Lightweight Springs for Fiberglass Hood??

[Basketcase]

l would be flne wlth a prop rod. just take the stock springs off.

 

[zupanj]

Chris,

Why not use the latch?

 

[Basketcase]

l asked first!

 

[zupanj]

Indeed you did!!! :worship:

 

[moparchris]

The fiberglass is prone to crack after a few years and that leads to cracks in the surface. Structurally I would not trust a piece of metal embedded in the fiberglass to hold the hood down when you crack open that big ole Hemi! I have seen a lot of them fail over the years at the track. Mopar didn't use the fatory latches on fiberglass hood cars for a reason.

 

[Basketcase]

would thls lnclude the bolt on ones too Chrls? lf l can get one lt would be bolt on. l would elther go wlth the light sprlngs or just remove my stock sprlngs. but do you see a problem wlth the area the hlnges bolt to? and l would be uslng the factory type hood plns also so the latch wouldn't be a have to.

 

[newbaufish]

Has anyone replaced the springs themselves, is that a manageable process without special tools? Mine are quite worn and barely hold the hood open on a windy day.

 

[69hemibeep]

Has anyone replaced the springs themselves, is that a manageable process without special tools? Mine are quite worn and barely hold the hood open on a windy day.

If your talking standard springs, your hinges are probably worn and the springs are fine. I just changed mine out and what a difference. I had Restorick redo them.

 

[moparchris]

would thls lnclude the bolt on ones too Chrls? lf l can get one lt would be bolt on. l would elther go wlth the light sprlngs or just remove my stock sprlngs. but do you see a problem wlth the area the hlnges bolt to? and l would be uslng the factory type hood plns also so the latch wouldn't be a have to.

Yeah the bolt on ones. Springs and hinges are cool. Imagine driving down the road at 100 mph and your riding on the hood face first and your feet at the base of the windshield. Imagine how much pressure you would feel on your face and not on your feet. Same thing the air is pressurizing the area in front of the radiator but behind the grill and pushing up on the hood with several hundred pounds of force. Thats why I recommend running pins instead of the factory hood latch or run them both. Mopar did it the way they did for a reason. Some dude with a propeller on his cap did some equation and came to the conclusion that it wouldn't hold and I believe him.