Hood Fit, Use of Hood Struts

MIGeezer

I have a 23 Badlands, Non SAS. I have noticed that there is a lot of road spray/grime that gets under the hood and covers the engine compartment. This is more noticeable during the winter months. You can see the dried salt easier. The adjustment on the latch is tight, but you can see the hood moving on the x-way and driving into strong winds. The movement is on the edges and that's where the spray is getting in. I have installed additional weather stripping on the edge of the hood, which has helped, but not stopped the spray. I also tightened the hood latch as much as I can.

For those of you that installed the hood struts do you notice that your hood is more stable, less movement while driving on the x-way and into strong winds? If so please respond with pros and cons. If you find they help can you let me know the brand you purchased.

Thanks, Dave

Brother Dave, the hood flutter should be a public nuisance. It is especially bad in a headwind.

I have hood struts and it didn't make a difference with hood flutter.

I got a set of the Steeda hood struts early on. I don't recall hood flutter prior to installation, but my hood seats incredibly well. I've hit 85ish and had no flutter. These attach to the hinge instead of a hood plug.

I'm wondering if part of the issue is due to the aluminum, which is lighter and in turn allows it to float more. We had strong winds this past weekend and coming home into the wind the edges were dancing up a storm. Think I'll go to Harbor Freight and get a couple hunter orange straps.

Thanks for the feedback.

I have a wind deflector on the front edge of my hood, and I haven’t noticed any hood flutter… but I’ve had the deflector since I took delivery of the Bronco

I've had a lot of hood flutter before and after putting on my bug deflector. I can see it on both edges.
I've been adjusting the hood bumpers (not sure what they are called) and it helps for awhile then they seem to loosen back up. I think the vibration starts to slowly screw them in farther so the flutter gets worse.
Recently I've put plumbers tape on the threads in hope that they stay put. So far so good but I haven't put in a lot of miles since then. I thought about putting a lock nut on the threads but I'm not convinced they are a standard thread.

Deano Bronc

I've had a lot of hood flutter before and after putting on my bug deflector. I can see it on both edges.
I've been adjusting the hood bumpers (not sure what they are called) and it helps for awhile then they seem to loosen back up. I think the vibration starts to slowly screw them in farther so the flutter gets worse.
Recently I've put plumbers tape on the threads in hope that they stay put. So far so good but I haven't put in a lot of miles since then. I thought about putting a lock nut on the threads but I'm not convinced they are a standard thread.

I've had the same issues with the bumpers....waiting for warmer temps to try some sort of fix.

@Deano Bronc, I am inthe exact same boat!

Ut oh; I was supposed to keep the hood on?

I bought a 24 Everglades in Montana and have driven it 15K: Moab, Death Valley, Mojave and all over SW MT. The hood flutter (with Bug Deflector) since I took possession of the rig has been excessive and caused me to take it to the dealer for a looksee. They admitted it shook and they sent it to the body shop for a solution, then test drove it and said it was better but vibrations were still occurring. It is aggressively bad when passing a semi driving in the opposite direction on 2 lane road above 50mph. It is also terrible driving into a headwind on any freeway above 65mph. I am afraid the pressure will crease the hood itself, it is that radical. I have not attempted using struts as of yet because it looks to me like the wind is prying up the hood on the driver side and not on the passenger side and we have some big wind in Montana! It doesn't look like the struts would increase the clamping pressure on the front of the hood. Please tell me if you think it would. I even looked at hood locks as a solution but choose not to change the look since the Glades is the rarest build in the Bronco portfolio.
Thanks for the posts I will try to mount some wind block under the hood and secure the cushion bolts with tape in the meantime. Appreciate you all.

Corrigan05

I bought a 24 Everglades in Montana and have driven it 15K: Moab, Death Valley, Mojave and all over SW MT. The hood flutter (with Bug Deflector) since I took possession of the rig has been excessive and caused me to take it to the dealer for a looksee. They admitted it shook and they sent it to the body shop for a solution, then test drove it and said it was better but vibrations were still occurring. It is aggressively bad when passing a semi driving in the opposite direction on 2 lane road above 50mph. It is also terrible driving into a headwind on any freeway above 65mph. I am afraid the pressure will crease the hood itself, it is that radical. I have not attempted using struts as of yet because it looks to me like the wind is prying up the hood on the driver side and not on the passenger side and we have some big wind in Montana! It doesn't look like the struts would increase the clamping pressure on the front of the hood. Please tell me if you think it would. I even looked at hood locks as a solution but choose not to change the look since the Glades is the rarest build in the Bronco portfolio.
Thanks for the posts I will try to mount some wind block under the hood and secure the cushion bolts with tape in the meantime. Appreciate you all.

Unfortunately this is common especially in headwinds. These are bricks pushing air. The only real adjustment you can make is with turning the hood bumpers

MIGeezer

I'm wondering if part of the issue is due to the aluminum, which is lighter and in turn allows it to float more. We had strong winds this past weekend and coming home into the wind the edges were dancing up a storm. Think I'll go to Harbor Freight and get a couple hunter orange straps.

Thanks for the feedback.

I put Redlines on mine! Instructions weren’t the greatest! But I got them on finally!