removing hood springs to prevent hood bend

[wazzabie]

I know to keep the hood hinges oiled to prevent hood bend and to also carefully close the hood.

Rather then taking these measures why not just remove the hood hinge springs and use a metal rod to hold up the hood.

[coolpup32]

Mine are off temporarily while I work on my kink... It's a heavy hood, you can easily lose a few fingers or worse

[cadillac_al]

The hood should close with one hand. You shouldn't be able to bend a hood with one hand. I have 7 or 8 squares (73-80) and they all have straight hoods on them.

[Axle]

^ that. I think most of the bent hoods stem from ham-fisted individuals too stuborn to stop yanking on their hood if it doesn't move freely and oil it up, along with the people who have this need to pull the hood down from one side instead of the center and it just naturally jams up and again, they try and force it to move.

[wazzabie]

Before I knew better I bent my hood. It got bound up and I pulled down on one side.

[chrismoore701]

Use Deep Creep by sea foam. I used to spray WD every couple months. Used this once about 3 years ago. Nothing since. still closes with one finger

https://www.amazon.com/Seafoam-Extre...a-569320074882

[mongocanfly]

Never heard of that Chris..I'll be getting me some now..

[wazzabie]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

Use Deep Creep by sea foam. I used to spray WD every couple months. Used this once about 3 years ago. Nothing since. still closes with one finger

https://www.amazon.com/Seafoam-Extre...a-569320074882

I've thought about using Kroil oil but that stuff tends to run and not stick on the metal.

[truckin 79]

I like using Tri Flow, it is a bicycle chain lubricant. This stuff works great and lasts a very long time.

[blazer2007]

they did make a gas strut kit but don,t know if they still do and they use to make a lighter duty spring for fibreglass hoods. Still would need a rod to hold hood up but wouldn,t be so hard to lift and close I,m guessing

[72c20customcamper]

Proper lubing is the best way to avoid bending the hood .

Funny story about Deep Creep I used it on my 66 SS Chevelle with the original 5 cutout hood . Hood now wont stay up seems the white lube had enough friction to keep it up with the original springs that are most likely getting weak.

[TrailerTrash]

I absolutely would not advise anybody to remove hood hinge springs. I put a fiberglass hood on my 77 and even that thing is way too heavy to not have springs on it. I used light springs made for fiberglass hoods and it feels like stock

If you lube the hinges regularly and push toward the cab as you push down you should never have a problem. Assuming the hood is not rusted out.

[chrismoore701]

That is another thing, never pull a hood from the bottom, always push down and back from the top. Good luck. Love the deep creep working too good. that should give you an idea how good it is.

[Axle]

Deep Creep also works great at disolving/softening carbon buildup. Ie:trying to get an o2 sensor out.

[burnin oil]

Not to disagree but I have bent 2 hoods on the 70s body style trucks. I never used excessive force on them. Hood hinge wear is an issue but the real culprit is stress cracks on the underside of the hood. Both of these trucks were 20 years ago so they wernt nearly so old then.

[chrismoore701]

Originally Posted by burnin oil

Not to disagree but I have bent 2 hoods on the 70s body style trucks. I never used excessive force on them. Hood hinge wear is an issue but the real culprit is stress cracks on the underside of the hood. Both of these trucks were 20 years ago so they wernt nearly so old then.

I folded my hood right after my frame off build. After I recovered from my stroke, I straightened the hood. Repaired the paint. Sprayed with Deep Creep and no more issues.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by burnin oil

Not to disagree but I have bent 2 hoods on the 70s body style trucks. I never used excessive force on them. Hood hinge wear is an issue but the real culprit is stress cracks on the underside of the hood. Both of these trucks were 20 years ago so they wernt nearly so old then.

The factory design and lack of lubrication of the hinges is the real culprit . Also that the early 73 to 80 hoods kinked because of a safety feature ever notice they always bend at the same place where there is a kink in the reinforcement the kink is so that the hood bends instead of going into the windshield the later hoods were reinforced to not bend as easily and the hinge itself is different .


Umm the 70s trucks were over 20 years old 20 years ago.

[wazzabie]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

I folded my hood right after my frame off build. After I recovered from my stroke, I straightened the hood. Repaired the paint. Sprayed with Deep Creep and no more issues.

Did you use the hood brace? I've been concerned about using those because it defeats the safety feature with bent hood.

[chrismoore701]

Originally Posted by wazzabie

Did you use the hood brace? I've been concerned about using those because it defeats the safety feature with bent hood.

I did not, the only reason was my kids would be riding in the car with me. I took some wood blocks and pipe clamps, set it up to straighten the hood and then over stretched it a little. You can still see a little ripple in the hood, but you have to look for it.

[truckin 79]

I used the hood braces from LMC just as a little added insurance. I only put two screws in braces though. I figure if anything ever happens those screws would pop out. Honestly the triflow is more then enough on hinges

[chvtrkman]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

I did not, the only reason was my kids would be riding in the car with me. I took some wood blocks and pipe clamps, set it up to straighten the hood and then over stretched it a little. You can still see a little ripple in the hood, but you have to look for it.

So, if I'm understanding you correctly, it IS possible to straighten a bent hood? The reason I ask is my hood has had a slight kink in it from the previous owner which has always bothered me. Being a "low budget" guy, I really can't afford to replace it, so have just learned to live with it. But.... wish it wasn't bent.

[chrismoore701]

I will try to find some pics of my repair tonight. What I did, if I remember. Put a small 2x4 on top of the bend. Take a long 4x4 and set on top of that. Get some pipe clamps. Put some small 2x4 on the bottom of the hood and clamp down. This way you can hyperextend the hood to get the bend out. Crank down as hard as you comfortable with, don't over do it. It is not perfect, but I folded it pretty bad and you have to look for the bend now. Good luck

[wazzabie]

Do the springs in the hood hinge go bad?

[chrismoore701]

No, just need to lube the hinges

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by wazzabie

Do the springs in the hood hinge go bad?

Hinge springs can only get weaker over time .