how to fix a weak hood hinge/spring

[rackerm]

My drivers side hood hing with the flat wound RAM Air spring barely holds the hood up. Once I start the car or the wind blows the hing starts to give way and pulls the passenger side down with it.  I have replaced the spring but get the same results... may it hold a little better but not much.

Temporarily I have inserted a smaller spring inside of the RAM air spring with a small bracket on either side to increase the tension/resistance while the hood is open. It has fixed it for now and it is not very noticeable.

I suspect the hing may be too loose at the hing points. It's an original hing with the right date code so I would prefer not to replace it. Any way to stiffen the hing to make it resist folding when fully open?

Any ideas how to fix it? 

Thanks



upload photos to the internet

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[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

My drivers side hood hing with the flat wound RAM Air spring barely holds the hood up. Once I start the car or the wind blows the hing starts to give way and pulls the passenger side down with it.  I have replaced the spring but get the same results... may it hold a little better but not much.

Temporarily I have inserted a smaller spring inside of the RAM air spring with a small bracket on either side to increase the tension/resistance while the hood is open. It has fixed it for now and it is not very noticeable.

I suspect the hing may be too loose at the hing points. It's an original hing with the right date code so I would prefer not to replace it. Any way to stiffen the hing to make it resist folding when fully open?

Any ideas how to fix it? 

Thanks



upload photos to the internet

.

If you take the spring off is the hinge just a sloppy mess? You can try hammering the rivets to maybe tighten them up a little.

I hear the flat springs called ram air springs but they came in all NASA hoods ram air or not. I have several and they are all the same.

I have a 73 Q code I bought new and it had the flat springs without ram air. I did put ram air on and the hood stayed open fine. I suspect wear. Mine still have the phosphate coating and not paint.

 

[rackerm]

My drivers side hood hing with the flat wound RAM Air spring barely holds the hood up. Once I start the car or the wind blows the hing starts to give way and pulls the passenger side down with it.  I have replaced the spring but get the same results... may it hold a little better but not much.

Temporarily I have inserted a smaller spring inside of the RAM air spring with a small bracket on either side to increase the tension/resistance while the hood is open. It has fixed it for now and it is not very noticeable.

I suspect the hing may be too loose at the hing points. It's an original hing with the right date code so I would prefer not to replace it. Any way to stiffen the hing to make it resist folding when fully open?

Any ideas how to fix it? 

Thanks



upload photos to the internet

.

If you take the spring off is the hinge just a sloppy mess? You can try hammering the rivets to maybe tighten them up a little.

I hear the flat springs called ram air springs but they came in all NASA hoods ram air or not. I have several and they are all the same.

I have a 73 Q code I bought new and it had the flat springs without ram air. I did put ram air on and the hood stayed open fine. I suspect wear. Mine still have the phosphate coating and not paint.

I have not taken the hinge off yet. Just swapped the spring with another with the hinge on the car in an attempt to fix the problem without removing and reinstalling the hood. So I don't know just how loose the hinge is. I'll give it try and see if I can tighten up the rivets.

Thanks