tweaked hood... aftermarket support?

[jekbrown]

My new tow rig has the classic 70s Chevy tweaked hood (trying to 'fold' in the middle). The sheetmetal actually isn't screwed up to bad yet (i've seen worse)... would a set of those JC Whitney support/repair brackets fix the problem? If I can just get everything straight and looking decent, I'll prolly just pull the springs and use pins in front. Anyone tried these or does everyone just head to the scrap yard to find one that isn't tweaked yet? lol!

j

 

[mouse]

I've got a set of the hood reinforcers that I've never used because the hood on my blazer already has some flat stock welded in for support. If the metal isn't fatigued, and looks straight, you could get the reinforcements for less than a new hood and be OK.

 

[jekbrown]

never used them eh? wanna sell 'em? You'll get an honorable mention in my upcoming tow-rig buildup thread...

j

 

[guido666]

If you don't want to waste all that money and shipping, just go get some flat stock from Tractor Supply Co. or whatever local hardware type store you have there. $5 and a handful of rivets or screws and you'll be golden.

 

[ZooMad75]

You don't need to take the springs out and use pins. Put the reinforcement on and then lube the snot out of the hinges. I used a spray white grease that stay put quite well. My 30 year old hood has no kinks and shuts like it should.

One key tip is to always push back on the hood before pulling it down.

 

[jekbrown]

ok cool... I'll give it a shot. I kind of like hoods that are simply held up with the steel rod thingy... no springs or whatever at all. Simpler system, lighter and tends to not damage hoods in any way. lol! I'd like to go pins because my 75 has no hood release inside the cab... its just a lever at the grille. Not the best with respect to a security standpoint... locking hood pins would be better. I don't need clowns prowling around under the hood of my tow rig!

j

 

[guido666]

ok cool... I'll give it a shot. I kind of like hoods that are simply held up with the steel rod thingy... no springs or whatever at all. Simpler system, lighter and tends to not damage hoods in any way. lol! I'd like to go pins because my 75 has no hood release inside the cab... its just a lever at the grille. Not the best with respect to a security standpoint... locking hood pins would be better. I don't need clowns prowling around under the hood of my tow rig!

j

That works well on a Civic, but when your hood weighs 80lb. it's a little different. Your hood is also quite a bit off the ground I assume. My K5 with 4" lift, 3" body lift, and 40" Boggers has the hood at about chin level shut (I'm 6'2"!). So open it's about 9' in the air!

 

[78Suburban]

ok cool... I'll give it a shot. I kind of like hoods that are simply held up with the steel rod thingy... no springs or whatever at all. Simpler system, lighter and tends to not damage hoods in any way. lol! I'd like to go pins because my 75 has no hood release inside the cab... its just a lever at the grille. Not the best with respect to a security standpoint... locking hood pins would be better. I don't need clowns prowling around under the hood of my tow rig!

j

Where can you find locking hood pins, and how hard are they to install? I would like any hood pins for that matter.... I want to put them at all 4 conrners, for ease of removal (so I can climb over in there to work on stuff)... How hard are they to install?

PS: my hood has that kink in the middle also....

 

[jekbrown]

That works well on a Civic, but when your hood weighs 80lb. it's a little different.

Lifting my K5s hood isn't really that hard... sure, its heavy, but its not THAT heavy. My ranger/explorer use this system and it works great.

Your hood is also quite a bit off the ground I assume.

Not really, this is for my tow rig... its pretty much a low rider. My K5s hood is way off the ground, but it isn't tweaked.

Where can you find locking hood pins, and how hard are they to install?

Summit has them.

I want to put them at all 4 conrners, for ease of removal (so I can climb over in there to work on stuff)...

Actually, removing a steel hood that is fully pinned on it not that easy at all... gotta lift it off and there are no factory "handles" to really do so. I think hinges in the rear and pins in the front is the best alternative. As far as getting room to work, if I was you I'd just figure out a way to use jeep hinges... then you could open the hood all the way up, letting it rest on the windshield. Ought to give you plenty of room to work...

How hard are they to install?

Never installed pins... but they aren't that hard from what I can tell. Once you have a mounting system fabbed up for the pin itself, its just a matter of drilling a hole in the hood.

