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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1018
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin | I have some weak hood springs that are not holding up up all the way.. If I were to heat up the springs with a torch would that tighten them up some ?
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Expert
Posts: 2524
 
Location: Houston | No..it would loosen them some.
I also have weak springs, I've talked to a couple companies about making some new but haven't acted on it yet. I need to. I can get them for about $40 each but need to buy 10 and haven't been in the mood to lay out the cash. |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
  
Location: bishop, ca | John, have those springs' hinges been lubricated?
I made the mistake of lubing my cars' hood hinges, a long time ago, and the hood did not want to stay up, as a result.
De-lubed them, and they've worked fine, since.
Big M, here, should have lots of replacement spring/hinges available.
Edited by d500neil 2013-11-13 8:38 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1018
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin | neil
yeah neil , I did that to a pair of hoods springs many many yeas ago and that was a no no.
No ....I haven't oil them but will spray them down with some carb cleaner and see if that stiffenes them up.
This car has not been touched for 40 years ,, I do no if the hood was in the up /open position that would have stress/ tension on the springs all the time and could weaken them some.
gregcon just posted.............. heating them up will take the tension out of them. |
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Expert
Posts: 2524
Location: Houston | The problem with the springs is they are part of a poor design. The spring works opposite of what is ideal. In other words, when the hood is closed, it is in the most stretched position. When the hood is open, it is most relaxed. So, when you need the most tension (open hood), it is at its weakest. When you need the least tension (hood closed), it is at it strongest. Plus, the hood spends the majority of its time closed, so you couldn't ask for a better spring weakener.
With all respect, the hinge is meant to hinge, and a spring is there to provide tension. To intentionally leave a hinge un-lubricated in order to induce extra friction is not my idea of the right way to do things. It's kinda like pouring 90 weight gear oil into an engine to quiet down the lifters.
A really killer hinge would use some sort of frictionless pivot point and a spring to maintain position. You'd have glass smooth hood opening.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1018
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin | thanks gregcon
makes sense . but once the hood is in the open position why would mine want to drop down a inch or two? that is when the least tension is on the hood to hold it open right?
would it be the spring has lost some of it's tension in the open position. |
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Expert
Posts: 3575
Location: Netherlands | Hinges that are unlubed for years can also bind in time.
When that happens the hood might stay up alright, but when trying to close it, the force might buckle the hood itself near the hingemounts because there is only marginal reinforcing in that area.
My '57 Plymouth hood is buckled and folded in that area aswell.
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Expert
Posts: 1530
Location: ZH, Switzerland | d500neil - 2013-11-13 2:37 AM
John, have those springs' hinges been lubricated?
I made the mistake of lubing my cars' hood hinges, a long time ago, and the hood did not want to stay up, as a result.
De-lubed them, and they've worked fine, since.
Big M, here, should have lots of replacement spring/hinges available.
I did the same fault at my 1956 Chrysler when I got it. I would never lube the hinges anymore.
Happy Motoring!
Dieter |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1018
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin | I found another pair of good hood hinges on the internet . I'll give them a try . they were cheap.
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Expert
Posts: 1348
Location: Valley Forge, Pa. | I don't know about these heavy MOPAR hoods but I have seen people bend a hood that was not well lubed at the hinge pivot points.
The 61 Galaxie I just sold had a thin hood. The guy I bought it from had taken one of the springs off years ago and lost it. He said he took it off because the hoods were weak, hard to close, and would often bend. That just wrong, if the hood was in proper working order, it should never bend. It was a litttle hard to close, so all I did was WD-40 the pivot points. The hood closed too easily then but it felt right. I'll bet any of you that have had many older cars has had to carry a stick around at least once. I include a picture of my 1969 427/435HP Vette. The hood is propped open with a stick.
My opinion, lube the pivot points. It takes stress off everything. It will probably be even harder to keep open but it is much better for the hood and hinges. Get new springs or a stick.
Call up a local spring company. Give them the diameter of the wire, the length of the spring, the diameter of the coils and have them make a pair. IF they will only make 10 or more, and it seems like there are several people with your same problem, get others to go in with you. Ebay them.
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13049
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | This thread amuses me; of course the hood hinges should be greased (even a drop of oil will do). The reason for that is obvious that it's a metal to metal contact. Now if some earlier owner did not do so, the hood hinges are most probably done and should be replaced. The middle of the road is to make new studs in an over dimension. |
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Veteran
Posts: 112
Location: Lake Havasu , Arizona | I saw a car at a local car show and the guy used a modern pair of struts with chrome mounting brackets from the fender to the hood to assist his old Mopar springs. Worked great and looked good-- if your not a purist. |
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Expert
Posts: 2524
Location: Houston | A lot of mid 60's Ford used to bend the hoods at the hinge point. Too much spring, not enough lube, not enough hood. |
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weak hood springs
