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DIY Jeep Hood Latch

19K views 49 replies 20 participants last post by  SoK66 
#1 ·
My 09 Jeep Rubicon has been having a lot of hood lift lately. I've been looking around for some new rubber straps and am blown away at the cost. New OEM from Mopar are $40 something each. All of the others are right at $100 or more for the pair. This just seems outrages to me. After some research online I found some guys doing DIY Drake Hood latches but no one had a good parts list or step by step. So here it is.

Pats List :
Grainger
2 Male Rod End, Nylon/PTFE,RH,1/4-28 P#20F913
2 Female Rod End, Nylon/PTFE,RH,1/4-28 P#20F896
1 Hex Nut, Grade 5, 1/4-28, PK 100 P#3HEE7

Total Price after Tax $47.68

Lowes
2 Hex Bolts 2' 1/4-20
2 Locking Nuts 1/4-20
2 Washers 1/4
2 Bags of nylon bushing 1/4' by 1/4' dia
2 D-clasp 2' (the bar is 1/4' round)

Total Price at low $12.37

Tools

Small Hand saw
Rubber Dead blow hammer
small round punch
10mm socket
7/16 socket
File or grinder
Allen wrench set
1/4 drill bit
Drill

Time was under 30min total.

Before


After
 

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#2 ·
I started by push the plastic bar holding the rubber strap over to the side and with a little hand saw removed the end. Then took a punch and a dead blow hammer and knocked the pin out.

assemble the Male and female heim joints with a nut between the two.

file down two of the nylon bushings to place on either side of the heim joint and secure to the lower bracket with the blot and washer on one side and just the lock nut on the other. I wrenched it down until just the tip of the bolt was showing on the nut.
 

Attachments

#3 · (Edited)
Next I removed the upper part of the bracket and with a vise drilled the 1/4" hole just above where the fingers of the original latch set in.

At this point bolt the upper part back on and adjust the hight of the two heim joint until the hood is snug. then run the d-loop in. Your done.
 

Attachments

#8 ·
:cool: As soon as I removed the spring, I contact cemented a trunk gasket across the entire hood front span, so no air would "flow" just under the front edge--

After 4 years--the hood hasn't "flutterred" once

Not to take any credit from you HuntTX, your "mod" is a well engineered, constructed job and does look professional-

:rofl::rofl: JIMBO
 
#10 ·
Removing the hood spring does not work. I feel like that is some old wive's tale. I had horrible hood flutter after removing my air damn on a rock.

I tried removing the spring. No change, at all.

So I bought the Daystars from Amazon, reinstalled my hood spring and have had 0 flutter, even in very windy conditions. It doesn't move at all. I forget all about what I was going through until I see threads like this.

Daystars also do not bend the hood. That is just false.

Op, your's look great! I actually like that look better than the Daystars, it reminds me of the Drake hood pins. Nice job!
 
#12 ·
:cool: Sorry it didn't work for, but

Removing the hood spring does not work. I feel like that is some old wive's tale. I had horrible hood flutter after removing my air damn on a rock.

I tried removing the spring. No change, at all.

So I bought the Daystars from Amazon, reinstalled my hood spring and have had 0 flutter, even in very windy conditions. It doesn't move at all. I forget all about what I was going through until I see threads like this.

Daystars also do not bend the hood. That is just false.

Op, your's look great! I actually like that look better than the Daystars, it reminds me of the Drake hood pins. Nice job!
Read post #8, it's notta wifes tale-

:rofl::rofl: JIMBO
 
#11 ·
ZIp tie around the rubber dog bone, still the cheapest and very effective. Almost 6 years with the Same zip ties..

NTL great job OP ... Looks very nice.
 
#15 ·
Im sure you guys are right. I didn't try removing the hood spring. When I was driving down the hwy the hood was lifting up and you could see the rubber stretching. In my mind, that was the problem. So that's what I set out to fix. When I was reasoning out a solution it seemed like at the time air was getting trapped under the lip of the hood. Pushing it up. Lol the hood spring was not on the list of possible causes. Well for the time at least, the hood is secure with no flutter.
 
