Not being the average Joe I have spent almost two full days trying to get my hood to stay open and have almost loved every second of it.

On a 52 the hood stay looks like this originally, right and left.

The hinge is toward the rear a bit on the cowl.

Because I have added a power brake booster I am not quite sure that even if I had an original 48-52 hinge that it would clear the booster and work so I did some scrounging at the wrecking yard and noticed my favorite donor vehicles ( 81-86 F- whatevers ) used a similar concept.

I grabbed a half dozen of these and went home to give things a try.

After cutting/welding, drilling and fabricating ( trying every possibility I could think of ) I have finally come up with a single hinge that does nearly everything I would like it to do.



Clears the booster with room to spare, keeps the hood up ( finally ) but when the hood closes will not keep it quite all the way closed. Rear of hood is still up above the cowl just a bit.

Actually both sides do this but the passenger side ( original stay ) can be pushed down and will stay down which I have learned is typical with these particular trucks when things get a bit worn out.

The drivers side however can be pushed down but it will pop right back up. Not much mind you, just a little bit above the cowl. Nothing drastic. Just enough to aggravate a person that cares.

I have stared at it for hours, is it because the hinge is winding down too tight or tighter than it normally would and is just relieving itself a bit or is it because the spring is not quite wound down enough.

I mean if I were to figure out a way to wind the spring just a little bit tighter than wouldnt I have even more staying up and open power for the hood ( which I really do not need since it seems to now work just fine the way it is ) but dosent staying up power or winding the spring tighter also mean less room for it too collapse and therefore not be able to close up within itself far enough to keep that hood even with the cowl.

The springs inherent design is too remain open or un-flexed which means hood open all the time so what keep the rear of these hoods down within the cowl area on these later model trucks?

I think it has to have something to do with there being a separate hinge and a separate stay on these later model trucks as well but not being an engineer I cant quite put my finger on how these work so that I can incorporate some of these ideas into my little project.

Does anyone have any ideas ?

 

You are correct when you said the hinge keeps it aligned and the spring just helps to keep the hood up. I can't see the newer design having too much pressure at the rear (since you said the rear of the hood being mis-aligned is a common problem). Is there any adjustments on the factory hinges you are using? Since the other side will stay fully closed, I would think that would be the route to take. Is there any play in the hinge pins you are using?

Challenges? Love 'em. That's part of the reason I'm building the truck I am (link in signature). Being able to see ahead of what you are doing is also a big help, AND being able to dissemble and reassemble in your head helps a bunch too. I've spent hours upon hours planning and plotting in my mind to see how things are going to work, and if they'll work. It seems the harder, the better, and it gives you a real sense of accomplishment when things work out.

 

I would slot the holes in the hinge so you can slide it down so the back of the hood is level.

 

The old style hinge will go -over center- and hold itself down because of it's geometry.

The newer style clock spring hinge can only come under more tension as the hinge closes.
An '80's style hood is meant to pop up against the safety latch when released from inside the cab.

 

Thanks, yes you are correct of course, much different than the idea of the later style hood.

Yes the hood is designed to pop up but that is at the front of the vehicle where it is greatest. In the meantime what is holding the rear of that hood down?

It has to have something to do with those flimsy hinges that are used on these later trucks, they must in some way lend a hand to all of this by pushing in one direction possibly while the stays are pulling in another.

 

Thanks, the rear being misaligned is a common problem when the original hood hinges get worn. I can deal with that easily by welding and re-drilling,

I am having to consider the possibility that increasing the length of the new hinge upsets the throw or pitch of the un-changed spring within that same hinge.

Interesting stuff!

 

Thanks, the hinges have not moved, it is the stay that has changed. Decrease the overall length of the stay in reference to its proximity with the hood hinges and you lose the height that the hood will be in an open position.

I have had to increase the overall length of stay to use the original mounting locations of the original hood stay, I had to use this location because it is where Ford reinforced the firewall with specifically located reinforcement ribs.

Move outside these ribs and the firewall will eventually give way because of the constant movement made against it from using the hinges/stays.

I also had to increase the length of stay to compensate for a certain degree of give within the spring, because of the weight of the hood in which it was not designed to support there is a certain amount it gives before it has gained enough friction within the coil to do its job.

It sounds like over thinking I know but cause and affect. I will go another round tomm with it. Maybe I will have the problem solved.

 

I'm looking at the secondary hinge hiding in the corner, and wondering why it isn't forcing the hood to pull closed at the rear.


Might be better to bush the pivots. Rather than weld them up and try to drill them exactly on their old centers.

 

Consider this.........quote............The newer style clock spring hinge can only come under more tension as the hinge closes...........So again what keeps it down?

 

Yes you are right about the bushing. I was trying to make a quick answer.

 

Your a smart guy, I do not believe these hinges were designed to hold the hood down. I believe they are nothing more than guides. I believe you have answered your own question when you said this. ..........The old style hinge will go -over center- and hold itself down because of it's geometry............Ok so now I no longer have that geometry on the this single side of the hood so I need to figure out what geometry they used on the newer style hood to keep the pesky corners of the hood level with the tops of the cowl.

New style hood with this newer style stay/spring assy are flush with cowl, what keeps it there. You have the same upward force constantly on that wrapped spring pushing it upward, always wanting to be released....so what keeps it down?

 

The old style stay/spring goes over center, thats what keeps it down, new style does not follow this. So I have an old style ( pass side ) which stays down ( or will within reason ) and I have a newer style, drivers side that does not share the same characteristics.

 

On my '87 the geometry of the hinge and its mounting points are such that when the latch is caught, the rear of the hood is pulled down against the cowl weatherstrip.

The forward cantilever of the hood in an almost closed position is enough to overcome the increased spring tension.

How much does your hood weigh?
How long is it?

 

Oh I see

I am sure that the 52 hood weights considerably more than a mid eighties hood and unfortunately is is very long and therein lies the problems that need to be overcome.

I knew this when I decided to go this route but again it has re-freshed a few un-used brain cells and even if I do not succeed with this path it will not be a waste of time.

 

2 sets of these.