Broken hood safety latch
#1
Broken hood safety latch
Part of my latch seems be broken off, which causes it to bang against the lower filler panel if the hood gets slammed. It has actually dented my hood a little bit.
Anybody here with a useless hood laying around that has a good latch? Apparently there are no OER ones available.
Anybody here with a useless hood laying around that has a good latch? Apparently there are no OER ones available.
#2
Supreme Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 0
Received 241 Likes
on
181 Posts
Car: 1987 Formula (original owner)
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 9-bolt/3.45
Re: Broken hood safety latch
The "broken" part is either so obvious that I'm not seeing it, or there's nothing broken, because I don't see any differences between yours and any of mine. If a piece of metal has broken off of it somewhere, then there should be some sign of that.
It doesn't look like your latch has become misaligned, if that's even a thing.
The latch has to hit the panel, otherwise it couldn't catch securely underneath it. Its spring is pretty strong, so maybe it just needs a good cleaning and lubricating so it can move more freely when it hits?
Possible that the hood hinges are just weak and wobbly, and the hood doesn't always come down straight anymore? Mine are, and that does affect the raising and lowering of the hood, but the latch hits and works fine.
It doesn't look like your latch has become misaligned, if that's even a thing.
The latch has to hit the panel, otherwise it couldn't catch securely underneath it. Its spring is pretty strong, so maybe it just needs a good cleaning and lubricating so it can move more freely when it hits?
Possible that the hood hinges are just weak and wobbly, and the hood doesn't always come down straight anymore? Mine are, and that does affect the raising and lowering of the hood, but the latch hits and works fine.
#3
Re: Broken hood safety latch
The "broken" part is either so obvious that I'm not seeing it, or there's nothing broken, because I don't see any differences between yours and any of mine. If a piece of metal has broken off of it somewhere, then there should be some sign of that.
It doesn't look like your latch has become misaligned, if that's even a thing.
The latch has to hit the panel, otherwise it couldn't catch securely underneath it. Its spring is pretty strong, so maybe it just needs a good cleaning and lubricating so it can move more freely when it hits?
Possible that the hood hinges are just weak and wobbly, and the hood doesn't always come down straight anymore? Mine are, and that does affect the raising and lowering of the hood, but the latch hits and works fine.
It doesn't look like your latch has become misaligned, if that's even a thing.
The latch has to hit the panel, otherwise it couldn't catch securely underneath it. Its spring is pretty strong, so maybe it just needs a good cleaning and lubricating so it can move more freely when it hits?
Possible that the hood hinges are just weak and wobbly, and the hood doesn't always come down straight anymore? Mine are, and that does affect the raising and lowering of the hood, but the latch hits and works fine.
If I slam my hood the latch should go down into the hole and grab. Mine is too far back so it just bangs (which is what caused the dimples). I have to hold the latch open an inch or so, and then push down on the hood to close it.
#4
Junior Member
Re: Broken hood safety latch
I think LAFireboyd nailed it.
It's just worn out hinges. Mine does the same thing.
It's something I've learned to live with on a high mileage, 35 year old car.
It's just worn out hinges. Mine does the same thing.
It's something I've learned to live with on a high mileage, 35 year old car.
#6
Re: Broken hood safety latch
I did a little digging and found this old thread. This is exactly what's wrong with mine.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...-problems.html
there are no reproduction latches though, at least not that I've seen.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...-problems.html
there are no reproduction latches though, at least not that I've seen.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
PhantomChamp
Body
2
11-09-2001 03:49 PM