Hood Hinge Help Needed

I've been proceeding nicely in fitting my roadster's windshield and body panels/hinges/latches, mainly due to expert help from EdwardB, CraigS and others, but now have a slight problem with the hood hinges. The hood panel fits fine, and I've assembled the hinges exactly per the manual (I think), but there's a HUGE amount of slop/sideplay between the hinge arms and arm support plate, and on the other end between the arms and the hood mount plate. The hinge arms are thus free to slide side to side on the shoulder bolts, even with the locknuts tight. You can actually see the open space between the plates and arms in some of the attached pix.

I think the problem is that the shoulder is too long on the provided shoulder bolts, so despite using the bolt, bronze bushing, "wave" washer, flat washer and locknut as pictured, there's at least 0.100" of side play between the arms and the plates with the nut tightened all the way. The hood closes, but must be pushed down into the opening, and can move fore/aft and side/side about 1/4". It seems like I could fix this by either cutting down the shoulder length on the bolts using a lathe, or using washers to shim the bolt heads back out of the holes in the plates.

What do you all recommend?

OBTW, using EdwardB's order and recommendations for fitting everything went well, and exactly as he described.

Jim K

Attachment 45454Attachment 45455Attachment 45456Attachment 45457Attachment 45458

Attachment 45462The bolted (pivot) connections are not installed correctly. When installed correctly, there are no "gaps". Its all in how you install those brass/copper ferrules.

I agree w/ Dale. I can't tell you how it's done as I have helped w/ only one. But I remember that we looked at pics a looooong time figuring out the correct order of assembly.

Glad my suggestions helped. The pics of your body fitment look great. Those hood hinges can be challenging, but assembled properly do not have the problem you're describing. The provided shoulder bolts work without any modification, but you have to get those gaps removed and each pivot as tight as possible without any slop. The hood will never open and close properly the way you have it now. I didn't compare your pics to the assembly diagram, but I'm going to assume you have all the right parts in the right places and the bronze bushings installed from the right sides. What I think you're missing is you need to have washers the ID of the shoulder that are the thickness of the exposed shoulder when it's in the holes. Then tighten the nut against this washer and ideally also the shoulder and the pivot will be tight. I've only done these hinges twice, but both times I've done a lot of sorting to find washers that are the right thickness. I don't recall if they were in the kit or I rummaged through my washer drawers. Probably some of both. I do see from my newest kit that FF is now providing wavy washers with the hood hinges. That's a first for me. I'm guessing that's intended to take up some of this gap, but to be honest, I'm not sure a wavy washer is up to the task. With all those pivots, you want them as tight as slop-free as possible. I see from your pices that your hinges are still bare metal. Are you planning to paint or powder coat them? If so, you will want to do that before trying to install them IMO. Even the finish thickness affects how everything stacks up to pivot correctly in my experience. Hope this helps.

first, put a washer on the shoulder bolt. "b" slip it through the bracket and arm with bushing. "3" washer followed by nut. "d" when you tighten the nut you need to "fiddle" with the washer to make sure it slips over the sliver of an edge of the exposed shoulder to take out the slack. Step "d" is the little bit tricky one....when it goes in you'll know it. I don't use wave washers. I get better control my way.......but then, I've done a few...da Bat

Now I remember; Jeff and eb are right...the shoulder bolts have to fit thru the holes in the washers, and currently they don't. That is likely what is causing your "gaps". Took me forever to understand that.

I also have a lot of play in my hinges. In DaleG's photo the two vertical arms are attached to the inside of the hood mount. The manual shows them attached to the outside. Is this a difference between the MkIII and MkIV installation or should the manual be disregarded and the arms mounted on the inside for a MkIV?

Shimming out the shoulder bolts on the head end using washers just thick enough to take up the play did the trick here, and thanks for all the comments.

Adding extra washers may have fixed the problem but it shouldn't be the answer. Its hard to see in your photos but are the bushings inserted with the shoulders on opposite sides of the arms? Also my instructions show the bolt going thru the bracket then the bushing then TWO washers with the wave washer in between them.

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Originally Posted by JIMOCO

I also have a lot of play in my hinges. In DaleG's photo the two vertical arms are attached to the inside of the hood mount. The manual shows them attached to the outside. Is this a difference between the MkIII and MkIV installation or should the manual be disregarded and the arms mounted on the inside for a MkIV?

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Excellent catch, Jim! Don't know if it makes a difference, but I'll change them tomorrow; can't imagine how I missed that:o.

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Originally Posted by DaleG

Excellent catch, Jim! Don't know if it makes a difference, but I'll change them tomorrow; can't imagine how I missed that:o.

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I worked on my hinges on Saturday. I had an assortment of washers but I thought I would try nylon instead of steel. They seem to be working very nicely. I did not have be as concerned about the thickness but found they were slightly thicker than needed. Sleave on the bolt did not go all of the way through the assembly but it was only a hair short. It was enough for the nylon washer to slightly compress to keep the hinges tight but not so much that the hinges did not work freely. All of my hinge play is gone. Since the washers are not at a friction point, I do not expect wear to be an issue but time will tell. Thanks all for the advice in this build thread!

As far as the hinge arms being on the inside or outside of the bracket.....you do what works. It has a lot to do with where the brackets are placed on the hood, where the body is sitting over the frame and the bias, if any, from how the hood was trimmed. Most of ours go out with the arms to the inside of the bracket but just today I had to set one up with driver side inside and pass side outside......whatever it takes to get the hood aligned without stressing the hinges (too much). 15 years of these cars and they are all the same.......each one is an individual in the smallest of ways. I swear sometimes I feel like Felix the Cat. ( remember him? when he gets into a "fix" he reaches into his bag of tricks)I have so many little tricks to take care of all the little variables. Wayne P., Mark D, Jeff K, and every other pro builder will tell you "There are no two exactly alike" and what works for one, may or may not work for another.