HELP! Hood won't shut
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 495
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From: Somewhere in da corn,Iowa
HELP! Hood won't shut
OKay, so I know this is a very common problem with the 53-56 F100s, but my hood won't come closed at the back without pushing it down. I can bring the front end down, but the back sticks up about 2 inches over what it should be at. I looked through other threads and tryed some of those things, but to no avail. Any ideas on this guys? I made sure I was using the correct shoulder bolts, but I can't think of anything else, plus my hood needs to move back about an 1" towards the cab. I want to keep the standard style opening for now, since I am a broke highschool kid and can't afford the front flip kit yet, I'm going to get that this summer....hopefully.
Any ideas on how to get my hood shut in the back without pushing down?
Thanks for any and all input I may recieve.
Tucker
aka 50-4ed
Any ideas on how to get my hood shut in the back without pushing down?
Thanks for any and all input I may recieve.
Tucker
aka 50-4ed
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 673
Likes: 1
From: San Diego
Yep, thats ye olde "hokey pokey". Making sure your bolts arent TOO tight helps a bit. but thats kinda the way it is. I tried adjusting mine forever, but either way I still had to do the dance to get it closed. Ive seen it mentioned here over the years, and the only real fix I remember reading was a front tilt kit. Try whistling while you switch sides and push the back of your hood down and back- "you put the right side in, you put the left side out, you put the ....."
yeah, you know the tune. Great job on your truck by the way!
Rich
yeah, you know the tune. Great job on your truck by the way!
Rich
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,674
Likes: 2
From: Rowland Heights
The three point trick. I did that for a while. Got pretty good at the dance. I Just changed mine new years day. Got the CPP kit and life is good.
How's that song go Rich?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=19795
How's that song go Rich?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=19795
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,958
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I guess I am fortunate. Mine was close when I got it. The guys here posted some adjustment info in a thread and its a lot closer now. Occasionally I have to push the drivers side front down a little, but not always.
It opens and stays open now though. Always!
I don't know if this thread would help you, but its one I started. There is a lot of good adjustment info in it.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...56+hood+adjust
It opens and stays open now though. Always!
I don't know if this thread would help you, but its one I started. There is a lot of good adjustment info in it.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...56+hood+adjust
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 313
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From: Fairbanks, AK
Mine shuts well, but it looks like it may not have in the past. A car nut buddy of mine noticed, upon close examination, that at some point in the past the PO had the hinges not-to-professionally welded to the hood. Maybe that was his way of fixing an alignment problem?
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 495
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From: Somewhere in da corn,Iowa
Originally Posted by reamer
check out Ebay # 4628209511
Ford Hood Lifter, Claims to "close tightly to cowl" no more dancing around.
Ford Hood Lifter, Claims to "close tightly to cowl" no more dancing around.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,789
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From: Connecticut
Don't know, just saw them on the bay, look close, they did redesign an install new hinges, This might be the key why it works.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Valley Center, CA
It sounds like you have the front plate adjusted too far to the front. If it's pulling the hood foward as the pin goes into the locking hole, then the hood cannot drop into place in the back. 
As the pin is going into the hole can you see if it appears to be hitting to the rear of the hole. From reading Ax's posts it seems to me that having the pin hit the pront edge of the locking hole may be the way to get the hood to close correctly. Try adjusting the plate and see if you get any improvement. This may be the most common problem there is among effies with the stock hood. BTW, the springs are necessary. They actually pull the back corners down once they get to the correct position. Jag
As the pin is going into the hole can you see if it appears to be hitting to the rear of the hole. From reading Ax's posts it seems to me that having the pin hit the pront edge of the locking hole may be the way to get the hood to close correctly. Try adjusting the plate and see if you get any improvement. This may be the most common problem there is among effies with the stock hood. BTW, the springs are necessary. They actually pull the back corners down once they get to the correct position. Jag
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 495
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From: Somewhere in da corn,Iowa
I dont have the plate on it yet....i just have my fenders and hood on(and splash pans, gravel pans, rad-support) but not where the hood latches....I'm thinkin I may ask dad for some $$ and get the front flip kit, even though I HATE asking for him to buy any parts.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,882
Likes: 88
From: Durham NC
Look in my "extras" gallery at the hinge pix there. Take the spring off (you should be able to do it with your hands with the hinges unmounted, but if someone has over wound them they may have tension on them, so hold the hinge in a vise and grab the spring with a pair of visegrips with both hands just in case. Make sure the pivot I pointed out is moving freely when you operate the hinge without the spring. It freezes up easily and the hinges will not operate properly with it frozen. lube it with some white grease before reinstalling the spring JUST HAND TIGHT. Make sure the shoulder bolts are not tight against the hinge as well, they must be able to piivot.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 561
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From: Minneapolis
On my 52 F3, I would love to get that hood to open farther. Even another 10 or 15 degrees would make it easier to work on. Anyone ever done such a mod? The hood keeps knocking off my cowboy hat.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 227
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From: Bethesda, Maryland
I'm now having the same problem with my '53 F100. I'm looking at the bolts that hold the hinge arms and something doesn't quite look right. These are just bolts with a shoulder that go through the hinge arms and are threaded into the bracket. If you tighten those bolts, you end up not being able to move the hood. What am I missing here? Shouldn't there be some sort of bushings or something so you can tighten the bolts but they can still pivot?
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,882
Likes: 88
From: Durham NC
The bolts should have shoulders on them (slightly larger unthreaded area) that prevents them from clamping the hinges tight. There is also a wavy washer that goes on to keep them from rattling. The heads are drilled for safety wires so they won't unscrew. They strip out of the hood so sometimes they have been replaced with plain bolts. Mid Fifty sells oversized threaded ones to replace stripped ones. There are two sizes, the 53-55 are smaller diameter than the 56. The 56 hinges will work on 53-55 if you use the larger shoulder bolts (the threaded portion are the same size).