PS: my hood has that kink in the middle also....

annoying isn't it!

j

 

[beater_k20]

a quote from: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147834&highlight=head

keep the hinges clean and well lubricated and you wont have a problem at all. adding the stiffeners to the hood is plain retarded. they were put there to allow the hood to bend in the event of a front impact. adding metal to eliminate this crush point eliminates the bend of the hood, and there's only one place for it to go, straight through the windshield. when it goes through the windshield it carries pretty big potential to decapitate or otherwise severly injure front seat passengers. i like my head too much to bolt those pieces of crap on there, so i'll continue to perform a little bit of preventative maintnance, keep my hood nice and straight, and my head securely attached to my body.

i have seen them in demolition derby trucks climb the windsheild bars or wires, only to find out after further inspection that they were reinforced. we use either 3/8" strap steel, or 6-8 strands of #9 black annealed fence wire run between the dash and the roof, havent had one come through yet, but have had a few try.

if it bothers you that bad, replace the hood, and perform regular maintnance on the hinges. its not worth your head in a front impact crash to save the money.

 

[hawkeye649]

AutoZone sells locking pins for $20 bucks for 2. Put them on my s10 after I hit a shopping cart.... pussy truck.
I'd just like to know.... who starts haulin down so hard on their hood that they bend it?? "It wasn't working right, so I just sat my fat girlfriend on it, hit it with the 10lb persuader. I can't understand why I don't have the fit on the hood I used to... strange"

GMC Graemlin

 

[Muddytazz]

Jason, I made my own out of 1/8" c 2" flat stock and about 2 feet or so long. I'll try and get some pics of them for ya tomorrow.

 

[tomseviltwin]

I've got a straight hood you can have for free. Trouble is it's in Utah.

 

[outlawtorn]

I just welded some flat stock there like everyone else... i dont run fenderwells so its a huge PITA to keep the hinges clean and working..

 

[trailblazr81]

I had that problem, even ripped the metal. I banged it back flat, welded it up and lubed the hinges/springs. Works fine now. I had the locking hood pins on a 69 Malibu back in the day. Tho I wonder how well they work after all the dirt, trail dust, and mud thrown at 'em??

 

[dyeager535]

I'd just like to know.... who starts haulin down so hard on their hood that they bend it?? "It wasn't working right, so I just sat my fat girlfriend on it, hit it with the 10lb persuader. I can't understand why I don't have the fit on the hood I used to... strange"

It's a flawed design to start with, I'm sure as mentioned coupled with hard to close hood hinges, failure is guaranteed. It's not like it takes much force to start it bending, over time it's just going to bend more.

Those are crumple points for the hood put there by GM. The later hoods changed the spring setup and obviously the hood itself, thus this problem was (mostly) eliminated. I'm sure there is someone out there with an '81 up that has a problem like this, but it's not because of the overall design.

 

[78Suburban]

As far as getting room to work, if I was you I'd just figure out a way to use jeep hinges... then you could open the hood all the way up, letting it rest on the windshield. Ought to give you plenty of room to work...
j

Has anyone done this? Seems like a brilliant idea... I would love to see some pics if anyone has..... I just may try to find some hood pins and jeep hinges.. Wonder where I can order some jeep hinges new, because I don't think many are parted out around here very much......

 

[Brocky]

I got a strip welded on aswell. I know how hard they can be to close. I just sprayed mine to death with rust check and now it glides up and down. After all the years tho my hood pops up on the windshield side. I can push it down but it pops back up fiirst bump I hit. Anyone else have this problem and know for a solution?

 

[mouse]

never used them eh? wanna sell 'em? You'll get an honorable mention in my upcoming tow-rig buildup thread...

j

I would sell these cheap, but even though you are relatively close, it would probably be $10 to ship. I bought them from LMC and they are complete with all hardware. All of it is still sealed in the original plastic. They don't look hard to make, but this stuff is ready to go...

 

[jekbrown]

I'll prolly go built-not-bought on this one I guess. I have some flat stock laying around already. Add screws and/or tack welds and I'm set.

AFA the jeep hood hinges, I'm going to do that on my K5 as part of the narrowing project. Pics of the whole process will be posted, of course.

j