Does Your Hood Sag?

[Tim Cole]

While I was finishing my '79, I noticed that my hood sagged just a little. It would never stay up as it should have. A friend of mine with a 1978 Diamond Jubilee had the same problem.

I noticed on other 77-79's that some guys jammed two hood springs onto the hinge in order to hold it up correctly. But that looked real tacky.

Instead, I went to the junk yard and took the springs off of a mid-70's LTD. Those springs were larger and heavier-duty. They really did the trick. And they looked right as well. The size of the springs matches the size and bulk of the hood.

With the new springs in place, my hood stayed up all the way, no drooping, no sagging, just the way it was supposed to be. Now I can work under it without bumping my rapidly balding head.

In hindsight, I guess the original T-Bird springs suffered metal fatigue.

Thanks for listening. Tim

 

[Charles]

Thanx for the info. Mine is cool, but if it starts drooping, I will remember the tip. Gas struts would be sharp, but I wonder if there is a strut capable of lifting that big piece of steel were it hinged from the very back. At a car show recently, there was a '61 'Bird with struts, but that hood is certainly smaller and probably lighter than ours.

 

[Tim Cole]

Engineering Problem

Charles:

I've seen so many hoods sag on the 77-79 models that I've concluded it must have been a Ford engineering problem--or--an attempt to save $.

The hood is just too heavy for those little springs. But the springs from an LTD (similiar-sized hood) are much beefier. Never seen one sag.

Tim

 

[64yellowbird]

What year and model LTD (and I assume Grand Marquis?) would I be looking to snag these from? Any pics? I'm hating the saggy hood as well.

 

[Tim Cole]

hood springs

Any Ford LTD or Mercury Marquis or Lincoln built in the 70's will have the heavy duty springs. When these springs are compared to the standard ones used with the 77-79 Birds, the difference in size and strength is self-evident. I probably have an extra pair (but no pix) of the heavy-duty ones if you can't locate any yourself. If needed, I can take some pix. Keep me posted and best wishes.

 

[Z78Tbird]

thank you so! I will be upgrading the springs in my beauty very soon!