Hood Latch Solution

[TexasTruck72]

Hood latch injuries are one the biggest occurances when working on a bumpside, so I came up with a way to protect against it.

The past year I've been using a cut section of a foam swimming pool "noodle" to cover the latch. I simply cut 8"-12" off the end of a pool noodle and cut a slot down one side to the hollow core. It works best if you use one of the hollow, thick, and big noodles(see pictures). When I'm under the hood, I always make sure I have the foam noodle on the latch cause I'm over 6' tall and have had too many collisions with the latch mechanism. I keep it in my truck's toolbox or behind the seat when not in use. Just thought I'd share this solution to hood latch problems. Someone else may have already shared this solution, but I've haven't seen it on fordification yet.

[FormerMarine1981]

LOL That's one way to fix it

[Mancar1]

Now if my wife will let me cut the end off one of her pool noodles.

[wildcard]

That's the exact same idea I had yesterday. I have a piece like that on my trolling motor blade to keep from tearing the tarp. I was looking at it and decided it would work on my hood latch too.


I guess it's like they say, Great minds think alike.

[fordman]

that almost loooks like my front yard and house across the street too.

[FORDification]

Another solution is to put a slice in a tennis ball and then slide it up on the latch.

[TexasTruck72]

Another solution is to put a slice in a tennis ball and then slide it up on the latch.

Not a bad idea, but does the tennis ball absorb/soften the impact of your head? I know the foam noodle does and it makes it just about impossible to get a bruise no matter how hard you hit it.

[FormerMarine1981]

Even AFTER reading this thread this morning I caught my hood latch .

[jp2005]

Nice!

[forrestbump]

Great Idea! I was just getting used to the Bumps and Bruises on my head when YOU come along and change everything!

[390Nut]

you would think, that after three or four times of hitting the hood latch, you would learn your lesson. (I still haven't after 30+ years )

Not a bad idea.

[Mancar1]

It should be called Head Latch, cause it keeps trying to latch ones head to the hood.

[Bumpside Collector]

Cool idea! Thanks for sharing it.

[Hemmi06]

I like it, just got rid of last scab on head from an encounter...