Hood Closing Alignment

[StephenJ]

I don't think that it is...but will check tonight. I may have missed it when putting it back on. EScanlon also mentioned it being bent

I'll let you know what it looks like. Stephen

[EScanlon]

I'm concerned about two things.

First is that you can see the piece of metal the safety latch grips (below the upper plate) with an obvious gap between it and the edge of the hole of the upper plate. That gap is large enough that you can see the tip of the safety latch catch IN that gap.

Second, Stephen mentions that the Hood Pin is inserting properly into the catch, yet in the pictures it appears (might be the angle) to have LESS of an angle towards the back of the car than an angle straight down and hence towards the FRONT of the car. That leads me to wonder if the metal on the hood itself, where the pin attaches, is bent towards the front of the car. I HAVE seen that bend, and it happens when the pin is mis-aligned and someone forces the hood down. It bends the pin forward and the base metal gets bent.

I will look at my vehicles and see if I can't provide better answers than these questions.

E

[mgood]

Here is shot of mine my receiver plate that works perfectly.

[StephenJ]

Thank Michael. Mine looks just the same....but dirtier. I checked the metal that the latch is attached to on the hood...and see that it is not bent. Oh well. If this is the most of my problems, I have it made.

[5thhorsemann]

Look at the pic's above, your safty latch is indeed angled towards the front of the hood. there is a stop on that latch, I'll bet it's bent or gone altogether. There is no reason to have that latch on the hood at all, unless you regularly drive 100 mph in reverse. do what I did, get rid of it.

[StephenJ]

You know...that makes the most sense. That wold explain why EVERYTHING else looks fine (hood alighment, adjustments to the latch and keep, etc.). I bet there was stop. I would prefer to have the latch...just in case I do go 100mph backwards. I think I will check out another, or simply create my own stop point.

WELL DONE!!!

[5thhorsemann]

I would prefer to have the latch...just in case I do go 100mph backwards.

Don't go wild.

[StephenJ]

Just posting a follow up. I place a small flat piece of metal under the spring which extended under the pivoting latch. That straightened it right out. Works perfect now. With the amount of frustration that it brought, I can do nothing but go wild with a simple fix. Thanks again.

[jazfe]

StephenJ, Thanks for finding a fix for this problem. My car is the same. Now I know how to fix it...