Hood Hinges

[Zenobian_84]

Been a while since I needed something tech related answered, but this has me stumped.

 

A while back, I went through the effort of fixing the horizontal release cables on my girlfriend's XJ; it seems that her hinges have been replaced by a PO at some point, because her hood opens and closes smooth as silk.

 

Mine used to be the same, but now the hood sits upwards on the driver side when closed.

 

Over the last year or so, the hood seemed like it started to get heavier, like the hinge on the driver side cracked, amd over time, it started to contact the corner of the cowl until one day it finally snatched it and broke the whole thing into 3-4 pieces.

 

Where it mounts on the firewall, there's visible flexing when the hood is raised and lowered, so I'm leaning towards the idea that the hinge rusted out. Problem is, I can't seem to find any new replacements for these. Am I going to have to snag some off of a newer XJ to fix this, or is there something blatant I'm missing here? :hmm: I mean, I have been thinking about putting gas shocks under there... But... You know. OE fit and function and all that.

 

I read another thread someone started about having the same problem, and corrected it by lubricating the hinge; I've done this before but to no real noticeable difference in operation. :dunno:

[Green Mesa XJ]

Once those hinges go they're gone. I did preventive greasing/wd40/ whatever was handy for years on a 91 XJ. Drivers side hinge froze up even damaged the hood a little.

This was 3 maybe 4 years ago but I was able to find a new hinge,. the swap was fairly easy. Hoods not all the heavy, did the job by myself.

 

I think the part # is 55235724ad

 

If the 97-01 XJ hinges work then there more than plenty are out there.

 

Far as adding gas struts it really wouldn't matter far as the hinge seizing up . You'd still have to fabricate the motion that hinge does then reinforce the hood enough to take the pressure of a gas strut. I imagine adapting something similar to a commanders hood lift would do the trick, I believe the commanders hood is lighter but the principle should be the same.

 

Here the thing my 85 XJ hinges are still perfect, that jeeps had more use and abuse than the HO jeeps.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[HOrnbrod]

If the 97-01 XJ hinges work then there more than plenty are out there.

 

84-01 MJ/XJ hood hinges will all interchange.

[Guest]

Thanks for the help guys; It'll give me an excuse to hit up a P&P when I'm on the Tampa Bay this weekend. :thumbsup: