Hood springs....adjustable or no?

[McCoyAZ]

I bought a brand new set of hinges and springs from Tuckers that were to be used on my 64.

I had a body shop install them, using a 61 hood and they are so weak they hardly hold the hood open.

Is there an adjustment somehow to make the hood open and stay up?

and speaking of Tuckers....

I also bought a pre made wiring harness for the signal lights. The bulb holders don't fit all the way into the sockets on the light cans.

Or am I doing something the wrong way? Is there a trick to getting them in all the way so they will stay in the cans?

[markeb01]

I’ve heard that complaint before about new hood hinges (sorry I meant hood springs), but the parts weren’t from Tuckers. It’s kind of a pig in a poke. Some of them work too well, while others don’t work at all. Unfortunately there isn’t much to go on except asking other owners what they used and hope you get the same thing if they were good.

On my parking lights there is an alignment pin on the plastic receptacle that has to fit into a good sized slot on the parking light housing opening. It can be difficult at times to get the two pieces mated up, but when they finally align they should snap smartly together.

[McCoyAZ]

Thanks Mark as always for your help.

At $120 bucks for springs and hinges the darn things sure should work better than these do.

I doubt Tucker will do anything about this but I will be calling them 1st thing in the morning.

[McCoyAZ]

OKAY...

The new hood springs I bought totally SUCK. The hood nearly closes down on you when you try to work in the engine bay and I am not willing to keep buying new springs until I find a set that works.

SO.....where can I buy a set of new spring that do work? I will go outside of automotive suppliers if need be but this is a real pain in the back side.

[DURG]

Why not just use an OEM set of springs? Mine were OG and worked fine. I no longer have room for the springs on my hinges due to the lowering of the truck, but they were holding up the hood no problem before. Also on an Impala forum, people have lubricated the brand new hinge pivot points and no way could they get the hood to stay up after. The repop 62-64 Impala hinges are junk. Mostly just flimsy thinner metal. I had an OG set of hinges rebuilt and they are great on my 62 Impala SS. I know 2 people who have damaged their hoods due to the stock hinges being so flimsy, the latch became disengaged while driving causing the hood to raise and get damaged at driving speeds.

[kieth]

Originally Posted by McCoyAZ

I bought a brand new set of hinges and springs from Tuckers that were to be used on my 64.

I had a body shop install them, using a 61 hood and they are so weak they hardly hold the hood open.

Is there an adjustment somehow to make the hood open and stay up?

and speaking of Tuckers....

I also bought a pre made wiring harness for the signal lights. The bulb holders don't fit all the way into the sockets on the light cans.

Or am I doing something the wrong way? Is there a trick to getting them in all the way so they will stay in the cans?

QUESTION, YOU SAID YOU WERE USING A 61 HOOD ON A LATER MODEL TRUCK . COULD THAT BE THE PROBLEM, AREN'T THOSE OLDER HOODS HEAVIER THAN THE LATER MODELS ??

[McCoyAZ]

Originally Posted by kieth

QUESTION, YOU SAID YOU WERE USING A 61 HOOD ON A LATER MODEL TRUCK . COULD THAT BE THE PROBLEM, AREN'T THOSE OLDER HOODS HEAVIER THAN THE LATER MODELS ??

Keith:

It shouldn't make any difference at all. The hood springs and hinges are all the same from 60-66.

I think the re-pop stuff is just very poor quality and it doesn't work for the application intended.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by kieth

QUESTION, YOU SAID YOU WERE USING A 61 HOOD ON A LATER MODEL TRUCK . COULD THAT BE THE PROBLEM, AREN'T THOSE OLDER HOODS HEAVIER THAN THE LATER MODELS ??

I wondered about this too, anyone with an original GM parts book could answer this. Seems to me like the 60-61 hoods would be heavier and all the extra weight would be at the end of the hood- more leverage on the springs/hinges.

[DURG]

I know you should not have to because you just paid good money for $hitty parts but......Why not just use an OEM set of springs? At least to see if it makes a difference? Did you put any kind of lube at all on the pivots?

[McCoyAZ]

Problem solved with an original set of '60 hood springs.

That re pop stuff just doesn't work. Even the new hinges suck.

BUT now my hood stays open and I aint banging my head.