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Hood braces

Muddytazz

Muddytazz

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Who has a hood brace installed in their rig? I'm looking for pics of some....all views, so I can get an idea of size, thickness, the works. Cause I've seen them not installed in magazines and catalogs but it doesn't give any good ideas as heftiness. Cause another thing i've noticed is where these so called braces go, the hood is contoured /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif So does anyone have these installed?
 
I've used the LMC kit on one or two trucks... I guess it helps, as it keeps the hood from compressing longitudinally. It's certainly not what I'd consider stout, but it's relatively inexpensive and great for the newbie.

265tankie-hood-brace.jpg


On my Chalet, after bending the hood (doh!) I figgered I could do it myself.

265koala-bent-hood.jpg


I bend it back and it looked like above. I ended up taking the hood off and standing on it on it to bend it back. Stronger measures were called for to reinforce it: some ~1" angle iron.

265koala-hood-brace.jpg

However, as I discovered, the vertical part of the angle iron is awfully close to the battery terminals, and I had a small electrical incident at BB03 because of that! /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif

Lesson to be learned: Angle iron is OK, but grind down the vertical part at the front end!

(And sometimes I wonder why I take so many damn pictures... now I know! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)

OBTW, remember, all, to lube your hood hinges every time you change your oil, or your hood will look like Koala's! /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

-- A
 
how did you contend with that 1/4" contour along that rail on the hood? Or did you just leave it gapped?
 
You mean on the outside edge?, i.e. to the right in the third picture? Donno if I follow.

I just sheet metal screwed the thing to the lowest part (thus the electrical incident /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif ) ... basically I modelled it on the LMC kit, but this was cheaper and the parts were local.

-- A
 
In the 3rd pic, between the 1st and 2nd screws from the hinge, there is that contour of the hood.
 
Now that you mention it, that sounds familiar... that hood is pretty tweaked, so I may have overdone it with the brace (but dammit, it won't bend again!)

I don't remember the kit from LMC being curved at all though, it was flat, like... maybe I just used longer screws and didn't tighten them down all the way in those positions.

The brown truck is 70 miles away or I'd go look at it. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

-- A
 
Thanks for the info Aaron /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif


Anyone else have anything?
 
About 20 years ago I did the same thing, on one of my trucks, by using angle iron to build my own hood supports, and the same exact thing happened with the battery. After installing the home made hood supports, I started to close the hood, when it made contact with the battery terminals, and it set off some fire works, so I had to cut them back a little more to clear the battery terminals.
 
I wouldn't stiffen the hood too much. The reason it is weaker in the middle is to keep it from taking your head off in a front end crash. Make sure whatever you reinforce it with will still bend if you hit an object.
 
I totally agree with that and have already thought of that....i am just tired of folding completely good hoods in half just by closing them....folded my 3rd on in half over the weekend and my hinges are damn near new /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif
 
Ok, cool, just making sure you weren't going with the, "Bigger is better" mentality like I usually do when I fix stuff. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
/forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

My first thought was to use 1.5" c-channel to stradle that rail on the hood, till i got to thinking /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif
 
Why not moderize the hinge mechanism? The way I see it is that the springs are the reason for all the stress on the hood. If you take the springs off and incorporate a couple of lift shocks then not only will it be easier to close but the hood will raise by itself. I haven't done it to my 78 truck yet, but I've looked at it and it seems doable.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Why not moderize the hinge mechanism? The way I see it is that the springs are the reason for all the stress on the hood. If you take the springs off and incorporate a couple of lift shocks then not only will it be easier to close but the hood will raise by itself. I haven't done it to my 78 truck yet, but I've looked at it and it seems doable.

[/ QUOTE ]

You must live in a stable climate. Here in PA there is not 1 vehicle over 4 years old with working lift shocks. My pop in laws lincoln is notorious for blowing through those damn things. We gave up and use sticks to hold the trunk/hood up. I like the type of springs on my 86 blazer. I folded a brand spanking new hood the first time I closed it on my 79. The springs are just too damn heavy.
 
Step 1: Keep those hinges lubed! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Step 2: Do NOT just jump up and hang from the front edge of your hood to close it. /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif

Step 3: DO sorta push the hood back towards the windshield as you gently start to pull it closed.

Step 4: Do NOT accellerate the closing process until after you feel the hinge go past its detent at about mid-travel.

I've been driving these old junkers for the last 20 years and have never kinked a hood on any of them. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

And yeah, look closely at how the hood is designed. It is narrower than the A-pillars, so in a frontal crash it can shoot straight through the windshield and take your head off in less than a heartbeat. That kink-prone area was designed into the hood so that the hood would fold up instead of becoming a giant knife blade... /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif
 
My hinges work great but some idiot closed my hood for me and bent the hood with the lmc braces installed. Right at that contour spot that your talking about. They are cheap from lmc cause they are cheap (IMO). I'm looking into the lift struts got a couple for free and gonna try them might use a prop rod without the springs first though easier.
 
I was thinking about going with a fiberglass hood and pins.... /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
I'll do the same when you buy me one /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
 
Just pickup some white lithium grease. Spray that on all the pivot points in your hinge and it will open and close like it is new. Even if you have new hinges they need to be lubed good.
 
My dad braced his '78 K30 with a couple pieces of angle iron. Just drilled thru the hood and bolted it on with 5/16" bolts /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif But that hood wasnt much to start with either. Heck the whole body was patched together with patch panels pop-riveted into place and a new coat of rattle can paint. I'm just waiting for something to break that he can't fix so I can inherit the truck and restore it with a rust free body /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
 
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