Hood alignment

[Early93Viper]

From what I gather a lot of Gen I vipers have problems with hood Alignment. My hood is about a 1/2 inch higher than the front facia in some places( it varies in height from drivers side to passanger side). And is even higher (probibly 1 inch) higher than my passanger side headlight.

I was told that if I had the work done it would cost me $1300 is that true?

I was told that I could do it in a weekend with basic tools is that true?
If it is can anyone give me step by step instructions on how to do it?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[tommygun]

May not actually cost you that much, but it could. If the front end has never been whacked, usually adjusting the latches and stops will do. Sometimes the fascia has to be moved and with that the headlamps and the hood. Its a royal pain the rear and if yours is not too bad, as it sounds, I would leave well enough alone.

Tommy

 

[DodgeViper01]

I have the same problem on my GEN II and as a result the left hand corner chipped and there is white stuff from the hood all over the rear of the headlight. Common? Covered by warranty for new cars right?

 

[Early93Viper]

May not actually cost you that much, but it could. If the front end has never been whacked, usually adjusting the latches and stops will do. Sometimes the fascia has to be moved and with that the headlamps and the hood. Its a royal pain the rear and if yours is not too bad, as it sounds, I would leave well enough alone.

Tommy

I need to at least raise a headlight up if I have to leave well enough alone. If what Tommy said is true (I shouldn't mess with it) could I at least get the 411 on raising a passanger side headlight?

 

[Ulysses]

could I at least get the 411 on raising a passanger side headlight?

Requires marking current position, unbolting the headlight from below it's mounting point and inserting shims. Removing facia makes it easier.

 

[RSenn94RT10]

I have a 1994 RT/10 and one time my hood looked like it was out of line the way you have described here. It turned out that the hood was not closed properly. You may want to try just popping open open the hood with the first latch and then reclosing it, making sure you push down the center of the hood. It may not help your situation, but it may be worth a try if you haven't already tried that.

 

[hemibeep]

Hood alignment is a very special treat.....on any years..
Headlight is just as Ulysses said...easy to shim hard to get too.. I would not recommend playing with the hood unless you are very patient and/or have a back-up plan...the bumper reinforcement itself can go up/down with 3 15MM bolts per side.. if it needs in/out then you need to remove reinforcement and add/subtract shims..(for GENII, GENI should be similar) If you actually start moving the hood itself, an adjustment of 1/8" at front may be much more by the time you go back 7' to the door! safer bet is to adjust bumper reinforcement/headlight and leave hood alone. Too close of a gap could cause bind if the car is in the sun and the bumper/hood move around in the heat..good luck

 

[99GTSACR]

The hood height is very simple to adjust. It should take less then an hour. First turn down the bumps then adjust the latches down. There’s a left and a right of each. When the height is right push down on the hood (left side then the right side). It should not move. If there is play turn up the bumps to take it out.

 

[Early93Viper]

The hood height is very simple to adjust. It should take less then an hour. First turn down the bumps then adjust the latches down. There’s a left and a right of each. When the height is right push down on the hood (left side then the right side). It should not move. If there is play turn up the bumps to take it out.

Could you be a little more specific in your instructions? Im not the most mechanical person.

 

[Jeff Torrey]

The 92 cars had no adjustment in the latches. I am not sure if the early 93 cars are different. If you unlatch the hood at the front fascia, looking inside at frame rail...there are two large screws with rubber stoppers on them. They limit the travel of the hood, if you lower the adjustment the hood may close tighter. This anjustment is usually for people who have trouble with the hood catching on the latches. If you hood latches without a problem., then you have to a) be carefull of how the hood sits around your headlamps. If the hood is resting on the lamps it will chaf them and wear on the hood at the contact points. b) the excess travel on the stoppers will cause the hood to rattle when you driving.

 

[Early93Viper]

I do have a problem with the Hood catching on the latches. I have to have a person hold the back (close to the window) drivers side part of hood down. And I have to close from front like normal. If this is not performed corectly my hood comes up and does not latch properly in the drivers side latch. Which in turn bends the hood (I think that is why I have some small hairline cracks in it) because every thing else latches but the drivers side latch which pops up over the latch. Than it takes me 15min and a lot of cussing to get it back in. So are both problems related????

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Martin2000GTS]

my 2000 gts is the same way, passenger side just above the head lamp has about 1 inch of space i hate it!!! It drives me nuts but I dont trust my self fixing it, I have an extended warrenty, you think they would cover that?
Martin

 

[tommygun]

I have the same problem on my GEN II and as a result the left hand corner chipped and there is white stuff from the hood all over the rear of the headlight. Common? Covered by warranty for new cars right?

I have an extended warrenty, you think they would cover that?

Only the original basic factory warranty will cover adjustments within the first 3yrs/36k miles. Extended service warranties do not cover adjustments. The bumpers that keep the hood from rattling are adjustable, but if you adjust them downward, you will usually have to adjust the latches accordingly. If the hood must be held in the rear to keep from popping up, you have another problem. This may be caused by a hinge that is binding or the catch, not latch, at the rear of the hood may need to be adjusted also. If the latter is the case, I hope you have a lot of patience, and by your own admission, you are not the most mechanical. Be very careful, if possible mark the original positions of all the adjustments so if you screw up, at least you can put it back the way it was.

 

[Steve-Indy]

FROM AN OLD THREAD:

" This seems to be a common finding on 2001 RT/10's and GTS's in MY opinion. I have seen (and helped realign) 7 such Vipers here in the greater Indy area that were new to show room floors or just purchased by Club members (including our GTS). These cars all failed my "business card test" wherein the card FAILED to pass through the space between the medial side of the headlight "glass" (which is really polycarbonate) and the hood. Some of these cars were developing "etching" in the "glass" as well as the potential loss of paint on the hood edges. A minor adjustment of the rubber bumpers took care of most of the problems..though one required a MINUTE change of position of the hood latches. (If hood's paint damaged),I PERSONALLY would try a touch up on the edge (and have done so on two of our earlier Vipers) LONG BEFORE allowing or even thinking of a hood repaint...just my own opinion. Others will add more."

 

[Jeff Torrey]

Dan- Sound like you have 2 adjustments to make. The latch on the passengers side up by the windsheild...and the rubber stopper on the same side near the front fascia.

Take a look at the position of the hinge on the drivers side and compare it to the passengers side. They do slide forward and back, up and down when you loosen the screws.

As Steve said; Mark your starting point and go slowly until you get it where you want it. Then lower the rubber stopper until the latch catches when closing the hood.

Good luck.