The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Hood Spring Tool

Looking for a tool to insert into hood spring to add length so that install is easy. Stretching the spring with a floor jack does the trick to get length; need a tool or trick to maintain the pull. Any ideas?

Will brake spring pliers/tool do the trick?
Without seeing what you're working on it's hard to guess what you should be doing but in any case I don't think you'll need anything fancy.

Grigg

Vice grips.... Hook and pull...

use some large flat washers to space it apart, then carefully remove them one at a time when you get it installed.

I was thinking the same thing. When used properly, they work great!

might try this, note links at bottom to videos of use

Bill

I had the same problem, tried the spacers, you have to stretch spring between two posts with a come-a-long then put in spacers and so on. Very, very hard to get spacers out with hood mostly closed. Saw the same video Red58 posted and a few other ideas, What I did, that worked, was hook the top of spring to hood hook, attach the end link of a chain to bottom of spring, run chain down under cross member or ?, then to another truck. Back other truck up until most of the sag is gone but still some sag. Step on chain to stretch spring while leaning over to guide it onto other hood hook. (May need a crow bar or lever to swing it sideways and onto hook). You can control the stretch very easily. Once hooked, cut off the link that is trapped with an angle grinder. This was 1. safe, 2. hands free,one person, 3. easy, nothing to build or buy 4.may need to partially close hood during and use a prop rod to keep hood from closing during. 5.wear goggles or face shield anyway. Don't know what truck you have? There are no pliers that will stretch a hood spring. Vice grips may loose their "Grip".

What year ? I just use a hook type seal puller tool. For 58 59.

When I did mine I clamped one eye in a vise and bent it over and placed broken pieces of paint stir sticks in the gap, then bent the spring the other way and did the same thing on the other side. Lowered the hood down just enought to put my arm under the hood to attach the spring then raised it and the paint sticks fell out.

Have to correct myself, raise the hood and place the spring on and them lower it to let the wood to fall out, it must have been one of them old fart moments.