New Hood Hinges Stiff As Crap---HELP!!!

[1992MustangGT]

Hey guys, I just bought some brand new hood hinges and hood springs for my 67 Cougar XR7. When I put on the hinges (without the springs) and tried to open the hood I had to squat down and leg press the dang thing open. I was afraid I was going to bend the hinges or hood or something. The hood was popping and cracking and flexing; that's how much force that has to be used. When I closed it, it wasn't so bad but it was still real stiff and took a little effort to close it.

So then I put the new hood springs on the hinges and when I opened the hood it opened fairly easy (about as easy as it did when it closed without the hood hinges installed). But when I tried to close the hood I practically had to hang on the hood with my feet off the ground and use my weight and gravity to get it closed (I weigh 195 lbs). And once I did get it closed, the back of the hood was standing about 3" to 4" above the cowl. It would not close flush with the cowl whatsoever. I had to practically sit on the hood to get it to go down and it still wouldn't go down far enough to be flush with the cowl. It still stood about 1" above the cowl.

Something isn't right. I know these hinges are new, but I can't believe it should be this difficult to open and close the hood. I guarentee a female would be lucky to get it close without having some help or getting on top of the hood and jumping up and down on it.

Is there anything I can do to loosen up these hinges and make them open and close easy like they should? Is there some sort of break in process I'm not aware of? Any advise would be greatly appreciated....

 

[2+2GT]

Before you wreck you hood, take them off. If you can't get them to operate in your hand (no springs) they are too tight.

 

[1992MustangGT]

Before you wreck you hood, take them off. If you can't get them to operate in your hand (no springs) they are too tight.

No way in hell can I move them by hand. Tried that when I first got the. I even mounted them on the fender apron and tried to move them and still couldn't. So if I take them off, what do I do for a hinge? What's your suggestion?

 

[blown65]

No way in hell can I move them by hand. Tried that when I first got the. I even mounted them on the fender apron and tried to move them and still couldn't. So if I take them off, what do I do for a hinge? What's your suggestion?

Forgot where I bought mine, but same junk. Way too tight and worthless.

 

[2+2GT]

Well if you have no old hinges to fall back on, you'll have to get clever. Take them off, one at a time, heavily pad the car under the missing hinge, remove the spring and put them in a bench vise. Then you'll have to start moving them by hand, to "break them in". If you don't have a vise, just screw them to the bench. If they are too stiff to move, screw a 2x4 to the hood mounting plate.

 

[eleanor_350]

I had a similar problem with new hinges on my 65 mustang. When the hinges were new, they were so tight that the hood would stay up without the springs installed. Once I installed the springs there was no way I was going to get the hood closed. I just took off the springs and ran it without them for a while. The hinges eventually loosened up to where I could install the springs.

 

[10secgoal]

Do what ever you can to find OEM hinges. All aftermarket sucks in that area. Even if they work, the loosen up too fast and become wobbly junk in short order.

 

[Clevorguy]

I had the same exact problem. I could not expand them by hand to put them in the right position to put the hood on.

I put them in a vice and forced them open using different methods of leverage.

Once the hood was on, I put some oil on the hinges and opened and shut the hood about 100 times in 10 mins! ha! It was very hard at the beginning but in the end they are now fine. It was a good little workout.

 

[66GT305PS]

If the hinges were not pre-greased, there is probably a bit of corrosion setting in. It might require treatment with a penetrating oil to loosen the hinges, then apply light grease to prevent future trouble. I have usually gotten my hinges from wrecking yards and had no trouble. If after market ones are mis-aligned in manufacturing, they will never be right.

 

[horseballz]

I have a pair of OEM hinges/springs from a 68 Mustang, should be the same. A little dirty with light surface rust but otherwise good condition. PM me if you are interested.
Gene

 

[tx65coupe]

I had the same issue with my repro hinges. I put them in a vise and oiled the hell out of them and opened and closed them about 1000 times. I used 3 in 1 oil.

Do they really wear out fast?

 

[ddonaca351]

Try grease/good penetrating oil and bench cycle.

Remove em and go prop rod.

Remove em and go gas shock. (a rear hatch on a 87-93 5.0 is *about* the same weight as a steel hood on a early stang)

Put em in the oven on "clean". (usually about 550f) but this is hit or miss, it can do nothing, it can soften them up "a little", or it can turn them into useless junk.

Dust em lightly with an oxy-accet torch untill they lighten up. but again too little does nothing, too much and they are junk...

Hope one of these helps,
Dave

 

[Bullitt]

Some white lithium grease will do wonders for a sticky hinge. Granted, probably won't solve the whole issue, but should help some.