Hood Hinges update

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64nailhead

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Here’s some more pictures. The bolt the ratchet is on is where the lower ball goes. You can see in the other picture the rivet that has to be drilled out to remove. Finally the spring can be removed by unbolting the bottom bolt. Having a second person to help hold the hood up makes it much easier.

I forgot I had asked you this question. What shock did you use? Does it work as you hoped. I bought a set of shocks that Scott recommended, but I have not installed them yet. He welded onto the hood hinge to mount. Thanks to mikester for updating.

A little simple geometry & physics here.

The closer to the hinge pivot point you are results in more travel and less shock strength. IE, closer requires stronger shock

The further from the hinge pivot you are results in less travel and more shock strength. IE, further requires weaker shock.

Shock fully open sets your max hood opening, but shock does not need to be fully compressed when closed. You must have a little freeplay with shock travel not bottoming out when fully closed, resulting in hood binding & eventually damage. Plenty of ways to inspect shock travel with hood closed, including the modern cell phone video method.

Longer travel weaker shocks mounted more forwards put less stress on mounts vs shorter stronger shocks mounted closer to hinge, though both versions could have similar result.

These parameters can give a little adjustability when making a non adjustable shock work.

No rocket science here, but it is shocking how many people don't understand the basics, pun intended.🤔 I install commercial door hydraulic closers at work, which most all have adjustable spring pressure & closing speeds, which have to be set according to mounting location of between 90 to 180 degrees of opening range. Too bad surface mount closers are so heavy & too bulky for automotive application.

Gas shocks can also be substituted with electric linear actors, but damn these things are slow to me. Some lowrider guys with air ride use air cylinders, which usually give a fast, but harsh movement.

RV and truck topper supply stores are also a source of universal shocks (listed by length & strength), as well as some marine sources.

Just some food for thought from the guy with the most complicated hood mechanism.
You do explain this well. Thanks.
 
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mikester

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I forgot I had asked you this question. What shock did you use? Does it work as you hoped. I bought a set of shocks that Scott recommended, but I have not installed them yet. He welded onto the hood hinge to mount. Thanks to mikester for updating.


You do explain this well. Thanks.
I wish my update was great news and the problem was solved. I have a feeling theres no easy fix for this. When I called AMD for the weight of the hood I told the customer service guy what was going on. Their website says the hood fits Malbus. They know they wont work on wagons. I told the guy they should say that on their website. His response ? Yeah, well. They got my money. SMH.
For anyone interested, I bought Stabilus SG403055 supports. Theyre 8.76" long and hold 112lbs. but theres no way theyre going to work with my hood.

 
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scoti

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I wish my update was great news and the problem was solved. I have a feeling theres no easy fix for this. When I called AMD for the weight of the hood I told the customer service guy what was going on. Their website says the hood fits Malbus. They know they wont work on wagons. I told the guy they should say that on their website. His response ? Yeah, well. They got my money. SMH.
For anyone interested, I bought Stabilus SG403055 supports. Theyre 8.76" long and hold 112lbs. but theres no way theyre going to work with my hood.

Because??
 
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mikester

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Because??
Mounting hole on the fender to the bracket isnt going to work. The geometry is wrong. The shock is in the wrong position to hold the weight of the hood. Cant use a shorter shock, it would be worse. Cant use a longer one because it will let the end of the scoop hit the windshield. Working on another solution
 
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scoti

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Mounting hole on the fender to the bracket is going to work. The geometry is wrong. The shock is in the wrong position to hold the weight of the hood. Cant use a shorter shock, it would be worse. Cant use a longer one because it will let the end of the scoop hit the windshield. Working on another solution
Ahh..... Gotcha.
 

mikester

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So this might be interesting for some of you folks.
This morning I called Goodmark. I know this sounds crazy but Im so pissed about this hood thing I was considering taking the hood off the wagon and using it on the coupe. It looks like Im going to need a cowl hood on the coupe due to the height of the manifold anyway so I thought I could swap hoods and make it easier. Nope.
I spoke to a guy thats been with Goodmark for almost 20 years (or so he says). Told him the whole situation. I also told him what the original Goodmark guy told me back when I was trying to find a hood for the wagon. How the die in China was damaged and all the hoods came from the same factory so if I found another brand it would be the same just in a different box. This guy says BS. He goes on to tell me theres 4 factorys making cowl hoods for different vendors. Every hood is slightly different.
I asked him how the Goodmark hood is different from the AMD. He couldnt give me any measurements. Nothing at all. He did say that the cowl scoop on their hood ends at the same point as the back corners of the hood. I dont think thats correct but I wasnt going to argue with the guy.
The guy at AMD told me the hood I have weighs between 70-75lbs. The guy at Goodmark told me their hood weighs over 85lbs. The best part is he says a painted hood weighs just under 95lbs. Think about that. Painting a hood adds 10lbs ?? What the heck do they use for paint ? LOL
In the end he looked at pictures of the AMD hood online and compared it to one of theirs. After that he told me most likely the hood they sell would fit the same way and I'll have the same issue on the wagon. Im wondering if the vendors put out bids between the 4 factorys and the place with the best price makes them. Maybe the Goodmark hoods are now made in the place that also makes the AMD stuff.
Over the weekend Im going to get another set of hinges from the junkyard. Maybe I can have a stop welded on to the hinge so it wont raise all the way. I just hope the hood will be up high enough so the weight wont pull it closed.
 
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64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
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64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,660
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12,062
113
Upstate NY

bruisedbanana79

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May 6, 2021
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Are the ones i used. I thought you had the struts and balls already?
 
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