If it's not one thing it's another! I finally got that bolt tightened on my exhaust manifold on Saturday. I took the truck out for a spin. Going down the street near my house I heard a noise like metal hitting metal. At first I thought I left a wrench on the passenger side running board. But I didn't see anything bouncing off the road. Then I got a bad feeling. I had a feeling a good hinge bolt had come out of the hinge and the hinge arm went "whack!"

I got home and carefully tried to lift the hood partway. Yes, that's what happens. So I went upstairs and got a safe hinge. I propped the hood up, hung the back of the hood up with a rachet strap and switched out the hinge.

So how do I get the hinge arm back where it belongs? Use force? Or undo the spring and move the arm?


Hinge on left is the passenger side hinge that has the arm stuck. Drivers side hinge on right for comparison.


Passenger side arm.
​​ar

 

Since I don’t have it in my hands it is really hard to tell but…

if you have a strong rafter attach the arm that is folded under with a bolt and some medium duty chain. Attach the chain to the rafter and pull down on the bracket to get it to start to pivot back in place.

Since the other arm is offset it looks like as it pivots the bolt head should clear the other arm. I am not clear on exactly how those 2 arms interact, but you may need another chain on the offset arm to pull it around to the left and down as the other arm moves up and left.

You could also put it between the bumpers of your 2 trucks parked perpendicular with ratchet straps attached to rhe 2 arms and tighten each one incrementally. The arm that is pivoted all the way down to the right attaches to one truck and the other arm attached to the opposite truck…..

Based on the pics I would try something like that before disassembling it. If you go slow you will see if things are getting FUBAR right away. So I am in the brute force camp…

Interested to see what others suggest!

 

First thing I can think of is busted knuckles...lol

 

I had that happen on my passenger side a couple of times Abe. I got some advice how to deal with it from a guy on this forum by the name of wmjoe I think. On mine the top hinge arm bolt stripped out and then the top arm was forced down by the spring. Mine both times were pointing down at 6 o'clock. If I recall, he told me to gently take a big screwdriver and push the arm back up. On mine I had to get the screwdriver under the arm near the bolt hole and twist and pry to lift the arm up from the base of the plate the spring and the arm is attached to. It is not easy but can be done. If the hinge is on the truck and the lower arm still attached to the hood, you won't have much room to work, but keep carefully twisting and prying. Once you have the arm cleared from the mounting plate, the arm should "snap" all the way up and you will be able to lift the hood and fix the stripped hood bolt. The 2nd time it happened to me I rethreaded the bolt hole with a repair tap and the used some locktite on the hood bolt. Then safety wired the upper and lower hood bolts together. 3 years and running and so far no more problems. But next time the hood is off, I plan on drilling and tapping them for the 3/8 hood bolts. Hope it helps!

 

Hooper and 8pack, all good ideas! Thanks. I had put that hinge on last winter and knew I had to put the wire through the bolts....but I never did. The wire was hanging on my pegboard. So the bolts are now wired together!

 

Abe, if you don't want to put it back on the truck, I used a piece of plywood clamped into a bench vice to work on my hinges:



I also made my own hood-spring tool from a really big piece of conduit. The hole is in both sides, to run a big screwdriver through to twist it:

 

Abe, could you bolt it to wood like Ken showed and slip a pipe or tube over the arms like we do to make extensions for pipe wrenches? That would give you leverage to move them.

 

You probably don’t need to do this for your issue but just for general reference I had a pair of Hood hinges on my Camaro that were badly worn. I sent them out to Willie at:

https://www.hoodhingerepair.com/

He did a top quality job restoring them and has top notch reviews. I am probably going to send my truck hinges out to him as they are sloppy. I am just double checking to be sure he does these style of hinge.

 

I bolted it a piece of plywood like Ken suggested. My son came over. I pulled back on the one arm while my son pulled on the other with a screw driver. We looked at it more closely. I don't think there is anyway the two arms will pass by each other.

The bent arm is supposed to be under the straight arm. Look at the good hinge on the right above. So I think I'll have to take off the spring.

Any tips and advice and safety advice before I try it. I do have the round pipe device in the picture. The spring won't come flying up thru the pipe will it?

 

Looks like a neat puzzle abe, wish I had one, I might have to see if I can get one of the old ones I have to do that. To me it looks like it was put together wrong

 

I'm sitting here on my back porch thinking. It was the top bolt that came out, the one bolted thru the straight arm. So that arm would have swung around. But which direction? So if I get the spring off and release the tension I should be able to move the arm back the way it came.

 

Looking at it I'd say secure the base and crank the longer bent arm clockwise. Use a pipe for leverage..

 

I know hood hinge springs can be a little intimidating. But, don't panic, the spring is not as tough to remove as you might think. Wear safety glasses and/or a face shield for some protection. I've removed mine easily with a pair of large channel lock pliers. Pack some rags down inside that tube you made and under the screw driver. If there is any abrupt spring movement the rags will dampen it. Also, use a larger screw driver to give yourself some more leverage for control.

 

Hi Abe,
As I mentioned earler, I had the same issue on my 56 hood hinges. My passenger side went the same way yours did. The upper hinge arm was 180 degress (6 oclock down). I do not know how much differences they are, but I found my notes about it and I did not have to remove my springs and left the hinges on the truck. My notes say I had to raise the back of the hood just as high as I needed, no higher, (the higher the back of the hood goes the harder it is to get the arm to move.) and with a long, big screw driver tap on the handle with the screwdriver blade in the hole in the end of the arm. Just keep tapping, and some prying and twisting of the screw driver and the arm would eventually start to move and just snap into its upright position as I got it past 90 degrees. I know yours are off your truck, but just wanted to post this for others who may come across the same problem.
Also as mentioned before the spring is not under a lot of tension. I have removed and reinstalled mine with the same big screwdriver while the hinge was in a vise. But as someone else said, do wear good safety shields just in case.

 

Hooler, do you have time to call me? I am free from now until late tonight.
thanks. 570.660.0976

I think talking will be better to explain than typing.