#22 ·
:cool: Well, thats a good point, I guess thats what the stock "AIRDAMs" main purpose is--however



Most ofus have already removed that and the mechanical hindrances/radiator will slow down the air velocity/vertical mass-and the air velocities at the hood front/side edges is still at 60/70/80 mph-

Now on mine, I don't have the plastic airdam, but do have a forward skidplate that directs air DOWN and my radiator airflow is hindered by the A/C condenser/Aux cooler and I've got the front hood forward "LIP" gasket-

Now, if you want to figure pure airflow/velocity/mass/lift capacity/hood mass/weight/reciprocating flutter capacity--you'll have one answer-

My hood doesn't flutter at any legal freeway speed and that includes crosswinds /w oncoming 18 wheelers !

Smokemifyougotem

:rofl::rofl: JIMBO
 
#23 ·
Cooneys08JK said:
Removing the hood spring does not work. I feel like that is some old wive's tale. I had horrible hood flutter after removing my air damn on a rock. I tried removing the spring. No change, at all. So I bought the Daystars from Amazon, reinstalled my hood spring and have had 0 flutter, even in very windy conditions. It doesn't move at all. I forget all about what I was going through until I see threads like this. Daystars also do not bend the hood. That is just false. Op, your's look great! I actually like that look better than the Daystars, it reminds me of the Drake hood pins. Nice job!
Beg to differ. Removing the hood spring was a 100% fix for me. Further, the Daystars DO pull the hood corners into a bend. There is insufficient support under the latches to brace against the Daystar's increased force.
 
#24 ·
Just because a symptom goes away doesn't mean it's cured.

Lack of a problem isn't proof that the problem doesn't exist. If it worked for you, great. It's not a bad first step. But you can't point to yours and say "It fixed this one so you're wrong!" to someone who's still having the problem. That's no different than if I argued with people who need 3.6 head replacements just because mine hasn't started the death-tick yet.
 
#25 ·
Godholio said:
Just because a symptom goes away doesn't mean it's cured. Lack of a problem isn't proof that the problem doesn't exist. If it worked for you, great. It's not a bad first step. But you can't point to yours and say "It fixed this one so you're wrong!" to someone who's still having the problem. That's no different than if I argued with people who need 3.6 head replacements just because mine hasn't started the death-tick yet.
Removing the hood spring has worked for many people with the issue, that's how we learned about it and it worked for us. Problem solved.
 
#27 ·
SoK66 said:
Remloving the hood spring has worked for many people with the issue, that's how we learned about it and it worked for us. Problem solved.
You can't just finish your post with blanket statements "Problem Solved". Just as many of us have tried to remove the hood spring and still had flutter. Me included. Obviously that is not a fix for all. I put my hood spring back in after I installed the Daystars and my hood hasn't moved. If your hood spring theory is correct shouldn't my hood be fluttering again??

Similar to, I got death wobble on my ride home today. Swapped in a new steering stabilizer..problem solved.
 
#32 ·
Of course I can, it solved the problem. If it doesn't for someone else, hey sorry it didn't work for them. (FWIW, if removing the spring doesn't work there's a good chance the rig hasn't had its latches upgraded to the latest factory spec. Used to be an F.O.C. upgrade at the dealers.)

If you put the Daystars on, the hood hasn't fluttered, it isn't bent down at the front corners and you're happy, then we're all happy for you.
 
#29 ·
I can't remember the last time I had hood flutter. Not since it was new.

The only thing I did to that area was grill inserts. Maybe that is why I don't get the flutter anymore.
I think I have the metalcrafters set. One piece unit.
I have DIY inserts that have been in since it was new, but the hood flutter and buffeting still crept up with time. I live near some windy flat lands so that may have stressed the stock rubber prematurely.
 
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