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Sat Apr 07, 2012 6:00 am

...on the front, not having any luck at all and cursing the PO for taking it off! it goes on easy one way but doesn't seam strong enough to hold the hood up! if I try to fit it "backwards it seams almost impossible and just pops out of the side slots (hinge ends)

Mark.

Sat Apr 07, 2012 6:29 am

you have a lot more cussing in for you... I had to replace my hinges on my 69 and it was a pain to do alone. get a friend!!

attach one side of the spring to the hinge. then put it into the bracket in the trunk. slide the other hinge on to the spring but do not lock the loop side into the hinge. bolt the hinge back into place on the body. now you need your friend. one of you uses a large pry bar or screwdriver to flex the spring to where it meets the other hole in the hinge and push it into place with a mallet.

I had to do this when my hood latch let loose and my hood and hinges were ruined... sad day.

Sat Apr 07, 2012 6:40 am

if i'm thinking about the right end of the car there was a local manufacture tool for tensioning the hood springs.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/tools8.php

VW 709, the plans are there too. hopefully this will help.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/local_manufacture/709b.jpg

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/local_manufacture/709c.jpg

Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:46 am

VW 709 is also used in the:

'Type 3 Variant (Squareback) Tailgate Hinges' technical bulletin below:

http://home.clara.net/hallvw/technical/tailgate.htm

Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:17 am

got it sorted now, thanks to all!! I actually adapted another tool I had by filing a notch in the end to grip the bar and it worked a treat 8)

Mark.

Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:07 am

Mark - Could you post a pic of the tool you used? One side of the hood spring popped out of the bracket and i'm having a hell of a time trying to get that bitch back in!

Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:43 am

that spring was an absolute nightmare to get in but once I modified this tool it popped straight in! no idea what this tool was originally but I think it has something to do with brakes? you can just see where I filed a notch in the opening to grip the spring, this is the key making the tool work!

Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:37 pm

Sweet! Thanks Mark!! I was thinking of something similar to that, just wasn't clear on how big and the exact shape. I'll be making something similar tonight. This whole time I was using a large screw driver and it kept on slipping. Notching it should make it super easy!

Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:54 pm

vdubin wrote: you have a lot more cussing in for you... I had to replace my hinges on my 69 and it was a pain to do alone. get a friend!!

attach one side of the spring to the hinge. then put it into the bracket in the trunk. slide the other hinge on to the spring but do not lock the loop side into the hinge. bolt the hinge back into place on the body. now you need your friend. one of you uses a large pry bar or screwdriver to flex the spring to where it meets the other hole in the hinge and push it into place with a mallet.

I had to do this when my hood latch let loose and my hood and hinges were ruined... sad day.

I am scared that could happen to me :shock:

looking at the stock setup it doesn't look like it would take much for the hood to rip off at high speed, if it popped up.

Wed Apr 03, 2013 6:17 pm

When I first got the notch on the road I didn't double check to make sure the latch was locked all the way in. when the hood blew open it popped the spring out. lots of cursing was needed to pop it back in into the hinges. :shock:

Wed Apr 03, 2013 6:26 pm

supaninja wrote: When I first got the notch on the road I didn't double check to make sure the latch was locked all the way in. when the hood blew open it popped the spring out. lots of cursing was needed to pop it back in into the hinges. :shock:

the worst thing with the hood on these cars is.

1. they are way to spring loaded, come up way too hard
2. frunk is virtually air tight compartment, hood comes up a little, massive air pressure would build inside and blow the hood off at a descent speed.

all other cars that I have driven that weren't air cooled when the hood is left open it doesn't lift at speed, instead is just bounces about on the latch as if you were going only running speed. you can see no air catches under it.

type 3 ? nope.

Wed Apr 03, 2013 6:34 pm

vlad01 wrote: supaninja wrote: When I first got the notch on the road I didn't double check to make sure the latch was locked all the way in. when the hood blew open it popped the spring out. lots of cursing was needed to pop it back in into the hinges. :shock:

the worst thing with the hood on these cars is.

1. they are way to spring loaded, come up way too hard
2. frunk is virtually air tight compartment, hood comes up a little, massive air pressure would build inside and blow the hood off at a descent speed.

all other cars that I have driven that weren't air cooled when the hood is left open it doesn't lift at speed, instead is just bounces about on the latch as if you were going only running speed. you can see no air catches under it.

type 3 ? nope.

:roll: I can't tell you how many hoods I've seen blow open on other makes/ models. This isn't even close to being a Type 3 only problem. :roll:

Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:43 pm

Tram wrote: vlad01 wrote: supaninja wrote: When I first got the notch on the road I didn't double check to make sure the latch was locked all the way in. when the hood blew open it popped the spring out. lots of cursing was needed to pop it back in into the hinges. :shock:

the worst thing with the hood on these cars is.

1. they are way to spring loaded, come up way too hard
2. frunk is virtually air tight compartment, hood comes up a little, massive air pressure would build inside and blow the hood off at a descent speed.

all other cars that I have driven that weren't air cooled when the hood is left open it doesn't lift at speed, instead is just bounces about on the latch as if you were going only running speed. you can see no air catches under it.

type 3 ? nope.

:roll: I can't tell you how many hoods I've seen blow open on other makes/ models. This isn't even close to being a Type 3 only problem. :roll:

Agreed. In my new to me van- Scared the crap outta me on the highway, had to crawl along on the shoulder, cuz no matter how many times I closed it, it'd keep popping up. Thank God for the safety latch. Bob greased the crap out of it and "exercised" it. No problem since.

At least it didn't take out the windshield, Bob's had that happen to him before in one of our "other" vehicles. :shock:

Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:00 pm

Suesanctuary wrote: Tram wrote: vlad01 wrote: supaninja wrote: When I first got the notch on the road I didn't double check to make sure the latch was locked all the way in. when the hood blew open it popped the spring out. lots of cursing was needed to pop it back in into the hinges. :shock:

the worst thing with the hood on these cars is.

