I just bought a pair of hood springs for my "51 Chevy for $50 but baulked at the $55 installing "tool". I'm all for using the right tool for the job but $55 for a one time use tool seems a bit much. It's just a retainer to hold the spring partially stretched to hook it up. Does anyone have a safe and effective way t0 accomplish this with a more multi-use tool or clamp? I'd rather lose $55 than a finger but there's got to be a better way...
The best way is to go get a box of thick fender washers and bend the spring back and forth inserting a washer as you go. That will expand the spring enough to safely put it on the hooks then just open the hood a bit more and remove the washers. just some regular washer or even shim stock would work just need something to spread the spring out.
Hey, CAREFULLY wrap the spring in baling wire, and tie it off to the hinge. Insert pennies or fender washers, as needed until you've stretched the spring enough to clear the hinge ears and are in alignment. Slowly remove the pennies with pliers. Now remove the wire, and check hood operation.
The washers sounds like a good idea. The directions for the "tool" suggested stretching out the spring by hooking it to the underside of a floor jack and the base of the jack which looked pretty effective.
I've done this successfully using paint sticks as the shims, they're easy to pull out and they don't mark up paint on fresh springs. You just have to make sure they're "clocked" in a direction that doesn't hit anything when you're installing them.
Half of a piece of tubing washers welded in either end. Stretch on the jack install new home made tool done. Lots of info on here already.
Lot's of great suggestions, thanks. Everyone of them better than spending $55 on something to use once and then add to the clutter.
Here is the best tool for removing and installing hood springs. I've used these for many a hood spring. Hood Spring Removal Tool. This site also includes some videos on using the tool.
Watched my old man flip them on like installing a brake spring with a long screwdriver. These were just customer daily drivers. He would have never took the time to do the washer/penny thing or spend 55 dollars for the tool. Great ideas though.
I've done that, as well as the old vice grips pull. It's amazing how many ways you can find to hit yourself in the face. I do the washer/penny trick now, mostly.
that works ok; but you can use a small chain...hook the rear of the spring on the hinge and a small chain on the front of the spirng , pull the chain and hook the spring end over the notch on the hinge...It`s quick and easy.
Probably not the safest way to do it, but I hooked one end onto the bracket, then used a ratchet strap to pull the spring into position onto the hood bracket. Cheap, quick, easy, and probably risked lives doing it.
I, too, used paint sticks and cut them about 2 inchs long, put the spring on the jack and streched it fonger than the mounting points....one stick per coil seemed to work fine.
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