Replacing the bonnet of a car: our advice

The hood is an element of the body of a car. It was built to protect the vehicle engine from the various damages it may face. Despite the resistance of the cover, it is still exposed to possible damage. It can be a frontal collision, corrosion or wing bends. Discover in this content our tips for repairing the hood of a car .

Some important safety tips for replacing the hood of a vehicle
Before embarking on replacing the hood of your vehicle, it is important to adopt certain safety measures. You must protect yourself from injury by wearing adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). These are closed shoes, safety glasses, cut resistant gloves.

When lifting heavy items such as the hood of a car , it is important to bend your knees well. This will save you from back injuries. Also, you must make sure to turn off the engine of your vehicle before removing the hood.

You must wait until the hood and engine are no longer hot before performing this task. Depending on the make and model of each vehicle, the bonnet layouts are different. It is therefore preferable to get help from a mechanic in certain cases.

What are the steps to change the hood of a car?
Replacing a car hood is quite simple, but to do it you need to go step by step.

Step 1

To get started, you must first open the hood you want to change using the propeller rod to hold it in place. Once held, have someone stay on the other side. It should hold the hood so you can safely loosen the bolts that hold it in place.

The majority of car manufacturers use ten millimeter mounting bolts for their vehicles. You will therefore need a ten millimeter ratchet head to perform this operation. For more details, you can rely on your car manual.

2nd step

This step involves removing the hood insulation, windshield washer tube, and emblem from your car. These elements must be removed before removing the cover itself.

Step 3

At this stage, you need to unfasten the bolts holding the vehicle’s hood to its hinges. These are usually two or three bolts that you can remove using a socket wrench . Your assistant should hold the hood for you so that you gradually remove all the bolts.

Step 4

After removing all the bolts from their hinges, remind your helper to take the weight of the hood. You must now gently remove the propeller rod that supports the cowl upwards. Properly hold the hood to balance the weight when lifting it from the car.

Step 5

You should check your new bonnet for any defects before installing it. It is also necessary to ensure that all the parts are integrated to avoid problems in the future.

Step 6

Lift the new hood and place it on the vehicle. Use the propeller rod to support some of the cowl’s weight. Ask your helper to hold the hood securely while you tighten the bolts.

You must ensure that the bolts match their hinges. It is still the socket wrench that you will use to tighten the bolts of the hood. Then connect the insulator, washer hose and car emblem on your new hood.

Step 7

After installing the new hood, lower the propeller rod, close and open the hood. This gesture will allow you to check the alignment and fit of your new car hood. The gaps between the fender and the new cowl should always be even. If the hood is out of alignment, loosen the bolts and adjust with the help of your assistant.