Hood Latch Problem

S281Sc · Aug 9, 2005

Just wondering if anybody else has had problems with this or have heard of problems with it, I really have the slam the hood to get it latch the car has not had any kind of front end damage any helpful suggestions would be apreciated thanks

OrangeStang04 · Aug 9, 2005

just adjust the level that the hood latch is at, it sounds like it is sitting a little low...

98MACH1R · Aug 9, 2005

have you never heard of the ten inch drop lol all i do is drop it from about ten inchs and it always closes for me

S281Sc · Aug 9, 2005

its more like 20 inch drop

Chopper1 · Aug 9, 2005

Sometimes the latch will dry out and be slow to operate.Try spraying some white grease into the mechanism and see if this helps.

twogts4us · Aug 9, 2005

98MACH1R said:
have you never heard of the ten inch drop lol all i do is drop it from about ten inchs and it always closes for me

Same here!
But on my wife's that doesn't work as well as on mine. On hers, I have a different technique - I lower it until it just catches the latch, then I press down firmly and it locks.

Ronald Jones · Aug 10, 2005

I also lower it until it just catches the latch, then I press down firmly and it locks.

csledd · Aug 10, 2005

twogts4us said:
Same here!
But on my wife's that doesn't work as well as on mine. On hers, I have a different technique - I lower it until it just catches the latch, then I press down firmly and it locks.

do you and your wife ever race? lol

I do the drop it technique also

n0v8or · Aug 10, 2005

My '03 was delivered with a hood latch that required a 24" drop to close. Once I installed hood struts to get riid of that annoying 49 cent prop rod, the 24" drop did not work anymore (because of the damping effect of the struts. I shimmed the entire latch bracket (the one mounted at the top of the radiator) up 1/8" with two plastic shims. Now I just close the hood gently, then push down lightly to latch it. Still works fine after 2 years.

I have pics if it would help to see where the shims are placed.

Kilgore Trout · Aug 10, 2005

Someone said once on this board that the GT hood is intentionally very tight due to the scoop causing drag and wanting to pull up on it... I do not think it is true but I thought I would mention it.

mr. jones1 · Aug 10, 2005

I had to adj. the lock. just loosen the latch and rod that went down to the rad support, raise it a little and tighten.
I had to push hood down(not recommended- bad for paint and sheet metal)
now the drop method works.

GT-03 · Aug 10, 2005

n0v8or said:
I shimmed the entire latch bracket (the one mounted at the top of the radiator) up 1/8" with two plastic shims. Now I just close the hood gently, then push down lightly to latch it. Still works fine after 2 years.

That is what I did with my '03 too.

IMHO, it is better than removing the pins off the latch itself.

RedBullitt · Aug 10, 2005

my latch was gimped from the factory, it was pinned really low and you could not adjust it at all. i took the whole latch part off and cut/sanded the pegs down and used lock nuts to hold it. worked great ever since. check the support bars right below the latch, they might be bent from all the banging the hood down, mine were lol. they can be enbent though, dont worry

S281Sc · Aug 10, 2005

Thanks alot for your suggestions ill have to try raising the latch and see how it works

kapuyawn · Sep 8, 2005

hood latch fix

GT-03 said:
That is what I did with my '03 too.

IMHO, it is better than removing the pins off the latch itself.

Can You post pics of the shim setup on your stang?
would love to see how it should be installed.

Thanks a bunch!

n0v8or · Sep 9, 2005

I have some pics I can post tonight. I cut shims from an empty black plastic VCR tape case ($1.00 at a "Dollar" store). Household scissors work fine, and allow trimming to a perfect fit under the latch assembly. I used a stack of 2 shims (about 1/8" total) to achieve a height where the hood had no up and down play when latched but was easy to close.

You have to remove the plastic radiator cover first, and then loosen or remove the latch brace rod connection from below. Finally, remove 2 (or maybe 4, it was more than 2 years ago) bolts to remove the entire bracket and latch assembly. Removing just the latch is not effective because it is pinned to the bracket at the factory after the final adjustment on the assembly line.

Test before replacing the plastic radiator cover.

GT-03 · Sep 9, 2005

n0v8or said:
You have to remove the plastic radiator cover first, and then loosen or remove the latch brace rod connection from below. Finally, remove 2 (or maybe 4, it was more than 2 years ago) bolts to remove the entire bracket and latch assembly. Removing just the latch is not effective because it is pinned to the bracket at the factory after the final adjustment on the assembly line.

I did basically the same thing except I used normal Fender Shims. I got a packet of assorted thicknesses from the local auto parts store. I also didn't completely remove the two bolts which attach the latch bracket to the radiator support cross member. I just loosened the bolts enough to slip the Fender Shims between.

GT-03 · Sep 9, 2005

kapuyawn said:
Can You post pics of the shim setup on your stang?
would love to see how it should be installed.

Thanks a bunch!

Well, sorry, but what you are asking me, is to take it all back apart and do it all over again.

It really isn't all that difficult. I am sure you would not have a problem. I didn't.

n0v8or · Sep 9, 2005

Links to pics.

If you look carefully in the 2nd picture, you can see the black outline of the shims under the latch bracket.

http://members.cox.net/n0v8or/radiator_cover.jpg

http://members.cox.net/n0v8or/hood_latch.jpg

sgarlic · Sep 9, 2005

You can take it to the Ford dealer (if you're under warranty,) and complain that the hood is too difficult to close.. they will do the adjusting and won't require the infamous "12 inch drop" anymore.

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