Scary Experience

[jfrabat]

OK, so as many of you know, this is my first Jeep. A couple of months ago, I decided to change the hood latches on the YJ, as the stock ones were starting to rust (you can even see the rust stains from where the water flowed through them).

I bought the Rugged Ridge complete hood set from quadratec, and installed it, but i started noticing that the hood kept wanting to come open at highway speeds. I checked the latches, and one was much softer than the others. Because of the obvious dangers of having the hood pop open, I decided I would spend the extra money and get the stock latches, so on Tuesday I went to the stealership and bought them ($80 the pair!). Anyway, they did not have them in stock, so I picked them up yesterday. But yesterday I was busy, so I did not get a chance to install them.

Today, as I am driving to work, the highway was jammed, so I decided to take the back routes. While doing about 40 mph, I hit a small bump and next thing I know, WHAM! The hood pops open! Luckily, only the hood got damaged, and I was able to pull over right away.

But I can just imagine what would have happened if the hood had decided to pop open when I headed to Naples last weekend, without the hard top, and at 70 mph with a headwind.... Even if I had taken the highway today, it would have been pretty bad, I think! Has anyone had something like this happen? I think the stock latches are much more stronger than the Rugged Ridge ones, and it seems that this caused the accident, but I am not sure... Any comments on this?

Felipe

 

[southtj]

That is scary. Well, you could always just drive it like this.

 

[Jason4x4]

I've had my hood pop up in my '06 TJ...but that was because I was having a warranty issue looked at at the stealership and the idiots forgot to latch the hood and I didn't notice until I hit a bump while on the way home. Fortunately I saw it start to come up and backed off before it slammed all the way up (I was only doing 25-30mph). Fortunately for the dealership it didn't do any damage.

 

[currupt4130]

What happened to the latch that is in the grill and is supposed to hold the hood down too?

 

[jfrabat]

It's still there... It just did not hold the hood down.

 

[currupt4130]

Oh, wow.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

My cousin had it happen on his TJ a couple of years ago on the way down to Kansas from Illinois. The side latches on his TJ are soft rubber, unlike the solid latches on the YJ's, and they stretched enough to let the hood come up an inch or so, just enough to get some air under the front edge. He replaced them at a stealership in KC, but last year when he came down to the campout, he said the new ones were already doing the same thing, letting the hood come up an inch or so when he'd meet a big truck, or in a strong headwind.

Glad you managed to get pulled over safely and that it didn't happen on the freeway!

 

[slo-wrench44]

i bought the tj latch conversion kit for my yj. its pretty hard to get them to streach. i have had them on a year now. well worth the cash for cooler looking latchs and a lil peaice of mind

 

[jfrabat]

After I put on the new stock ones I got from the Jeep stealership, and they are working fine so far...

 

[Utah_jeepster]

After I put on the new stock ones I got from the Jeep stealership, and they are working fine so far...

Did you contact Quadratec? or Rugged Ridge? I would love to know what they have to say about it.

 

[jfrabat]

Did you contact Quadratec? or Rugged Ridge? I would love to know what they have to say about it.

No, never did get around to doing it... I was going to, but I just forgt. And since nothing really happened (just a dent in my hood), I kind of let it lie.

 

[redrooster]

I have never had the latches come loose on the CJ, but I have seen alot of Jeeps with the classic crease in the hood from forgetting to latch it down. My Jeep had a nice crease in the hood when I bought it.
The lock mechanism seems sturdy when you try to physically open the hood. For whatever reason though it will not hold by itself when the wind gets under the hood.

 

[TwistedCU]

Wow... that's ridiculous that the aftermarket latches failed you like that. That's damn poor... you were fortunate, someone else may not be :shock: I would say it definately warrants calls to both Qtec and RR.

i bought the tj latch conversion kit for my yj. its pretty hard to get them to streach. i have had them on a year now. well worth the cash for cooler looking latchs and a lil peaice of mind

Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I like the old-school style better for looks. Sure the newer style is easier to use but the older sprung t-handle style just screams "Jeep" to me

 

[jfrabat]

Wow... that's ridiculous that the aftermarket latches failed you like that. That's damn poor... you were fortunate, someone else may not be :shock: I would say it definately warrants calls to both Qtec and RR.

Yeah, maybe I should... I just never did get around to it, but I will probabably end up doing so.

Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I like the old-school style better for looks. Sure the newer style is easier to use but the older sprung t-handle style just screams "Jeep" to me

I agree; the T-Handle, although not as safe as the new one, just looks better!