Hood Latch Striker Problem.

[briann]

Hood flew open in my '91 Ford XLT going down Interstate 81 the other morning (Going 65MPH at 5:45am; talk about an eye-opener). Managed to get to shoulder watching the center line out drivers window. This is when I discovered that latch plate was askew and moved about freely. I then commenced to align the striker plate and get it set in place, held with the thin metal piece that bends over backwards thru striker hole and bolts to hood. Then made sure latch was released, slammed hood down and made it the rest of the way home with no problem. The hood got bent or misaligned in the incident but pried it almost straight and got hood to release. My question is what is suppose to hold that striker latch plate in place? There are two holes in it that have matching holes in hood (they don't go all the way thru and no bolts were to be found), but I see no way that you could get a bolt in there, or even if holes are threaded (I can barely reach in and feel them with my finger). It looks like striker plate was originally spot welded in 3 or 4 places, but this obviously didn't hold. I am considering JB welding it into place, then using tiny drill bit to locate holes, then try to figure center, put in 1/4 inch hole in hood, drop bolt in thru top of plate and thru hood and putting nut and washer on bottom. I don't like this solution, but haven't come up with anything better and hoping someone might know real fix for free floating hood latch striker plate. Also should (when facing vehicle) left side of cut out in striker plate align with left side of hole cut in hood? It looks like this aligns it with the latch pretty well, but seeing as hood isn't straight yet, I can't be sure. Thanks in advance for any help.
Briann

 

[reapereviltwin]

I can get some pics posted for you in the morning when there is light to see the area. IMO, I wouldn't trust JB Weld to hold, it is good, but still I wouldn't trust it. I have a 92.
Do you have any pics that EF members could see to get a better idea of what you need?

 

[cculter]

I had the same thing happen to me. I just have my hood wired shut for now, I haven't found a solution yet. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[jd4242]

Hood pins

 

[briann]

Found a Fix

First took of hood presssure piece. (The thing that bolt holds in latch slot.) It slips right out after removing bolt on bottom of hood on right side (facing vehicle ) of latch striker hole. Slid latch plate far over to left (facing vehicle) side of hood, since it wouldn't come out without cutting hole bigger or cutting a slot somewhere away from latch hole. Neither of which I wanted to do. Then put in a piece of paper, carbon paper and top piece of paper and made a rubbing around the inside of hood where latch goes thru (had to do left then right side seperately, so I could reach thru latch hole with my finger and rub carbon paper stack). This reveals two holes in hood (where plate sits) that don't go all the way thru hood. Retreived latch plate and then procededed to moved it around to take measurements and produce a diagram of the plate. To make a long story short, the partial holes under where plate sits match up w/ holes in latch plate. So broke out calipers and drill, and put 1/4 inch holes where partial hole in hood were. Then dropped a couple 1/4 inch bolts with washers in thru the top plate and nutted with lock tight washer on bottom. Put pressure piece back on and lo and behold it wouldn't latch completely. The secondary latch hooked, but the main latch (with release cable ) wouldn't catch. After fiddling with latch adjustment and hood alignment, I realized that bolts were too long. So took off pressure piece, removed bolts, added five or six washers to bolt (on top of plate, inside of hood) and things work fine now. Should have just cut off excess bolt, but didn't want to go look for cut off wheel seeing as I just moved my tools and didn't know location right off. I'll pick up shorter bolts next time at hardware store, but until then it will do. If I had some playdough or silly putty, I would have used that to get hole locations. Hope this is understandable and helps some one when their spot weld breaks on hood latch striker plate.
Briann

PS - Seeing that the plate has holes and hood has partial holes that match up, I would guess that Ford origninally planned on bolting this plate on. But as we all know a robot can spot weld a plate on a whole lot cheaper than paying a human to put on a couple of bolts and washers. Very sad.

 

[Roadrunner777]

+1 on hood pins. There's a number of toggle-type clamps that would work too, even the rubber latches they use on that other brand 4x4.