Hood slides forward with lift struts

[Fbird]

Hi there all. I installed my back half shell and things are going along well. The front hood was harder, but things lined up nicely so that I can body work it later. I have no engine in yet, but interior is 90% done . I had to have something to work on so this is why I am doing things in an unconventional order. I am also out of funds for while. Only major ooops was installing and finishing the cockpit completely with carpet including the panel behind the seat shoulder area. Got over yealous and should have not done that. Point is to read instructions!
Here is what it looks like without hood lifts.
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Now here is the problem. When the lift struts are installed it opens nicely, but when it closes the body shifts forward about an inch! Something is flexing. I recall once seeing this mentioned on Edward b’s build and another. Thanks to all who post the ups and downs of the process. Very helpful. I remember seeing someone build braces to stabilize the nose by the hinges.....I can’t recall where this was or who posted.

Has anyone else seen this and if so how did you solve it?
Here is the hood shifted forward by the struts.132213
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132215

Take care and stay safe!
Here is the inside.
132216

[Alphamacaroon]

Yeah, this seems like a common problem. Some add stiffeners, but there are a few things I did with mine to solve the problem:

1. If you install the hood locator pins it can help guide and hold the hood further back and keep it in place. But sometimes it's not enough, and you will generally have to force it into place every time you close it.
2. Grind/cut longer slots in the hood attachment brackets and mount the hood further back. Mine only required a longer slot on the driver's side— the body isn't perfectly symmetrical. This is what finally solved the problem for me and made it fit like a glove.
3. You can also make things better by repositioning the main body shell as well. I made the mistake of thinking that the main body had to stay in place and the hood adapted to it, but I found that it's a little bit of a dance between the two. Mine required a shim under the driver side door sill, and that also helped the hood sit better. It's hard to tell from your pictures, but is the driver's side of the main body pushed as far forward as it can go?

[Fbird]

Thanks for some ideas. I went back and checked and managed to push the shell forward about a quarter inch after making this video. It is tighter on the passenger side now, but not perfect.I would be happy if when the struts were on that it could return to this point. I am going to gather feedback for bit and think on it for a couple of days. Here is a video showing the gaps without the struts installed, with hinges on, and no trimming.
https://youtu.be/Hx1HjWU7P_g I most likely will take many of your ideas and try them out. Greatly appreciated. I also need to get some metal to fab braces if needed. Much to ponder. Adios

[edwardb]

Mine slid forward a little. Maybe 1/8-inch max or a little less. With locating pins on the pontoons it's fine and has actually settled down. 1 inch? That really doesn't seem right. I say more than usual flex. Is there any chance your gas struts are bottoming out and pushing it forward? I'd check into that and be really by sure about the mounting locations. What about your hinge mounting? Solid?

[John Dol]

If all else fails did you use the gas struts for the rear glass accidentally? Not sure if they are different lengths or ratings?
1” seems excessive but as said I would install the guide acorn nuts.

John

[jdavis500]

Welcome to the hood fitment club. I built braces to stiffen the front end of my hood so my thread may be the one that you had seen.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?27264-Jdavis500-Gen-3-Coupe-Build-Thread/page3&highlight=jdavis500

Post 114

I also went with lighter weight struts and laid up some fiberglass to stiffen the hood. I had some thin areas that flexed easily forward of the front tires. This is really where the hood is deforming causing the issue I believe.

Lots of creative fixes here. You will get it where you need it after a lot of trial and error.

[edwardb]

Everyone's experience can vary and everyone's solutions can vary as well. So some good input here. But I would just emphasize again that I think 1-inch movement is way too much. Same as others, which I mentioned already, I too found the hood struts changed my alignment a bit. But I didn't have to do anything other than add the alignment pins and give the hood a little time to fit into the opening. It's been done for a while now (almost 8 months) but within a few weeks of finishing the hood would drop right down onto the alignment pins and close with no issues and no additional gap. The work others have done to stiffen things up certainly doesn't hurt. But can't help but wondering if maybe wasn't necessary given a little time and alignment pins doing their thing.

But having said that -- in this case I'd sure look at the attachment points for the hood struts. I don't recall the specifics and didn't go back and research. But when I was doing mine I saw some other build threads where it was noted the locations for the strut brackets (specifically on the chassis) in the instructions were suspect. I took that under advisement and located mine being careful to measure and note the struts fully open and fully closed lengths. I still suspect in this case the struts are bottoming out and pushing the nose forward. Just don't see how even the strongest struts and flexible body could move it as much as an inch.

One other comment. Several builders I've followed (Henry in Florida and Erik in Alabama) chose not to use the gas struts and use a prop rod instead. That's another option.

[Hoschton Hotrod Haus]

Make sure the Hood Hinges (Spherical Bearings) are bolted down tight to the frame.
If they are loose at all the struts will push the hood forward an abnormal amount.

[Fbird]

Will do. I have them only hand tight currently.

