Don't Buy Hood Hinges from GMParts Direct!!

[aboyer]

I thought I was doing the right thing buy purchasing hood hinges from a GM dealer. After spending $115.00 in parts/shipping, I prep & painted the hinges and installed on the truck.

Then I spent about 1 hour adjusting the alignment of the hood. When I had everything perfect, I looked over and the driver side hinge had bent on the spring side. The spring dropped to the ground. Ok, I thought, one bad one in the bunch. I decided not to mess with it until next weekend. Then on the following weekend. I popped my hood, to find that the other hing had bent on the reinforced hinge part.

These parts are pure crap. In addition to the cheap parts, trying to warranty out parts thought GM parts direct is about none existance. They tell you to go to your local GM dealer. But when I did this, the GM dealer didn't want anything to do with these, as they didn't sell these parts. I might have saved a couple bucks to begin with, but I made up for it in the end.

I am writing this so other will not purchase hood hinges from GMparts direct or possible GM. It appears to me that GM is purchasing these from some cheap import company or something.

I hope someone else can learn from this one.

Thanks for letting me vent!!

AdamAttachment 266637

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[10.5stang]

sorry to hear that. good luck getting your money back.

[jsbgump]

That just sucks. Thanks for the heads up

[LUV2XCLR8]

I'd be pissed, and so you are

[heavy71chevy]

oh lord..i think id drag those pencil pushin ass***** across the desk...Im sorry bro but thanks for the heads up

[Bob B.]

Those look like poor quality reproductions. I bought new genuine GM hinges, and they were not painted like those, they were black phosphate coated like the originals. Did 'GM Parts Direct' sell those as originals or reproductions? Did they have GM part number tags on them?

[3/4tonterror]

seems like spring tension was to tight.

[aboyer]

Just to confirm, these brackets came with the standard GM part number tag and the correct part number. They were in the standard black phosphate coated paint, and I painted these prior to installation.

One other thing to point out, when I took these off compaired to my old hinges, I did notice a slight weight difference. I didn't actually weigh the parts itself, but I could notice a difference.

I would beware of cheap hinges out there.

Adam

[GREASEMONKEY72]

certainly looks cheap to me, thanks for heads up

[GMCPaul]

I've seen the same thing happen with both reproductions & GM originals, and the only time I ever see it is when they've been painted without paying proper attention being made to not getting paint into the pivot points on the hinges. If you remove the hinges I'm sure you'll find without spring installed that they are extremely stiff to move where as they should move freely, this stiffness and in some cases completely froze up hinges are caused by to much paint in the pivot points.
We found that by apply a thin layer of grease at the pivot points before painting prevents the paint from getting into the pivot points and harding causing the hinges to lock up, with grease present the paint can not penetrate or adhere to the metal while being painted after painting wipe the thin layer off and install.
GMCPaul

[Huck]

Adam, I have SEVERAL sets of good original hood hinges and can bring a set with me up to the Hoosier Auto show and swap meet this weekend--Fri & Sat. I'll be set up at space A-18.
I've never seen a set of original hinges bed up but in most cases, they wear at the hinge pivot points ---but rarely wear out to the point of being unusable. Most guys just don't know how to properly pre-load the hinges for closing the rear of the hood properly. (Believe GMC Paul may still have that trick on his "tips"). Stop by and/or send me a PM if interested----Huck

[a1953mdl]

Huck,
Not trying to hi-jack this thread,,,,, but how do you pre-load the hinges and adjust them for proper closing of the hood.

[aboyer]

I wanted to point out a couple of additional items mentioned.

The hinges did have grease on the hinges prior to paint. Upon painting the hinges, I did remove the grease. I did forget to apply grease after installing, but thought I would be ok. Upon removing the bent hinges, they were very loose and easy to move. I am sure that not having grease on the pivot points probably didn't help things, but, didn't think it would completely bend the hinges.

If I did something wrong, please tell me, but I am about 99% sure it was hinge failure. Both sides of hood hinges bent completely when the hood was in a closed position. The tension of the spring seemed like it was too strong for the hinge itself.

The method that I used for applying the hinges was used from the tip on the forum. I used a floor jack to expand the length of the springs and used wrenches in between the coils. Upon placing on the hood hinges, I removed the wrenches and the springsfit perfectly.

Hopefully someone can learn from my headaches

Adam

[ChevyDude]

I bought mine from GM parts direct... they were perfect in every way.

[PICKMUP]

I think you may have "over adjusted" the hinges and they will bend easily when forced past the stop point.
Go slowly, don't force them, stop and readjust when they stop/bind too soon. I have never had a GM or repro hinge bend unless they are adjusted wrong and forced closed.

[special-K]

I`ve painted hinges without any change in operation.But,I didn`t remove old grease,either.
We need a lesson on adjustment in FAQs,if it`s not already there.

[faribran]

this just happened to us last nite.... ajusting hood... at first all seemed to work fine... then almost no lift.... looked at the hinges and the springs had distorted the hinge.. (hugely)