You Should Know This About Your Hood Hinge & Latch
What Is Hood Hinge & Latch?
A hood
latch would be a very simple constituent. It is the fastener which would keep
the car hood shut. This
latch would then ensure that the hood would be connected securely to the
automobile and that it would not pop open in an unexpected manner. Now if your
stock hood latch would be busted up, then the car hood might start bouncing up
and down when you drive on the roads which are rough. There are some bad
circumstances, where a broken latch might leave you with a hood which cannot be
closed shut. Now you must be thinking that how can one drive with a huge hood
panel which would cover your view? So, if you would need great engine
protection, accessibility as well as usage, then it is essential to make sure
that you have a working hood latch.
Where is Hood Hinge & Latch located?
The
car hood is opened up by pulling the lever or handle which is generally
situated at the lower left side of dash on the driver's side. It would then
pull the hood release cable, which would then make the latch mechanism on its
other end to release its hold on the hood.
Types Of Hood Hinge & Latch
Are you searching for the different types of
hood hinge & latch? Then don’t worry! All you have to do is
to have a look below and then all your doubts regarding its types would be
cleared.
Types of hood latches include
- Rubber-pull type
- Spring-loaded
- Spring-pull type single
- Single horn & fulcrum action hood
latches
How Do Hood Hinge & Latch Work?
Are you searching how do the hood
hinge & latch actually work? Then all you have to do is to
have a look below and then you will be able to understand everything.
The mechanism of the hood latch in an
automobile is very simple. There are a lot of cars which would be manufactured
with same hood release systems, but they are designed individually for every
make as well as model. It would mean that even if all of them would perform in
a similar manner, they won’t be uninstalled from one make and model and would
be then reinstalled in another make and model. The overall concept of the
mechanism would be the same, but there would be a difference in the schematics
and design of the hood latch system of every automobile. This system would
start inside the compartment of the automobile. The hood release handle would
be generally situated on the driver's side. It is the hood release handle which
would attach to the cable and then it would route through the dashboard towards
the front of the automobile. The other end of the cable would then be attached
to a secondary latch, which would be manipulated by the pulling of the cable.
There would be the requirement of just an inch or two so that the secondary
latch can be pulled away from its position, and then the car hood would pop
open. A safety latch would retain the hood at the front of the automobile. if
you would locate as well as release the safety latch, then it would release its
hold on the hood and then the car hood would be allowed to open up.
Components of a Hood Latch System - The
hood release handle which would be inside the automobile is generally made of
plastic and then it would be attached directly to the hood latch cable. There
would be a protective outer lining in a cable which would prevent the corrosion
of the cable where it would be exposed to the elements. The cable is designed
in such a way that it can move inside the lining back as well as forth so that
the pulling can be accommodated as well as releasing motion of the handle and
the secondary latch. The opposite end of the cable would be then attached to
the secondary latch, which would be generally near the bottom. Now when the
tension would be applied to the cable from the hood release handle, then it
would pivot the secondary latch, which would pull away from a retaining seat
which would be situated under the hood. The secondary latch would then release
the hood for a few inches before a safety latch would take it over. The safety
latch would be integrated in the hood latch system if there would be an
accidental release of the handle inside the compartment of the passenger when
the vehicle would be operating. If there would be not safety latch, then the
car hood might be susceptible to flying up and then back towards the
windshield, which would block the vision of the driver. Then it would also
cause a lot of damage to the hood, hood hinges, and the car windshield. There
is a release lever in the safety latch which would pivot slightly by moving it,
which would then release the safety latch from its seated position of the
hood. There are a lot of safety latches which would need to release with
no tension on the hood. It would mean that you would have to press the hood
down slightly back in the closed position. Now once it would be done, the car hood
would be free to open up. There is a prop rod integrated with the automobiles
which is used by a lot of hoods. The prop rod would be situated on the upper
frame of the front or side rails and would be then attached at the bottom. The
upper end of the rod would be held by a small clip. The rod from the clip
should be released and then it should be swung upward, and then its seating
position should be located on the underside of the hood. There are some other
models which would have the prop rod attached to the underside of the hood and
then the seating position would be situated on the upper frame rails. High-end
vehicles are now utilizing hydraulic hood shocks so that the car hoods can be
automatically opened up and then restore the hood prop rod altogether.
