, it would shake a lot. when i put new ones on i instantly noticed how pleasant and in-form it felt.

 

[squarelyfe]

It's the hinge, I'm going to order a new set.

 

[bucket]

What was the "angle adjustment" that you tried?

Do to how the hinge moves and all the geometry changes during it's full travel, the adjustment procedure is kind of backwards from what you may think.

When the hood sticks up that far, you start with the "drastic measures" adjustment procedure. Don't bother with trying little movements at a time. The purpose of the peg on the cowl also needs to be understood. It is not supposed to be a stop point for the hood. It is actually supposed to catch inside the rear corner of the hood and keep the hood from going through the windshield in a frontal collision. So, if the hood doesn't travel low enough while closing, it will miss the peg and end up on top of it, which in turn keeps the hood from setting down all the way, no matter what the adjustment is.

So the first thing to do is remove the peg. Not permanently, just for the adjustment. Then loosen up all three bolts that mount the hinge to the fender. Then have a helper open the hood as far as it will go and then some, the goal being to move the hinge and take up the slack in the mounting holes. While the hood is being held open as far as it can possibly go, tighten all three mounting bolts. Then close the hood and see how it sits at the rear. If the hood still sticks up past the fender, the hinge is definitely shot. But if the hood sits how it should, re-install the cowl peg and close it again. If the hood still closes properly, that's great. If it's not wanting to, adjust the installed height of the peg until it intercepts the hood how it is supposed to.

 

[squarelyfe]

Yes I did all of that. I fully removed the peg, prior I could feel just part of an edge rubbing on it. It still binds and does not go all the way down on one side. Two things that indicate the thing is bad, peg is down all the way and hinge angle was all the way back and up in the front aka no more adjustment left.
I get it, it adjusts kinda opposite of what most people think but it made no difference.