[Red 06 Ragtop]

I just received my 2006 Mustang GT. I notice that the hood takes a lot of pressure to shut or "catch". I adjusted the 4 rubber adjusters and now it shuts good, however it is lower on both sides and no longer lines up evenly. Can the actual hood catch be raised and lowered a little to accomidate a slight adjustment or do I need to shim the "U" type of hook on the hood? I sure do not want to slam the hood extreamly hard to close it. I think if I let it drop from about a foot from the closed position, I would think it should catch. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice!
Regards,
Phil in Indiana

 

[vynle]

my understanding is you can adjust it . if you look at the catch part you will see screws . if you loosen them and raise catch it should work. i myself hav the same problem. i hav to raise hood a foot and let hood fall so it catches. i havent adjusted yet cause im waiting for my fiberglass ram air hood to come. hopefully after adjustment all i need do is latch and push on front tip of hood to hav hood fully latched. then ill get some hood pins also, to ensure hood closer. vynle.

 

[vynle]

a couple more thoughts on this subject. mark your original positions of the catch. just in case. im also hoping full closer with minimal force on the hood too.you should be able to just latch and push down on hood and this should achieve full closer . i hope anyway.vynle. plz post your results.

 

[Red 06 Ragtop]

a couple more thoughts on this subject. mark your original positions of the catch. just in case. im also hoping full closer with minimal force on the hood too.you should be able to just latch and push down on hood and this should achieve full closer . i hope anyway.vynle. plz post your results.

Thanks for your advice. I had to slam it down before as just dropping it from about 10" to a foot, it would NOT catch. I will pull the black plastic cover and adjust the catch soon. Maybe someone has adjusted their's already and can advise how much movement there is in the catch unit.
Phil

 

[thump_rrr]

I have to quote the infamous Snoop Dogg who said "Drop It Like It Hot"

 

[Gig4Fun]

My '05 hood shuts easy from a short drop. (build date late feb '05) My '06 needs to be closed with purpose to get it to latch. It is my understanding that the factory started setting these babies up real tight to cure the hood floppy at high speeds. There is a thread (search here) that has a lot of posts about the hood shaking / flopping / Buckling et cetera at high speeds. I think you are wise to keep it tight as purchased.

 

[brnrkm]

... I think if I let it drop from about a foot from the closed position, I would think it should catch...
Phil in Indiana

I think that this is the preferred adjustment. Mine is an early 05 build (Oct. 04) and it takes a good foot and a half drop to latch and it has no "flapping" issues. Talking with a few local guys have revealed that the hoods that are easy to shut are the ones that may flap around.

I think Gig is right on. There is no way I'm changing mine.

 

[Red 06 Ragtop]

Thanks everyone! I did read about the hood flapping or moving around after I started this post. I went back out to the garage and at first set the center rubber adjusters to where the hood when lached was tight. Then I adjusted the outer rubber adjusters to where the hood is even with both front fenders. Now, I can drop it from about 18" and it will latch. It latches a bit easier, but still is pretty darn tight. I no longer have to slam it from 18", just drop it. As far as a high speed hood flapping or wiggle issue, I really don't plan on running it up faster than 85 or 90 MPH anyway, and then only doing a quick pass. I don't need any tickets and my insurance rates are at $225.00 every 6 months....don't need to screw that up!

Thanks again!!!:wavey
Phil

 

[zman2800]

Curious to see if anyone else thinks this, I had a early build 05 (R.I.P), think it was born in September or October of 04, and I swear that hood was lighter than my 06 that was built November 27, 05.

 

[zman99]

I had a hard time with my hood in the beginning. (Car was built the week of 6 June 05). The only reason for the need to drop the hood from such a nosebleed altitude is that it's much lighter than what we may be used to. It simply does not fall with the authority of a hefty steel hood. Any latch adjustment may be ill advised. I have found that a light two open handed assist as it's dropped from 18" or so works every time. Do it a few times and you will have it down pat. I have seen mechanics lay the hood down on the latch and then push it closed, I am not comfortable doing that. Be sure to keep the hands near the forward edge whatever you do!

 

[scramblr]

06 GT here and I have to drop mine about 12-15 inches for it to shut. Figured that was normal since it's so light. No hood shake either. I did read on another board (or this one?) that the 06 hood is a little heavier than the 05. All I know is that I went out yesterday and refilled some fluids in my wife's 04 Stratus R/T and Damn, that hood is heavy...and smaller. I've gotten spoiled with our light hoods.

 

[vynle]

with the aluminum hood i hav no prob. letting it fall and closing . my main concern is with my new hood , being that it is fiberglass, ill need to be more carefull so i dont crack it. hood pins will be in order then . perhaps ill just let it latch then push untill hood pins can be fastened. i wonder if this will be ok. hmmmm. if its pinned it cant move ,right? thx vynle.

 

[Wolford]

Then I adjusted the outer rubber adjusters to where the hood is even with both front fenders.

My hood is just a little lower than the fenders on both sides and I'd like to raise just the outer part of the front of the hood. How do you adjust the rubber adjustments? Just turn them? Take rubber off first? Just don't want to break anything since I got the car last weekend.

Thanks - Jeff

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[Torch_Vert]

Curious to see if anyone else thinks this, I had a early build 05 (R.I.P), think it was born in September or October of 04, and I swear that hood was lighter than my 06 that was built November 27, 05.

I believe they switched to steel hoods for '06 (the '05 hood was aluminum)

 

[Gig4Fun]

I believe they switched to steel hoods for '06 (the '05 hood was aluminum)

Nope, They are still making them with Aluminum.

 

[vantage]

Nope, They are still making them with Aluminum.

I hope so.. the hood on my 03 is ridiculously heavy