1. they are way to spring loaded, come up way too hard
2. frunk is virtually air tight compartment, hood comes up a little, massive air pressure would build inside and blow the hood off at a descent speed.

all other cars that I have driven that weren't air cooled when the hood is left open it doesn't lift at speed, instead is just bounces about on the latch as if you were going only running speed. you can see no air catches under it.

type 3 ? nope.

:roll: I can't tell you how many hoods I've seen blow open on other makes/ models. This isn't even close to being a Type 3 only problem. :roll:

Agreed. In my new to me van- Scared the crap outta me on the highway, had to crawl along on the shoulder, cuz no matter how many times I closed it, it'd keep popping up. Thank God for the safety latch. Bob greased the crap out of it and "exercised" it. No problem since.

At least it didn't take out the windshield, Bob's had that happen to him before in one of our "other" vehicles. :shock:

only other car i personally seen it happen to is a convertible yank tank of some kind coz the front nosed up and the hood was pretty flat all round.

maybe the rest because all the cars I have tinkered with are the same basic style.

all been aussie 4 door sedans with the same basic front end shape, none which if the hood left open would lift. forgot many times over the yeasr to close them before test drives, only to notice when I get back from the drive.

what a bugs like for this? I imagine they would be pretty good given how much the hood curves down over the front

guess it all depends on the aero and design of the hood.

Another question do any other cars hood lift automatically like type 3s being all spring loaded? all other cars I have played with the hood just pops but wont lift under its own power.

I did once have my boot lid open randomly in traffic, had to get out in the middle of the traffic and close it lol, and yes its spring loaded and flys up like a rocket.

Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:20 pm

vlad01 wrote:
guess it all depends on the aero and design of the hood.

Another question do any other cars hood lift automatically like type 3s being all spring loaded? all other cars I have played with the hood just pops but wont lift under its own power.

Most of our cars are like that, just pop up enough for you to get your hand in there to release the safety. Bob's buddy's big GMC truck has springs that lift the hood all the way up though. So I guess it just depends...

Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:59 pm

another problem, not sure on the early models but he late certainly suffer from broken spot welds behind the badge from the hood flying up too hard which flexes the support metal that is inside the frame which supports the hood latch.

current solution. arm stretched out to hold the hood, other arm wrapped around the pillar to reach the hood release. :lol:

I am seriously thinking about gas struts for my notch, the other car is getting gas struts for the boot, same problem, spring loaded, come up too hard cracking the boot lid frame.

anyone else noticed the broken spot welds?

Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:15 pm

vlad01 wrote: another problem, not sure on the early models but he late certainly suffer from broken spot welds behind the badge from the hood flying up too hard which flexes the support metal that is inside the frame which supports the hood latch.

current solution. arm stretched out to hold the hood, other arm wrapped around the pillar to reach the hood release. :lol:

I am seriously thinking about gas struts for my notch, the other car is getting gas struts for the boot, same problem, spring loaded, come up too hard cracking the boot lid frame.

anyone else noticed the broken spot welds?

No.

Damn, Vlad... Maybe Type 3 ownership just is not for you.

Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:18 pm

Suesanctuary wrote: vlad01 wrote:
guess it all depends on the aero and design of the hood.

Another question do any other cars hood lift automatically like type 3s being all spring loaded? all other cars I have played with the hood just pops but wont lift under its own power.

Most of our cars are like that, just pop up enough for you to get your hand in there to release the safety. Bob's buddy's big GMC truck has springs that lift the hood all the way up though. So I guess it just depends...

My dad was a bigwig at a bank in Cleveland in the '70s but lived in Akron. He bought a three year old Pinto as a work rattletrap. Every so often, the stupid POS would puke the timing belt and have to be towed to get it replaced. I remember one of those times the mechanic didn't get the hood latched and it flew up on I-77 at speed and cracked the windshield.

That hood was dead weight and was held up by a prop rod.

Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:12 am

Suesanctuary wrote: Tram wrote: vlad01 wrote: supaninja wrote: When I first got the notch on the road I didn't double check to make sure the latch was locked all the way in. when the hood blew open it popped the spring out. lots of cursing was needed to pop it back in into the hinges. :shock:

the worst thing with the hood on these cars is.

1. they are way to spring loaded, come up way too hard
2. frunk is virtually air tight compartment, hood comes up a little, massive air pressure would build inside and blow the hood off at a descent speed.

all other cars that I have driven that weren't air cooled when the hood is left open it doesn't lift at speed, instead is just bounces about on the latch as if you were going only running speed. you can see no air catches under it.

type 3 ? nope.

:roll: I can't tell you how many hoods I've seen blow open on other makes/ models. This isn't even close to being a Type 3 only problem. :roll:

Agreed. In my new to me van- Scared the crap outta me on the highway, had to crawl along on the shoulder, cuz no matter how many times I closed it, it'd keep popping up. Thank God for the safety latch. Bob greased the crap out of it and "exercised" it. No problem since.

At least it didn't take out the windshield, Bob's had that happen to him before in one of our "other" vehicles. :shock:

Yeah, it was an 85 Astro work van (panel truck). I thought for sure that hood was coming thru the windshield to take my head off. Scared the hell out of me when it hit the glass. :shock:
A buddy had a hood come up and take out the windshield of a honda accord before. Scared him too. That hood was junk by the time he got stopped.

Thu Apr 04, 2013 2:54 pm

farrk :shock:

this convertible I seen had the roof all smashed in, being a yank tank I bet the hood weighed a ton.

the only car I can think of the top of my head that wont do this is ford laser, they open the other way.