Hood latch failure.

[Eliteweapons]

Had a hood latch failure on the Deuce today. A big wind gust hit going across the bridge and ripped the hood up over the roof. Can't see anything with that big thing up there.
Now the search begins for a new hood. The fun part was there wasn't a shoulder there and trucks were rolling by me at 55 to 60 mph until I could get it down and strapped in place.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Ha! Ouch

I haven't seen many A3 hoods out there, good luck on the search.

 

[AZK9]

Glad you managed to keep safe! Things could have gone really bad... really fast!

 

[doghead]

Do they not have 2 latches plus a 3rd safety latch, like a a2?

 

[m16ty]

Ha! Ouch

I haven't seen many A3 hoods out there, good luck on the search.

You could do like the military did on a lot of them and just take a A2 hood, cobble it up, and put it on there.

It looks like somebody forgot to fasten the two safety latches. It happens and I've done it myself, I was just lucky enough to catch it before it flung open going down the road.

 

[Eliteweapons]

You could do like the military did on a lot of them and just take a A2 hood, cobble it up, and put it on there.

It looks like somebody forgot to fasten the two safety latches. It happens and I've done it myself, I was just lucky enough to catch it before it flung open going down the road.

It has been was windy for the past two days and I was on my way BACK home from work. The latches were hooked! I checked them before I took the truck out yesterday when I checked the oil, coolant etc. I drive my truck alot and I do a walk around while the truck is warming up for 10 to 15 mins. I check the fluids at least 2 times a month. I can't explain how this happened, because the rubber straps aren't broken either and I didn't see them unhooked during the walk around before I left. Unfortunately I am still needing a new hood.

 

[texas30cal]

It's fiberglass right?

 

[doghead]

So, no safety latch on them?

 

[texas30cal]

Put it back together

 

[Eliteweapons]

Put it back together

Its a composite. I am still considering trying to fix it myself or to take it to a bodyshop to fix it. I am not a very good body/fiberglass worker so I am kinda leaning toward having someone else fix it if the pricing is about the same as a replacement.

 

[Eliteweapons]

Mine did not have a safety latch on it. Ironically it was on my list to work on making one for it this week. Day late and a dollar short as usual.

 

[fsearls92]

There is a good priced replacement on the auction site that is 4 letters and starts with e.

 

[doghead]

I've purchased new safety catches for several of my trucks. Seems they get damaged from dropping the hood.


OCD makes me stop at the end of my road almost every time, even though I did a walk around before starting the truck and again before leaving the driveway.

 

[smoke]

Elite there is a place in Essex md. That should have a hood for you. If you go under auto parts on cr@igslists list. Put in m35a3 or m35a2 in search box. It should come up. If not pm me Ill give you there number.

 

[bigmike]

I'm struggling with how it unlatches itself, especially the spring loaded hood latches. Can't seem to wrap my head around this.

 

[doghead]

The only times I've seen the outside hood spring/holdowns come undone is on M809 series trucks with a massive frame twist.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

The a3s I've seen have those rubber hood hold downs, not the steel ones that worked for decades.

 

[Eliteweapons]

Anyone put a safety latch from an A2 on the A3? I am trying to find a better hold down solution so when I get a new hood or repair mine I don't have a repeat of the issue.

 

[King]

I would be interested in seeing that, my A3 hood rubber latches will occasionally flip up after hitting a bump but fortunately I have never had the Hood flip up

 

[Scar59]

The a3s I've seen have those rubber hood hold downs, not the steel ones that worked for decades.

My A3 came out of Wright Pat. Air Force installed the metal hood latches. The sun we eat the rubber hold downs up.
The center hood safety latch in the same for A2 and A3.