[Fbird]

Thanks . This is what I recall seeing. I have many great suggestions and am going to see what can be done.i will post back once I have the strut issue resolved.

[Fbird]

Hi everyone. Here is what I did and with each change things got better. I greatly appreciate the help.
1. Loosened up main tub and slid as far forward as I could get it. It did move about 1/4 inch.
2. I only had the hood hinges loose for the main bolt. I tightened that down. This got everything pretty tight without the struts in place.After doing this I tried the struts they moved the body forward 3/8 inch when down....already a big improvement.
3. Installed an aluminum brace from the body to the lower nose area by the hinges to eliminate flex. This reduced forward movement when the struts were installed to 1/4 inch...almost there.
4. Took out struts and clamped body to install dowel pin locators.
5. Reinstalled struts and now it lines up. Once the hood latches are installed I should be in body work range.



Here it is with the struts and improvements
https://youtu.be/CgIYSD3EYPo

[freds]

132475

All and any solutions are valid.
I like mine because it requires nothing else (other than notching the radiator duct sides).
It balances the equal and opposite forces from the air struts which cause the "flimsy" inner hood connection flanges to deform....without having to make them more rigid.

[Fbird]

Good idea. Simple and sweet.

[j.miller]

Soooo, watcha do is leave the struts on, use ratchet straps to pull the nose back (past the gap) release strap and adjust from there. Sometimes it takes me a couple of hours but without the struts on it's a craps-shoot......come out roll, hard ways workin less ya call them off (that was for the craps players in the group...da Bat

[FFinisher]

Soooo, watcha do is leave the struts on, use ratchet straps to pull the nose back (past the gap) release strap and adjust from there. Sometimes it takes me a couple of hours but without the struts on it's a craps-shoot......come out roll, hard ways workin less ya call them off (that was for the craps players in the group...da Bat

Yep. that's what I do, use a ratchet strap to pull the hinge rearward in the slot..... and I usually have to make the slot longer, To do this, drill a 5/8 hole in the bracket, then use a Sawzall to connect he slot to the hole. Make sure the bolt slides the length of the slot nice and smoothly.

[j.miller]

Yep. that's what I do, use a ratchet strap to pull the hinge rearward in the slot..... and I usually have to make the slot longer, To do this, drill a 5/8 hole in the bracket, then use a Sawzall to connect he slot to the hole. Make sure the bolt slides the length of the slot nice and smoothly.

Agreed ! Have had to slot more then not...da at

[Fbird]

Thanks all. Good idea with the straps.

[Fbird]

Ok after taking a break from the hood alignment for a while and seeing a suggestion from da bat about using ratchet straps to pull the hood back I thought I would give that a try to fix my driver side alignment with my pontoon. Now I finally got it. It wouldn’t budge without the mechanical assistance. Ya man!
Check it out now. I am also starting to plan how to make windows and think this could be a viable option. I have it shown in this video.

Thanks all.
https://youtu.be/khCCUbwAo4o

[Fbird]

Did your idea with the ratchet straps. It totally pulled things where they needed to go. I feel honored to now have received advice from the forums famous “da bat”. I have read through a couple of the body work forums where you coached people how to get ready and lay paint. Great advice and resource. Thank you so much. Here is how she looks now.
https://youtu.be/khCCUbwAo4o

[j.miller]

Watched your vid, looking good..da Bat

[Ron J]

Hi there all. I installed my back half shell and things are going along well. The front hood was harder, but things lined up nicely so that I can body work it later. I have no engine in yet, but interior is 90% done . I had to have something to work on so this is why I am doing things in an unconventional order. I am also out of funds for while. Only major ooops was installing and finishing the cockpit completely with carpet including the panel behind the seat shoulder area. Got over yealous and should have not done that. Point is to read instructions!
Here is what it looks like without hood lifts.
132210
132211
132212

Now here is the problem. When the lift struts are installed it opens nicely, but when it closes the body shifts forward about an inch! Something is flexing. I recall once seeing this mentioned on Edward b’s build and another. Thanks to all who post the ups and downs of the process. Very helpful. I remember seeing someone build braces to stabilize the nose by the hinges.....I can’t recall where this was or who posted.

Has anyone else seen this and if so how did you solve it?
Here is the hood shifted forward by the struts.132213
132214
132215

Take care and stay safe!
Here is the inside.
132216
Hi, I know this is a late response, but did you make sure your gas struts are not bottoming out when compressed? I am using the FFR supplied 28# struts and they have a 10.8" center to center length when compressed. If your strut mounts are closer that 10.8" you will get binding. I spaced the strut balls 11-1/16" apart and everything works as it should.
Hope this helps.

[Fbird]

Struts were good as they sat. Thanks for the thought. I had multiple issues at play. Solution for me was to loosen the front hinge. 2. Use straps to pull front end towards body tub. 3. Slowly remove material with a sander until hood drops onto body tub. 4. Tighten up hinges. 5. Aluminum brace in the nose area.
All good then.