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Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:16 am

Very hard to pull the release knob on my 74. I've removed, cleaned, and lubed the latch. Also lubed the release knob shaft. Could the plastic cable housing be a problem. The wire might be digging into the plastic and binding, or some plastics just don't slide easy over metal. Maybe replacing the plastic housing with one made of a different material would make a slicker surface for the wire. Nylon perhaps?

Has anyone just welded or made an extension to the latch shaft so they could have a release handle under the rear tray?

Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:36 am

Not sure what's causing the bind but it could be too great a bend in the cable sleeve in the engine compartment or a bend down type clamp putting a lot of pressure on the sleeve. Are you sure the cable is causing the bind? Maybe the latch release mechanism is binding due to a very close fit. Just a couple of things that come to mind.

Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:00 am

Can you seperate the cable from the mechanism. Then you will know if it is the cable or the mechanism by seperately activating them.

Jamie

Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:25 am

donmurray wrote: Could the plastic cable housing be a problem. The wire might be digging into the plastic and binding, or some plastics just don't slide easy over metal. Maybe replacing the plastic housing with one made of a different material would make a slicker surface for the wire. Nylon perhaps?

If somebody replaced the cable housing with plastic tubing
that is too soft, this will cause a problem as you described.
Same thing if the plastic is original, but worn/cracked.

My local Ace Hardware carries an almost exact replacement for
the cable housing/sheathing. But not with the other hoses
and tubes. It's back in the PVC section, on a roll and they will
cut to length you need.

Mon Mar 22, 2010 3:52 pm

I had the same deal on my 69, it was not the cable. The metal cable was plenty loose in the plastic sheath. IF yer spring/latch assembly top and bottom are'nt adjusted just right, it's a real pain to pull. You might have to just play till it's right.

Mon Mar 22, 2010 7:49 pm

I was able to free the release a bit. Where the old tube and the new tube met, I pulled them apart and shot some silicone in both sections. I can now release the hood with one hand, where before it took a tight grip with two. When I had the latch apart to clean, lube & adjust it, I should have lubed all cable parts. I assumed the steel wire in plastic tubing would be a slick combination without much lube.