03 Chevy Hood Alignment Question

Mortgage Paul · June 10, 2003

on the 03 Chevy HD is there any other areas to align the hood at other than the 6 bolts where the hood mounts to the hinge bracket?

Theres also another mount for the bottom swivel near inner fender with 2 bolts(unpainted) but the bracket also looks Pinch welded at the factory. I loosened these and doesnt seem to be much if any movement there.

If I have to loosen the 6, is there even any room for adjustment? I know some vehicles almost have none(just bolt hole slop). So I dont want to do it and have paint lines from the stock position if its no use.

I need to move the front of hood to the passenger side about 1/4 inch. Cant stand to look at it anymore. Thanks. BTW, Ive noticed now alot of 03s sit crooked. Thanks.

Mortgage Paul · June 10, 2003

Is anyone elses hood straight? The more I look the more 03s hoods dont sit straight.

Anyone?

SpiritoftheWild · June 11, 2003

The '03 Chevy MCE hood is fit more for an up/down gap than the previous cross-car or in/out gap. However, there is still a tolerance that the hood should be fit correctly side-to-side for flushness. If I'm reading your post correctly, your flushness is off.

There are a few ways you can fit the hood:

1) Take it back to the dealer and have them fix the fit. The fit is obviously off and they can make it right under warranty.

2) Loosen up the (6) bolts and slide the hood over. However, you will then break the ELPO primer and the paint when you do this. Do you like rust? The hood hinge is not welded to the hood (just the anchor plate that the bolts screw into is).

3) With the hood in the UP position, you can pry the hood over to the passenger side from the driver's side. The best way to fit it is to stick a prybar with cloths wrapped around it so you don't damage the paint. You can then find a leverage point and push the hood over. Be forewarned that you have to be careful and make sure your latch assembly is still lined up. You can also try to push on the hood in the up position with just your hands. You'll probably hear the sealer breaking inside a little as you do this. Don't worry about the sound, because your hood will be alright.

TruckFreak69 · June 11, 2003

That makes me leary about buying a GM product, my GD hood shoud fit right from the factory.

k1500chevy97 · June 11, 2003

Checked the hood on my 03 and it is all good not crooked or off anywhere

SpiritoftheWild · June 11, 2003

Nothing I said should make you leary about buying a GM product. The doors, fenders, hoods, and endgates on ALL makes of trucks (Ford, Dodge, GM, Toyota, Nissan, etc) all have to be fit. This is just a fact of manufacturing sheet metal panels. In this particular case, the hood fit was a little off. The problem can be corrected with no negative impact. If I had a dime for every fit issue from all the truck manufacturers I've seen, I'd own a couple of SS's....

lrymal · June 12, 2003

Checked the hood on my 03 and it is all good not crooked or off anywhere

Checked mine over carefully, and that's with a truck that has been bounced joustled on some really bad service mud pack roads, and pasture paths. No alignment issues with the hood or any other body panel.

My only complaint during the joustling is that dumb emergency brake sticking so far up, and so high out, banging my shin during the hard bouncing. And I don't even use the stupid thing. Ok, it is an old issue. I raised a complaint about this idiotic emergency brake pedal that is so predominant in the cab space a few months back.

Other than that.... perfect alignment of all body panels, and I'm sure that emergency brake pedal is perfectly located, as per design.

Mortgage Paul · June 12, 2003

I loosened the 4 unpainted bolts where the hood hinges mount(inside upper rear fender area and it doesnt move or do I just need to break that seal?

Im not worried about rust here but Id just rather not loosen the 6 bolts if I dont have too.

For those with straight hoods.............mine is pretty closely aligned(but not perfect) when closed tight(its forced straighter by the latch alignement. Pop the hood and just click the first safety latch and look. thats when mine is to the drivers side about 1/4-3/8 inch.

Its only about 1/4 inch off when latched all the way, hardly noticeable, but when you pop the hood it goes boom becasue of the side pressure on latch.

I would have never noticed it if all I ever did was pop hood and shut it. I happened to just put it down to the safety latch to move into garage becasue it started raining while vaccuming etc. Then I noticed how off it was.

Mortgage Paul · June 12, 2003

spirtit, all the dealer would do is break the 6 bolts loose align and tighten. They could care less about anyones vehicles. thats why If thats what I need to do Ill do it myself

Thanks. Im thinking the hinges should move at the 4 bolts but seems pinch welded to me or something there.