Hood Adjustment on a 2004 Winnebago Brave

[Chaffeekid]

Ok so I have read several posts, mostly older ones that people were having trouble with the Brackets coming off and adjustment of the hood, most as mine was, sticking out at the top.

First, after hearing all the horror stories of the brackets coming off, the glue letting go after 18 years, mine did also. I opened the hood to check the oil, while at home, and the left, as you are standing looking at it, fell off. Read a bunch of posts of about glue of many and various types, but to me they seemed to just be putting off the inevitable. So I opted for the stainless steel bolts, 3 for each side, see the pictures.

So what I did was to remove the hood, two nuts on each side that attach it to the brackets. Take it completely off careful, its fairly heavy. Then remove the stretcher bar, one bolt and nut on each side. BTW, replace the nuts and bolts back in the items you remove so you know where they are when you go to replace them.

Now as the left side brack had fell off I started there. No need to remove the glue that was still on the back side of the fiberglass, that will act as reinforcement. Remove the folding part of the hinge assembly from the bracket. I drilled a hole, you pick your bolt size, that you want to use, near the center of the bracket and one on the angled part also in the center of it.
So two holes in the main bracket. Now the little bracket that holds the bump stop will also require a hole. I lined up the bracket, using the old glue spot to locate it. While holding it, I used a black marking pen and marked both holes on the glue surface. Then I used a small drill and drill bit to drill a pilot hole from the back side through the fiberglass. Then I upsized the drill to my chosen bolt size and drilled from the front side, both holes. Used my bolts and bolted it in place. Did the same on the other side after using a wood chisel to remove the glue from the bracket so I could get it off. You have to be pretty limber to get it right on the drivers side as the Power steering reservoir is in the way, but it can be done. Again this was on my 2004 Brave your layout may be different.

Ok once the brackets are secured, don't mount the bump stop bracket yet. Remount the hood hinges to each bracket. Now look at the pictures, if you hood was out at the top, get hold of the bracket, push the top all the way back and the bottom pull it all the way forward. When it looks right feel behind and make sure there is no more adjustment either top or bottom and tighten it up. Ok, now the bump stop bracket, drill a hole through the bracket where it was glued to the fiberglass, hold it in place and again mark where the hole should be and drill it for your size bolt. Pilot hole first! Mount the bump stop bracket with your bolt and tighten it up, careful don't go overboard with the torque, remember its fiberglass. Now make sure the bump stop is at its lowest setting, screwed all the way down.

Remount the stretcher bar, and the hood. My hood had to be lowered all the way down for the locks to engage, otherwise you see how it looks now.

Hopes this helps someone.

[djg56]

Thanks for this Post Jim i feel that it will help me to re-align the hood as it was sticking out quit a bit at the top. The pics also helped a lot .

2003 Winnebago 34D

[BobC]

Originally Posted by djg56

Thanks for this Post Jim i feel that it will help me to re-align the hood as it was sticking out quit a bit at the top. The pics also helped a lot .

2003 Winnebago 34D

Add me to the thank-you list. My brackets are still OK but I think my hood needs adjusting.