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20201 Class C on Ford E-450-Heavy Hood

jolooote
Explorer
Explorer
The hood is hard to lift and close. Very heavy. Is there a hood lift mechanism available to make it easier?
Joe & Charlotte

2020 Jayco Greyhawk Prestige 29MV Celestial Blue Full Body Paint E-450 305hp V10 6spd Class C 'COACH'


2012 Jeep Wrangler 285hp V6 'TOAD'


Gabby & Molly are Dogs
Leroy's a Conure, Loretta's a Squeaker

"Once it starts breakin'...GET RID OF IT!!!"
16 REPLIES 16

pnichols
Explorer II
Explorer II
BurbMan wrote:
Just take the hood off and leave it home. Helps engine temps run cooler. Latching hoods were an option up until the '29 model year.



Where's the Onan generator access door? :B
2005 E450 Itasca 24V Class C

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II
What , no wipers ?

BurbMan
Explorer II
Explorer II
Just take the hood off and leave it home. Helps engine temps run cooler. Latching hoods were an option up until the '29 model year.

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II
jolooote, maybe its possible for a body shop or marine shop that works with fiberglass to make a mold for a replacement hood. I know someone that did that for his racing corvette. Find a racing body shop and ask.

bukhrn
Explorer III
Explorer III
ron.dittmer wrote:
bukhrn wrote:
I didn't realize that they used to come with fiberglass hoods, my '07 Forester on the '06 E450 chassis came with the metal hood......
Are you certain your 2006 E450 has a steel hood? Or are you "assuming" so? If it is truly made of steel, it must be an aftermarket replacement because I understand every original hood on the E150, E250, E350, and E450 made from 1992 to 2007 is made of fiberglass. Someone please correctly if I am wrong.
My apologies Ron, it is in fact fiberglass, only the hinges and latch area are metal.
I guess the old saying about assume is correct.
2007 Forester 2941DS
2014 Ford Focus
Zamboni, Long Haired Mini Dachshund

ron_dittmer
Explorer
Explorer
jolooote wrote:
WHY are you all talking about 2007 e-350's with plastic hoods???
In case someone with a 1992-2007 hood wonders why your hood is so heavy for you. They might not realize the change from fiberglass to steel in 2008 when Ford restyled the frontal area. My apologies.

Now back to solutions labeled under these names.

pneumatic hood strut
hood lift support shock strut
hood gas strut
hydraulic hood assist

Shopping around, you won't find any marketed for a Ford E-series vehicle. You will have to engineer through retrofitting struts for another application, vehicle or otherwise. Plan your mounting location with consideration to both open and closed positioning. You will also need to explore the appropriate strut mounts.

I realize you are hoping someone else has already successfully addressed this, but you may be paving a new road. I have been on RV forums since 2007 and I never read anyone else discussing this topic before.

I wish you well with a resolution.

jolooote
Explorer
Explorer
Please excuse me (the original poster) but I'm gonna steal my post back...WHY are you all talking about 2007 e-350's with plastic hoods??? My post asked for help with a very heavy 2021 Ford E-450 with STEEL hood.
Joe & Charlotte

2020 Jayco Greyhawk Prestige 29MV Celestial Blue Full Body Paint E-450 305hp V10 6spd Class C 'COACH'


2012 Jeep Wrangler 285hp V6 'TOAD'


Gabby & Molly are Dogs
Leroy's a Conure, Loretta's a Squeaker

"Once it starts breakin'...GET RID OF IT!!!"

ron_dittmer
Explorer
Explorer
bukhrn wrote:
I didn't realize that they used to come with fiberglass hoods, my '07 Forester on the '06 E450 chassis came with the metal hood......
Are you certain your 2006 E450 has a steel hood? Or are you "assuming" so? If it is truly made of steel, it must be an aftermarket replacement because I understand every original hood on the E150, E250, E350, and E450 made from 1992 to 2007 is made of fiberglass. Someone please correctly if I am wrong.

ron_dittmer
Explorer
Explorer
theoldwizard1 wrote:
ron.dittmer wrote:
2007 was the last year of the fiberglass hood on the E-series. We have a 2007 E350 rig with the fiberglass hood and I never considered it heavy.

I wonder how the old fiberglass hood compares to the 2008-current steel hood with regards to weight.
The reason Ford went to fiberglass hoods years ago was the high number of complaints about stone chips and rust through.
I understood the same. The previous generation Ford van had serious rust issues with the leading edge of the hood. Going fiberglass was the ultimate solution.

theoldwizard1
Explorer
Explorer
ron.dittmer wrote:
2007 was the last year of the fiberglass hood on the E-series. We have a 2007 E350 rig with the fiberglass hood and I never considered it heavy.

I wonder how the old fiberglass hood compares to the 2008-current steel hood with regards to weight.

The reason Ford went to fiberglass hoods years ago was the high number of complaints about stone chips and rust through.

bukhrn
Explorer III
Explorer III
ron.dittmer wrote:
2007 was the last year of the fiberglass hood on the E-series. We have a 2007 E350 rig with the fiberglass hood and I never considered it heavy.

I wonder how the old fiberglass hood compares to the 2008-current steel hood with regards to weight.
I didn't realize that they used to come with fiberglass hoods, my '07 Forester on the '06 E450 chassis came with the metal hood, as bobndot mentioned, the hood is so small, I
never considered it all that heavy.
2007 Forester 2941DS
2014 Ford Focus
Zamboni, Long Haired Mini Dachshund

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II
Ron, my mechanic swapped a steel hood for a glass hood on an early mustang and it was almost 1/2 the weight. The OEM hood was about 50 lbs. vs high 20โ€™s for the glass.

The E series cabs have such small hoods most people donโ€™t feel the need for gas struts .
You have two options.
1. Forget the web, make phone calls to rv repair shops who have suppliers that we do not have access to.
2. Take measurements yourself and buy the appropriate size.
I will supply a link how to measure for struts.

ron_dittmer
Explorer
Explorer
2007 was the last year of the fiberglass hood on the E-series. We have a 2007 E350 rig with the fiberglass hood and I never considered it heavy.

I wonder how the old fiberglass hood compares to the 2008-current steel hood with regards to weight.