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red56

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Guys, I want to replace my hood hinge springs. Are their any tips or secrets to do this from taking them off to putting them back on? I really do not want to remove the hood and hinge. The old ones, probably the originals barely hold it up. Hope you guys can help. Oh by the way it's for a 56, if that matters.
 
I (as well as others) was able to remove and install mine by hand. Others have resorted to closing the hood some and installing washers. The hood is then opened and the space kept open with the washers allows expansion for easing the springs off.
 
If you have someone hold the hood up as high as it will go, you should be able to take the spring off with your hand.

You might also try to put the old spring in a vise and cut off one coil. Then bend a new hook on the end you just cut. I did this about 20 years ago and my hood stays up better than ever.
 
there is not a great deal of tension on the spring until the hood is in the sag position. just have a buddy push up on the hood and you can grasp the spring and unhook it fairly easy thats all there is to it. I put new springs on my hood and it didn't help a great deal. still seemed to sag a little more then I would like. one windy day I had the hood up and the wind blew it shut. fortunately it did not hurt anything. I finally resolved to make a decent looking hood prop. good luck
 
C'mom guys, this is all I get, how do I get those hood srprings off ! It can't be this easy as lifting the hood up and pulling off the spring!
:driver: Oh yes it can!!-- Best to get a helper to hold the hood up as high as it will go, and then remove the springs!! Another trick I witnessed, was using two large cresent wenches, one to hold the hinge straight and, the other one to slightly bend the front part of the hinges where the springs hook, towards the front of the car!! This in essence makes the spring seem stronger, and this modification will hold the hood up just fine, with out replacing the springs!! Just don't get to carried away, with the bending!! A 1/4 in. to 3/8 in. should do it!---Something I saw at a car show, and it worked!!:anim_25:---milton:shakehands:
 
C'mom guys, this is all I get, how do I get those hood srprings off ! It can't be this easy as lifting the hood up and pulling off the spring!
Hate to disappoint you but, it's true! Have someone push and hold the hood up and with a little effort you should be able to take your old spring off. Now installing new ones wasnt quite as easy. We resorted to use the washer method and with just enough spacing we were able to install the new springs.

Now, I'm about to do the whole process all over again. Going to replace the hinges...just replacing the old springs wasn't enough.
 
It's a SNAP !!!!

Guys, I want to replace my hood hinge springs. Are their any tips or secrets to do this from taking them off to putting them back on? I really do not want to remove the hood and hinge. The old ones, probably the originals barely hold it up. Hope you guys can help. Oh by the way it's for a 56, if that matters.
I just put new hinges and springs on mine, with the hinges in place and the hood up, I simply hooked the spring to the bottom hinge hook, then I ran a stiff screwdriver through the upper spring eyelet, place the end of the screwdriver on the upper hinge hook and raised the handle end of the screwdriver until the spring snapped in place... took a couple tries on the first one, second one was easy with the experience... not that difficult just be patient and you'll get it... best of luck! BDR...:cool:
 
I agree we put new springs on the same way , two man job hold it up higher then the springs would and you can use a screwdriver if you have to,:anim_25: they should come right off. and yes the washer method will work also but shouldnt need them.
 
I found this thread in a search for hood springs trying to find out which way they face when installed. It's my first tri-five and it had no front clip when I got it. I got some used hinges on ebay and had some new springs from Danchuk that were given to me by member Halfrod. My car is a '55 and the label said the new springs were for a '56. Not sure what the difference is but I used them anyway. Used the washer trick for the first spring to get it on easily. Then I decided to try installing the other spring by pushing the hood all the way up and putting it on by hand. I was kind of a disbeliever and had to see. This might make some of you hate me but when I removed the stick holding the hood up it stayed up...with only one spring installed! And I was able to pretty easily install the second spring by hand with the hood pushed all the way up against the stops on the hinges. I was surprised but it is true. I'm going to attribute the hood staying up so well to two things. Firstly, after I got the used hinges on Ebay, Halfrod smashed all the pivot rivots with a hammer and made them stiff to move. Secondly, either the Danchuk springs are good quality or '56 springs are stiffer or both. The hood is pretty stiff to move so I'm going to oil the hinges to free them up. I hope it doesn't make the hood not want to stay up. If it does I'll post it. Otherwise assume I'm good. I never figured out which way to face the springs so I put them on with the open side of the hooks facing down. It just looks right.
 
I found this thread in a search for hood springs trying to find out which way they face when installed. I never figured out which way to face the springs so I put them on with the open side of the hooks facing down. It just looks right.
Sounds like you did it right.:tuHere's a diagram from the Assembly Manual showing the springs.

Image
 
I just put new hinges and springs on mine, with the hinges in place and the hood up, I simply hooked the spring to the bottom hinge hook, then I ran a stiff screwdriver through the upper spring eyelet, place the end of the screwdriver on the upper hinge hook and raised the handle end of the screwdriver until the spring snapped in place... took a couple tries on the first one, second one was easy with the experience... not that difficult just be patient and you'll get it... best of luck! BDR...:cool:
I did the same,but instead of using a screwdriver I used my drum brake spring tool the top of it has a little notch on the end that will hold it in place and then just pop the spring into place. the tool I have looks almost like a screwdriver on one end and a small socket on the other for twisting a brake spring on or off.
 
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