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Tired of lifting hoods? Well, you should take a look at this then. Today’s article aims to provide you with information on how to build your own automated hood lift system from scratch. Read on to find out it can be done!

In order to ensure a high quality end product, it is always wise to begin projects with prototypes and designs. Here are some things of the things you should pay attention with for your design.

• Accurate measurements of space and rotation angle to allow ample clearance when the hood is raised.
• Fabricating a suitable arc for the hinge which will not affect the original clearance between the hood and the cowl cover panel. This is important as some hoods may hit on the cover panel when it’s lifted up.

• Measuring space and the interior dimensions of the cowl and floor area to allow the installation of gas shocks.
• Considering other items that will be installed and how they would affect the other parts of the car.

Once you’ve done with the design and produced a working prototype that satisfies your needs, it’s time for you to construct the real thing. Generally, you’ll want these extra hinges to contribute as little weight as possible to the overall weight of the hot rods body. Thus, choosing lightweight materials like aluminium should suffice. Now comes the tricky part, you’ll have to bend the material into two equal sides with at a suitable angle. This can be achieved by using an aided bending machine.

After bending the material, you’ll have to complete the second part of the hinge; the pivot end. This can be achieved by using a bimetal hole cutter to cut a hole through a rod. However, it is important to measure carefully before cutting because you’re going to insert a bushing into that hole. Once that is complete, weld it to a straight rod, and you’re ready to weld the two parts together.

Next, you’ll have to fabricate a pivot box from angle iron which will be bolted to the drain cowl. To provide support for the pivot box, you can also fabricate a support bracket which will be attached to the side of the pivot box. Once all of this is done, it’s time to assemble the hinge to the pivot box together with the support bracket.

Now, you’re ready to test fit the hinge. First, you’ll have to measure and cut an appropriate area on the firewall for maximum swing without hitting the cowl panel. The pivot end of the hinge should then be shoved into the cowl and bolted to the top of the drain cowl. In case the top of the drain cowl could not sustain the pressure, it’s also good to give it a little reinforcement to keep it strong.

The hinge is now in place and has ample clearance; it is time to modify the hood. For the hinge to work, you have to replace the old hinge system with a new one. Once the new system in place, it’s time to combine it with the hinge. However, before that, you’ll need to prepare a mounting plate and weld it to the end of the hinge; this will allow full contact with the hinge system. Once you’ve completed this and welded it to the hinge system, it’s time to lift the hood to check for flaws.

If it works, you’re now a few steps away from completing the project. Since you’re using gas shock in the project, you’ll have to find the right amount of pressure to sustain the hood but can be easily pulled down with little amounts of force. Here’s how you can do it. Look around the gas shock to find a tiny Allen head screw. By turning the Allen head, you can control the amount of pressure released from the unit which in turn, varies the amount of tension going down. To prevent you from kicking the unit, you could also consider fabricating a panel to cover it.

Posted in: Car Parts & Accessories by admin / Tags: hood hinge