So I'm a complete idiot...

[deernet]

So I got my dash kit and wiring harness yesterday, so I've spent most of the day hooking up my Alpine CDA-105 and wiring up my Memphis PR200.2 and Memphis 15". All was good. I was happy. I received the wrong iPod connector in the mail, but no biggie, I found another one in town. Got everything hooked up, and I went to drive to my uncles house to let him check out the system. He gave me the wiring for the amp because it came with his car and he had no use for it. I spent a couple minutes doing an initial tune, and I set out from the house, bumpin to some Lil Wayne.

All was good, I was happy. I get on the highway headed towards my uncles house, accelerate to about 50, and then..... BAM! My hood flies up. Scared the crap out of me. I'm so damned stupid, the shocks are out on my hood, and I had laid it down but not latched it because I was going to put some zip ties on the amp power wire. I went in and made me something to eat, and then headed for my uncles house, WITHOUT REMEMBERING TO CLOSE THE HOOD...

I don't think I've ever done anything even remotely so stupid without being under the influence of alcohol. I almost shed a tear on the side of the road.

It didn't hit the windshield. When I got out to survey the damage, and of course try to get the hood closed, it was pouring down rain, and around 8 pm. At first I was sure the hood would be a total loss, because it was sticking up about an inch on the drivers side from the fender.

Got to my uncle's house and we checked it out further, and it looks like I somehow managed to only bend the hinges. On the passenger side its about where it should be in relation to the fender, but it's overlaping the cowl about 1/8". On the drivers side it's sticking up about an inch from the fender, but is overlapping the cowl about 1/2". You can get it open ~1' before it makes contact with the cowl, and I made sure you could get a ratchet in there to get the hood off.

From the looks of it it's only the hinges that are bent. Oh, and my passenger side headlight blew, I'm guessing from the shock of it slamming back down.

I'm planning on going to pull-a-part in knoxville on friday and trying to find another set of hinges, and hood shocks. If I can find a white one I'll probably just get the hood and all.

Just thought I'd share my tales of misery and stupidity with everyone.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

What I find stupid (not you) is there is a door-a-jar for all the doors,rear glass and hatch but not one for the hood. Hmmm. Which seems the most important?

 

[techieman33]

check out the redline tuning hood shocks, they're more expensive than the factory replacements but they're way stronger.

 

[deernet]

check out the redline tuning hood shocks, they're more expensive than the factory replacements but they're way stronger.

I'll do that, where do they sell them and around what is the price? I had called around earlier today and got prices, I think the lowest was Napa at $15.88 a piece.

 

[marragtop]

Unless you are going to get the hood real cheap, I wouldn't bother with it. I suspect all you need are the hinges and of course the shocks. Most likely, the paint on the new hood wouldn't be a direct match due to oxidation, fading, .etc.

Also, if you want to buy new, Rockauto has good prices on hinges and hood shocks.

 

[deernet]

On Rockauto they have:

SHERMAN Part # 584A42R More Info {#FO1236112, XL2Z16796AA}
RH hood hinge Explorer 95-01; Sport Trac 01-04; 2 door sport 01-03; Mountaineer 97-01

and

SHERMAN Part # 584A42L More Info {#F5TZ16797A, FO1236111}
LH hood hinge Explorer 95-01; Sport Trac 01-04; 2 door sport 01-03; Mountaineer 97-01

for $17.40 each. My question is, should these fit the '97 sport? are there differences between the Sport hood hinges and the ones for regular Explorer?

And as for the shocks, they have:

MONROE Part # 901340 More Info {Max-Lift Gas Lift Support}
Hood Lift Support for $7.11 a piece, or...

STRONGARM Part # 4754
Hood Lift; Sport; United States; Front (Only 2 Remaining)
for $13.12 a piece.

Should there be a difference in quality?

Or should I try to find the Redline Tuning hood shocks as techieman33 said?

 

[williams.cory]

damn that sucks....But I've done it as well!! LOL. After replacing my fuel pump, I set the hood down, got out of my nasty cloths and got a little cleaned up so i wouldnt have to trash the inside of my X with all the **** all on me. So I hoped in, and went for a drive. Get going at about 35 MPH and the wind was blowing pretty good as well, then going along, I saw the hood slowly coming up, like it was in slow motion. It took me a couple seconds to realize what was happening as I was like WTF, then I slammed on the brakes but the hood had already slammed all theway up. Forgot to latch the hood all the way!! So I got home and took a look at the damage. Well,there was no damage at all, only thing was the hood moved back a couple inches. Got a couple sockets and fixed that. Good thing nobody saw what happened!!

 

[GCDMD]

What I find stupid (not you) is there is a door-a-jar for all the doors,rear glass and hatch but not one for the hood. Hmmm. Which seems the most important?

I second this notion. Every hatch is covered except the hood, arguably the most important of all (actually not so arguably). To the OP, don't feel bad. I think we have all done that at one time or another, mine never flew all the way up, but I did notice the hood vibrating a little too much- that was my hint. Of course, it also helped that it was a 1st gen and the hoods were alot more visible than the 2nd or 3rd gens.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

I second this notion. Every hatch is covered except the hood, arguably the most important of all (actually not so arguably). To the OP, don't feel bad. I think we have all done that at one time or another, mine never flew all the way up, but I did notice the hood vibrating a little too much- that was my hint. Of course, it also helped that it was a 1st gen and the hoods were alot more visible than the 2nd or 3rd gens.

The irony is this summer I was at a gas station and there was a girl next to me in her car and her hood looked lke it wasn't latched. I went up to her window oad asked if she knew. She said she had hit something and it looked like it wasn't closed but it was.

I had just put an alternator on that day and was making sure it was working when I had stopped at the gas station. I get home & notice my hood was not closed all the way.

 

[GCDMD]

The irony is this summer I was at a gas station and there was a girl next to me in her car and her hood looked lke it wasn't latched. I went up to her window oad asked if she knew. She said she had hit something and it looked like it wasn't closed but it was.

I had just put an alternator on that day and was making sure it was working when I had stopped at the gas station. I get home & notice my hood was not closed all the way.

Now that' what I call irony!!
I left my wife's volvo S40 hood unlatched once, but the hood is so aero and the latch so low, I didn't even notice until I followed-up the next week to check the fluids. I never told her about that and I don't think I will.

 

[deernet]

damn that sucks....But I've done it as well!! LOL. After replacing my fuel pump, I set the hood down, got out of my nasty cloths and got a little cleaned up so i wouldnt have to trash the inside of my X with all the **** all on me. So I hoped in, and went for a drive. Get going at about 35 MPH and the wind was blowing pretty good as well, then going along, I saw the hood slowly coming up, like it was in slow motion. It took me a couple seconds to realize what was happening as I was like WTF, then I slammed on the brakes but the hood had already slammed all theway up. Forgot to latch the hood all the way!! So I got home and took a look at the damage. Well,there was no damage at all, only thing was the hood moved back a couple inches. Got a couple sockets and fixed that. Good thing nobody saw what happened!!

I hadn't thought about the adjustment in the hood. I couldn't tell if the hinges were actually bent cause I can only raise the hood around a foot without it making contact with the cowl. If i feel better tomorrow ( I think I've got a bad cold, hopefully not coming down with the flu) I'm going to take the hood off and see if the hinges are actually bent.

 

[ThePhoenix]

could have been much, much worse...ya know

 

[deernet]

I'm so happy with Rock Auto. Auto Zone wanted $70 for a set of hinges ordered from a junkyard. I got both hinges, and both hood shocks from Rock Auto for $63. I ordered it monday night, and it came this morning. I don't think I've ever had anything shipped that fast with regular shipping.