Hood latching/alignment

[MaineShark]

When I close my new hood, I need to push it at both latch points to get it to click into place. Obviously, it is having a little trouble pushing down far enough to latch, on its own.

Is there some way to adjust that, other than the shims under the strikers on the hood? Because it is correctly aligned when latched, so I think that the strikers are in the right place - it seems like the springs may be too tall (ie, the hood might be different, slightly), or maybe it is down on the lip inside the fenders?

Ideas?

Joe

 

[clar2001]

Does it unlatch easely, what about the bump stops maby there set to Hi.
I ajusted my strikers by putting one on at a time left the bracket the stricker sits on loose, let the hood sit down on it & move the striker in place then gently lift hood & tighten, remove striker & perform same on other side.
I have fit my hood several times & found this works quite well .
Hood always closes easely from a short drop.

 

[jon79flavette]

clar, looks like you got an air conditioned garage? if so is it part of the house system, or independent?

 

[clar2001]

It's a covered car port, the garage is a 3 layer car cover. the work truck sits in the RV lot next door it's called improvising.

 

[jon79flavette]

OK, I thought I saw supply grills in the backround, I argued with my wife for sometime, I air conditioned my new garage, and she thought it was the most silly thing someone could do. It south florida, and the humidity is extreme, I love working out there for a few hours instead of 15 minuites, just curious.

 

[c4ever]

That's a really beautiful looking ride clar2001.

Carlo

 

[clar2001]

Thanks Carlo

I think D may have hit home here with the hood ajustment on the striker it self.

 

[jon79flavette]

clar, I have to concur with carlo, that is a pretty ride

 

[MaineShark]

The latches and strikers are in the correct position, because the closed position of the hood is correct. The problem appears to be with the two springs that the hood sits on.

Unless someone can explain to me how I can adjust the position of the latch and/or striker, without the hood sitting higher when closed?

Joe

 

[clar2001]

The latches and strikers are in the correct position, because the closed position of the hood is correct. The problem appears to be with the two springs that the hood sits on.

I ajusted my strikers by putting one on at a time left the bracket the stricker sits on loose, let the hood sit down on it & move the striker in place then gently lift hood & tighten, remove striker & perform same on other side.

This is to ajust closing not height.!

 

[MaineShark]

Alright, there is clearly a failure to communicate, at one end or the other.

It seems that some people think that the position of the striker does not affect the closed position of the hood? I don't get how that could be the case - the striker is what the latch grabs to hold the hood closed. The horizontal bar of the striker (where the latch grabs) should always be in the same place, while adding shims between the hood and the striker's mounting plate would allow the hood to be moved up or down, relative.

With the old hood, a drop from a few inches would latch both latches securely (which means I wouldn't have to touch the paint when closing the hood after checking the oil, or somesuch). With the new hood, dropping it will latch the driver's side latch at the first "click," but not the passenger's side latch at all. Both need to be pressed by hand to latch fully.

Joe

 

[clar2001]

By moving the striker you will not affect hood height, or hood ajustment that is done with the hindges or turning the striker up&down by holding the striker point with a screwdriver & turning.

To ajust hood latching/closing remove one striker this is in case of a problem your hood will still open also makes ajustment easier, losen the base plate bolts the striker sits on so it is snug but still moves, genty set your hood down not latching push down enought to move the striker into place but still not latching,(you will be pushing on the striker spring at this time just not enought to latch) this will center it correctly, you should fell no binding or restance then gently open hood & tighten striker base plate, then remove only the striker fron the plate and install on the other side & repete same process,
If the striker is off only a small amount then you will have latching problems it must center the hole or latch asb.

No after market hood is a direct fit some tailering is required.

 

[Ludigdrums]

Okay, I had almost this same problem with my hood. The drivers side would latch fine, and the passengers side would appear to be fine until driving proved that it wasn't fully latched. Anyhow, all I did was reposition the strikers (in what seemed to be the same spots) and it's fine now. I know that this is not real technical, but for some strange reason it worked for me.

I had also already order some hood latch striker shims from Corvette Central, which seems to be the only company that still carries them. As it is, I haven't bothered with them cause all has remained fine.

- Jeremy