hood fitment problem!!

[vortec67c10]

as you can see, every time i close the hood the rear stays up a slight bit. it allows me to push it back down but as soon as i open it again, it stays up. it seems a though the springs are to stiff but it used to not do this. what do you think?

[eightbanger]

I thought the springs being tight would be a good thing as that would help pull the hood down tight...someone correct me if i'm wrong on that, or your hinges have moved.

[68gmsee]

Did you just replace any parts like the cowl to hood seal? Mine did that for a while until it got settled in.

First, be sure and lube it real good... Someone mentioned to spray WD-40 and work it up and down gently to break any old crud and corrosion loose... Then, as someone else mentioned in yet another post, loosen the rear bolts and lift it up so that the back end of the brackets go down and retighten. That's what I did on mine and it worked.

[Longhorn Man]

lube it real good, all the pivot points. Then if it is still doing this, do as 68gmsee described. but BE CAREFULL when you shut the hood. You may need to loosen the hood to hinge bolts and slide the hood forward.
If pivot points are lubed... this is a perfect indication of tired springs.

[Classic Heartbeat]

Lift your hood, then grab the front of it with both hands and move it from side to side while watching the hinges. If the rivettes on the hinges move around, then buy new hood hinges. I would be willing to bet yours are worn out.

You could also loosen the hinge bolts on the fenders, then push the hood upward so the back of the hinge pivettes downward, then tighten the bolts back up. If it sets down you are good to go, if not looks like hinge replacement.. WES

[Tom Vogel]

I would be willing to bet yours are worn out.

You could also loosen the hinge bolts on the fenders, then push the hood upward so the back of the hinge pivettes downward, then tighten the bolts back up. If it sets down you are good to go, if not looks like hinge replacement..

Wes is right... as usual

[aventur1]

Bolts on the fenders? Ok let's see pics. which ones? Pivet point?

[67shortie]

Originally Posted by Classic Heartbeat

You could also loosen the hinge bolts on the fenders, then push the hood upward so the back of the hinge pivettes downward, then tighten the bolts back up. If it sets down you are good to go, if not looks like hinge replacement.. WES

I would start here, look to see if the rear of the hinge at the rearmost bolt at the fender has adjustment left. If you see the adjustment slot showing at the top of the bolt, loosen it and push up on the hood to bring the rear of the hinge down like WES said. This will bring the back of the hood down towards the fender/cowl when closed. If not, something is out of whack with the hinges.

On a side note, everytime I adjust my hood I put a couple of towels over the fenders just so I don't get chips etc....

Hehe, look like I am repeating what everyone else said already

[gmc67swb]

Time to trash them hinges...Mine was doing the same thing,replaced them now all is good...the springs aren't there to hold the hood down there for helping to lift the hood when opened....good luck

[Longhorn Man]

gmc67swb... if you put new springs on a hood hinge that sticks up in the back, the hood will sit flat 9 times out of 10. The springs are streatched in the hood closed position. What do you think makes the hood pop up when you hit the latch?

[class01]

What part of texas you from? Did you install that 5.3?

[mike nutt]

mine did the same thing and new springs did not help. once i replaced the hinges the hood fit great. the local dealer got me new GM hinges .

[gmc67swb]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

gmc67swb... if you put new springs on a hood hinge that sticks up in the back, the hood will sit flat 9 times out of 10. The springs are streatched in the hood closed position. What do you think makes the hood pop up when you hit the latch?

Longhorn not to be rude - your right there stretched when closed that is to help lift the hood..if there is no adjustment left in the hinges to bring the ends down near the cowl then they are worn out no spring will fix it....time to replace them....

[elf w/capital T]

Vortec, what did you end up doing with the hood springs?

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by elf w/capital T

Vortec, what did you end up doing with the hood springs?

Unfortunately he hasn't been on the board since 11/21/2013....

To get the back of the hood down with existing hinges---open hood----loosen the top front hinge bolts on the inner fenders, and the rear hinge bolts on the inner fenders. You may have to loosen the lower front bolts just enough so that the hinge will pivot on them but leave them snug. Now push the hood up till the hinges stop moving, ---now push it open a bit more to preload the hinges. (You will need two people to do this) Tighten all hinge bolts while the hood is being held up. Now CAREFULLY lower the hood--this may take a few adjustments to get it to sit just right (height wise). You may need to adjust the hood front to rear to allow for proper clearance with the cowl also.

LockDoc

[elf w/capital T]

LockDoc , thank you for the information!

[Ironangel]

Originally Posted by elf w/capital T

LockDoc , thank you for the information!

X's 2!

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by vortec67c10

as you can see, every time i close the hood the rear stays up a slight bit. it allows me to push it back down but as soon as i open it again, it stays up. it seems a though the springs are to stiff but it used to not do this. what do you think?

Hinges are worn at the rivets. The elongated hole does this. Time to get them re-built.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Fitz

Hinges are worn at the rivets. The elongated hole does this. Time to get them re-built.

If the hood has never been off that may be true. If it has been taken off and put back on that may not be true. The only way to tell for sure if the rivets are worn (and which ones) is to take the hinges off the truck and remove the springs....

LockDoc

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

If the hood has never been off that may be true. If it has been taken off and put back on that may not be true. The only way to tell for sure if the rivets are worn (and which ones) is to take the hinges off the truck and remove the springs....

LockDoc

I was giving the guys who assembled the truck after painting credit for enough experience and enough savvy to know how to re-install the hinges correctly. It's not hard.

[volksworld]

rule number one...painters aren't mechanics.....

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Fitz

I was giving the guys who assembled the truck after painting credit for enough experience and enough savvy to know how to re-install the hinges correctly. It's not hard.

I would bet that 85% of all ill fitting hoods are from people removing them and not reinstalling them correctly. Half don't even mark around the hinges before removing them....

Originally Posted by volksworld

rule number one...painters aren't mechanics.....

At least not all of them..... I don't think that most of the painters even re-assemble them. They arrive as parts and leave as parts. Or the vehicle is painted without removing any parts....

LockDoc

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by volksworld

rule number one...painters aren't mechanics.....

Rule number 2:
If your painter doesn't remove fenders, hood and doors before beginning paint prep better find a painter who knows how to paint!

[elf w/capital T]

Haha I wish I had known all that before I started my project!

[89AKurt]

Maybe a lesson is to not oil the hinges! LOL
After I did, it has popped up. Yes, the two close rivet pins are very loose, so does that mean a pair of new hinges?