Right Hood Hinge Removal?

[kna4977]

What’s the best way? I need to remove to replace the blower motor. I’m thinking prop hood open and use ratchet strap to hold the back. Can I just remove the hinge as a unit without doing anything with the spring?

[dmjlambert]

I use 2 pieces of 1x4 wood fence pickets. One cut to length to prop the hood full open at the front, fitting between the hood front and the grill. The other is a couple feet long and I put it between the right fender and the cowl under the back of the hood. It works well to prop it while I remove the hinge. You don't need to remove or otherwise mess with the spring.

[RustyPile]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

I use 2 pieces of 1x4 wood fence pickets. One cut to length to prop the hood full open at the front, fitting between the hood front and the grill. The other is a couple feet long and I put it between the right fender and the cowl under the back of the hood. It works well to prop it while I remove the hinge. You don't need to remove or otherwise mess with the spring.

Great Advice, Dave.. With your permission, I'll add a tidbit..

Before removing the hinge bolts, mark the hinge location on the fender and hood. Masking tape, felt tip marker, pencil, all make good markers.

[kna4977]

So I can do it without removing the spring from the hinge? Hinge seems like it wants to twist when I remove the top bolt to the hood.

[54blackhornet]

Whenever I had to remove a hood hinge I would always drill a small hole in the hinge next to the bolts holding the hinge to the fender, and completely through the fender itself. This allows you to reinstall the hinge exactly where it was originally. When reassembling just insert a like size drill bit into the hole you drilled to align the hinge to the fender. It only takes a moment to do this and it works perfectly.

[dmjlambert]

Originally Posted by kna4977

So I can do it without removing the spring from the hinge? Hinge seems like it wants to twist when I remove the top bolt to the hood.

Let's see pictures of your hinge with the hood in the full open position. If it is not broken and a regular stock hinge there should be stops that keep the hinge from opening any further than hood full open position.

[kna4977]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Let's see pictures of your hinge with the hood in the full open position. If it is not broken and a regular stock hinge there should be stops that keep the hinge from opening any further than hood full open position.

Here are some pics

[dmjlambert]

OK good. These pieces of metal contacting each other are what prevents the hinge from opening any further. You can see the spring is almost fully compressed so it doesn't have much tension left in it. If the rivets are in good shape and holding the hinge together, which I can't tell from here since it's all neat and painted black, you should be OK to remove the hinge without any mishaps.

[kna4977]

When I pull the top upper bolt that attaches the hinge to the hood out the hinge twists toward the driver side maybe an inch or so. I can push it back into position and put the bolt in, but I just don't want to damage anything until I know for sure how it's going to act. If I take the rear one out only with the front lose and not out the hinge stays in place and the hood tilts up in the rear slightly, but it did this before I had a prop under the front of the hood and only the ratchet strap pulling the rear up so it doesn't fall down on the cowl.

[dmjlambert]

OK I see what you mean. I just went out to my truck and loosened the bottom bolt on the hood and removed the top bolt on the hood, and noticed the hinge twisted about 1 inch. I think it is because the tension that the spring puts on the hinge pulls like a lever in the direction of the arrow, and twists the hinge slightly. I think it is normal. I don't think I noticed that movement until you pointed it out.

[HO455]

I didn't remove the hinge completely when I replaced my non-AC heater box and blower. I just unbolted the hinge from the fender and moved it forward and set it down on a piece of an old movers blanket I had. I also used a piece of wood to hold the hood open.

[dmjlambert]

When taking any of the bolts out if you can't get it back together exactly on your marks, or if you didn't make marks, or if gaps are not right despite trying to use marks (which is usually my problem), the adjustments are easy. Here is my method in this other thread: https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...53#post9305453

[kna4977]

Is the blower motor supposed to have a gasket or rtv or strip caulk or ? I ask because the old one had gray rtv that is dried up, breaking and crumbling off. Wondering what to use that's correct to put it back together?

[dmjlambert]

I bought a complete gasket set for my A/C system and it may have come with the gasket for the blower motor, but I don't remember. I had sent my evaporator box to a company for restoration (inadequate restoration but that's another story) and they installed the blower motor. I think just about anything will do, you can use a household rope caulk, a small amount of windshield butyl sealant, plumbers putty, cut your own gasket material, or use RTV. I think a bead of clear RTV would be good, because it is not terribly permanent and will peel off and allow you to remove the fan in the future. I suggest put a bead of caulk or RTV around the hole, and put a very thin coat of grease or oil on the blower motor flange and after a couple hours of the sealant setting mount the motor. It will seal adequately and allow you to remove it the next time you need to remove it.

[Rick Bollinger]

It seems like on my a/c truck I loosened up the front lower hinge bolt about a turn then removed the back bolt. Pulled the back part of the hinge up far enough to remove the fan and retightened the front bolt. Hood stays in place without removing hinge.