Symptoms Of Bad Hood Hinge & Latch
There are a few things which might cause
your hood hinge & latch to malfunction. Watch for the following
symptoms if you suspect a bad hood
hinge & latch:
Now if the car hood would not be locked
closed all the way when it would be shut firmly, then there might be some
defects in the latch. If the car hood would pop open on its own, then it would
mean that there are some faults in the latch. One another sign which would
indicate that there are some flaws in the hood latch would be that release
lever inside the vehicle would be tough to pull or it might not retract all the
way after it has been pulled.
Tools Needed For Hood Hinge & Latch
There are a number of skilled auto mechanics who have a goal of opening their own car repair shop at some point in their career. But let’s face it; if you want to put up an efficient as well as profit making shop, then you might need much more than mechanical skills. There are a number of tools which you might need to perform the car repairs quickly as well as reliably. Auto repair equipment that you will need to repair your Hood Hinge & Latch may include:
Top Brands For Hood Hinge & Latch
If customers trust a brand, then it would make them loyal, and if they
are loyal, then they will surely buy more. We are well aware that customers
want comfort, cheerfulness as well as satisfaction in their lives and that’s
the reason why we offer top quality auto parts brands to our customers. We make
sure to provide a positive experience to our consumers from the brands which we
are offering so that they can form an opinion that a particular auto parts
brand is trustworthy and would give them peace of mind while they are
purchasing it for their car. Here we have listed out some top brands for Hood
Hinge & Latch.
Total System Costs & Repair Times, Effort Of Hood Hinge & Latch
If
you are looking for Hood Hinge & Latch Replacement Cost”, Hood Hinge &
Latch Replacement Labor Cost”, “Average Cost Of Hood Hinge & Latch Swap” or
“How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Car Hood Hinge & Latch”, then keep on
reading further! If you are seeing blown *Hood Hinge & Latch* signs from
your vehicle, then it means that a repair bill is coming. More than other
failures on a car, there is nothing that is like a faulty Hood Hinge &
Latch. Now if your car Hood Hinge & Latch* goes bad, then it would cause a
lot of issues in the functioning of your car and it would turn into an
abandoned home. Don’t worry and just think about the happiness when an empty
shell would become whole again and much better than it was earlier through
quality Hood Hinge & Latch replacement. Keep in mind that the Hood Hinge
& Latch replacement cost would depend upon the type of automobile, brand,
as well as various other factors. If you
want to substitute your hood latch, then it would generally range between $123
and $138. Talking about the work expenses, they would range between $54 and $69
and the parts would be valued somewhere around $69.
How To Change Hood Hinge & Latch?
Now
before you get started, just be sure that proper safety precautions have been
taken. You can always wear protective gloves and even some work glasses so that
you would be safe the entire time. Let’s have a look at some steps to
change the car hood hinge and latch:
Step
1
Firstly,
the car hood should be opened up and it should be kept propped open. Then the
hood latch should be located, which would be near the front of the automobile.
Step
2
Then
a wrench should be taken up and it should be utilized to remove the nuts on the
sides of your stock latch. You can always utilize a flashlight if you would
find some issues in locating the nuts.
Step
3
The
spring and cable should then be disconnected from the back of the latch. It
would be done by lifting it up and off the latch assembly.
Step
4
The
entire latch should be taken out from the automobile and then it should be
placed out of your way.
Step
5
The
new hood latch should be cleaned off with a piece of cloth so that you can
ensure that it would be free from obstructive dust as well as other particles.
Step
6
The
replacement hood latch should be inserted in place and just make sure that it
has fitted properly and is functioning in the right manner.
Step
7
The
hood latch which has been installed newly should be secured by tightening its
nuts.
Step
8
It
should be tested out by opening and closing your hood, and then you would be
all set.