this is a common problem. I know know to keep the hinge lubed. Any ways to fix the bend? I don't want a hood stifner. In a wreck I still want the hood to bend.
CK5
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bent hood on 78
- Thread starter wazzabie
- Start date
KansasTwister
1/2 ton status
You could fix it but it will bend right back in the same place. Maybe some thing metal to reinforce the area? But either your going to make it super strong and not bend, or make it too soft and it will bend eventually again even with well lubed hinges.
79rustyk10
3/4 ton status
New hood.
KansasTwister
1/2 ton status
My '77 GMC had the typical "bent in half" hood thanks to it never having its hinges oiled...I bent it back and riveted some 2' peices of shelf brackets I had lying around,the "U" type used on light duty house shelving....it was strong enough to keep it from bending agan (after I oiled the hinges up good!)--but they were still weak enough to fold up in the event of a front end crash...J.C.Whitney sells "hood stiffeners" that do the same thing for more $$$$$!..
Why would you care what it did in a wreck?
Martin
Martin
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
Kind of what I was thinking too, with the type of front end impact to be able to have the hood fold, it doesn't matter if you add a piece to strengthen that part of the hood anyways, it's gonna bend no matter what, maybe just in a different area, but it's still gonna fold..Those hoods are not that sturdy to begin with.
They (GM) designed the hoods with that "crumple zone" in order to prevent passengers from being decapitated in a front end collision..think about it--if the hood was rigid and didn't fold up there,it would likely be thrusted thru the windsheild ,with disasterous results to the occupants of the truck...I've seen test crash footage on TV ,that was very disturbing!..
Everybody says if you brace the hood it'll suddenly become a lethal instrument -- and D4ME, that's not a dig at you personally 
I put some angle iron on my '77 and folks were frothing at the mouth about safety.
IF one was to hit a brick wall that *started* at hood height, maybe the hood would slice backwards ... but there's the bumper, radiator & support, and engine block down there too, never mind the frame, etc. The rest of the hood isn't THAT strong, and those aftermarket braces from LMC/JCW are just stamped sheet metal, maybe what, 12 gauge? I figger the hood will still collapse under serious load, just not when yanked to close it.
Especially for my lifted truck, I'd have to hit a friggin train or two-story building; if I bang an import, the hood would just extend over it like a sunshade
BTW, more usefully, there's another thing to keep your hood happy -- lube the hinges, but don't yank hard on the front ... pull steadily, and/or close it from the back closer to the hinges. Takes more force, but doesn't stress the kink point there in the middle.
-- A
I put some angle iron on my '77 and folks were frothing at the mouth about safety.IF one was to hit a brick wall that *started* at hood height, maybe the hood would slice backwards ... but there's the bumper, radiator & support, and engine block down there too, never mind the frame, etc. The rest of the hood isn't THAT strong, and those aftermarket braces from LMC/JCW are just stamped sheet metal, maybe what, 12 gauge? I figger the hood will still collapse under serious load, just not when yanked to close it.
Especially for my lifted truck, I'd have to hit a friggin train or two-story building; if I bang an import, the hood would just extend over it like a sunshade
BTW, more usefully, there's another thing to keep your hood happy -- lube the hinges, but don't yank hard on the front ... pull steadily, and/or close it from the back closer to the hinges. Takes more force, but doesn't stress the kink point there in the middle.
-- A
