Driver side hood hinge breaking!!!

[MrBobDobalina]

Okay, so when I first picked up my runner there was some play I noticed on the driver side hood hinge...Now when you open the hood everything you can see looks normal, uncracked and bolts tightened. There seems like there is some play from where the hinge attaches to the inner body of the truck under the fender area...When I close the hood the driver side sticks up about a 1/4" or so and if I press on the corner near the windshield it will go down. I want to attach some pictures, but right now I don't want to open the hood unless I really need to. I want to get ready to fix this ASAP. Any pointers for trouble shooting this I would appreciate it. ***Made a quick call to a local Toyota yard and I can get a hinge for $25 - I just want to be prepared so I don't have to take the fender off once to inspect and again for the repair...so basically is it possible that where the hood hinge attaches to the body that the body area itself might be cracked needing welding or is more than likely a broken hinge? Just wondering what peoples ideas are. Thanks again!!

 

[MAD 69]

It sounds like you have the solution - go to Toyota dealer and buy new hinge? If that isn't it pick up a new pair of struts and replace the and the hinge. It should be fine as long as you don't have some hood damage, were you hit, what year is your Runner, is it rusted?

 

[MrBobDobalina]

Yea no damage yet, all that I can see is the small amount of play from the hinge area where it mounts to the body under the fender....So is there any tricks to pulling the fender and making sure it goes back on smoothly and aligned?

 

[MrBobDobalina]

Yea no damage yet, all that I can see is the small amount of play from the hinge area where it mounts to the body under the fender....So is there any tricks to pulling the fender and making sure it goes back on smoothly and aligned?

Okay update - I was pretty nervous to open the hood after the last time since it seemed like it would break off. I had to open it to check something else, so I had no choice....Well I found the problem and hopefully someone has a good way to fix it without getting a new hood....So where the hood hinge mounts to the hood, is where the problem is....I inspected by taking the bolts out a few turns and noticed they just pushed back into the hood cavity. So I am not sure how they are attached in there? It seems like what ever it is the bolts screw into must be welded inside the hood cavity. So basically I can tighten the bolts max, but when you shut the hood there is some play inside the hood where they are bolted to so the hood sticks up and you need to press it down with the palm of your hand and you hear all this cracking noise each time.

Here is the point where its braking, behind the hinge where the bolts are screwed into the hood.

They tighten up completely, but there is still a small amount of play, I am guess from the area inside the hood where they bolt up.

I'd like to get plan together to fix this before its completely ruined and I will need a new hood...Is there a way to weld the area where they bolt up inside the hood so I can fix this? Thanks again everyone!! - If someone can also just post a picture of a hood that has been removed so I can see how the hinges bolt on, that would help too....I just don't have an extra hand to remove the hood myself this morning. Not sure if someone has one lying around or if they have a picture from the past. Thanks!!!