What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Hood cable, it snapped :(

D

Denominator

Registered Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Posts
44
Reaction score
0
Location
Norway, Hamar
I tried to open the hood the other day, but the cable snapped so now I can't get it open. Today my batteries died and I can't charge them with the hood closed of course. Does anyone know a way to open the hood without making too much damage??!! :doah: :crazy:
 
where did it break? right on the end I hope. If so get under the dash and pull on it with some pliers.

If not then drop the inner fender liner on the driver side. some stuff will hang up but you should be able to get to the cable. cut the sleeving back and give the inner piece a good yank.

If it broke at the latch end you might be S.O.L. Good luck.
 
You are so screwed. even if you could climb inside the engine bay from the inner fender there is no real way to get at the latch. you can jump the truck off the starter terminal if you absolutely have to. make sure you put the black on a good ground. not the starter.
 
But somehow I have to get the hood open to change the cable. So what do I have to do, drill a hole in the hood??
 
I happend to me, but it was from my own stupidity not hooking up the cable after the core support swap. I drille out the bolts, or you can take a dremel to em and make a little slot that you can use a flathead screwdriver on. It worked pretty good.
 
mine came compeletely off (didn't actually break) about 2 years ago. i can't remember off the top of my head precisely how i opened it, but i remember i used a clothes hanger and some pliers, and didn't damage anything. after work, i'll take a look at my hood and see if i can remember what i did.

we have a new huge client that is eating up all of my time, lately, so it may be a while before i leave the office. hope you aren't in a huge hurry.

now, i keep a small length of nylon rope tied to the latch, and tucked out of sight, so i can use that from outside if something like that happens again, but nobody can see it. how redneck would that look, to have a piece of rope hanging from under the hood, like a piece of dental floss.
 
No I'm not in a hurry at all. It's the middle of the night here in Norway and the car is parked on my friend's lot until he's home from work tomorrow. That's about 15 hours from now But thank you very much for giving me hope about fixing it without damaging the car. Thank You!
 
Denominator said:
I think it is boltet from the inside.......
Click to expand...


If it was me, i would probably break the grill apart and try to get at it from there. I'd rather replace a grill than a hood........this all being last resort.
 
i got pissed with mine when it jammed up on me, the hood already had a few dents in it, so i just said f-it, stuck a prybar between the hood and grille, and pryed up till i could see the bolts for the hood latch, unbolted them and removed the whole damn thing all at once..

The downside, is the hood was trashed even more....
 
14 hours at work. 'nuff said. :mad:

anyway, i was able to replicate what i had done, previously, on my 82. it's pretty simple, but it does take some time and patience. hopefully, i can explain it well.

i used:
-the strongest clothes hanger i could find
-needle-nose pliers
-flashlight

1. straighten hanger out. i used almost of the length.
2. use pliers to bend one end over into a flattened hook, with a 3/16" or so gap.
3. run hanger between hood and grill, and BEHIND the front section (the large stationary part, perpendicular to vehicle) of latch. the cable sheath should be partly visible and is a nice guide for where to run the hanger.
4. carefully fish behind the stationary part of the latch until the hanger hook catches on the latch lever. this took a few attempts, the first time.
5. pull firmly, but without jerking, towards the driver's side. until the latch releases. (this is where the long length of hanger helps. it keeps the angle shallow enough to avoid binding and mimics the normal operation of the latch cable. it also allows the whole length of the hanger to flex, instead of concentrating force on the hook end, unbending it.)

this worked for me then, and again, tonight. zero damage. i hope it works for you, as well.
 
I think i was able to reach up under the grille on mine. but a clotheshanger can get it loose.
 
Are you certain that the cable broke. Sometimes mine would feel like that but the cable had stretched just enough to not release. Others might confirm the need of the "Chevy Bump" on the hood. This is a common thing but you have to find the sweet spot on your own rig as all of mine have been in different places around the hood ornament area. Good luck. :rolleyes:
 
YES!! Finaly got it open! Thanks to one of the guides in this post. The clotheshanger trick worked just fine. But that was after i wrecked the grill, trying to do it the hard way :p: :rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom