Install Steps

1. Remove the factory parts. Remove your factory hood, hood hinges, and wiper cowl.
2. Mark the hinge locations. Measure and mark the center of your cowl with a vertical line on masking tape, then measure out 23″ from the center line on both sides and draw vertical lines to mark the hinge base locations. Double-check your measurements for accuracy.
3. Make a hinge face template. Disassemble the hinge arms from the hinge bases, trace the face of the hinge base onto a piece of paper or poster board, and mark the 4 mounting holes plus the slot for the hinge arm.
4. Drill and cut. Drill all 4 hinge base mounting holes with a 5/16″ drill bit, and the top and bottom of the hinge arm slot with a 9/16″ drill bit. Finish cutting the slot with a body saw or cutoff wheel.
5. Install hardware and check clearance. Insert the hinge base and loosely install all mounting hardware, including the hood lift strut bracket. Trim the firewall pinch if needed for bracket clearance. Torque all hardware to 25 ft-lbs, slide the hinge arm through the cowl, reassemble with the hinge base, and run it up and down to check for clearance.
6. Mount the hood. Weld the hood mounting pads to the hood brace on the underside of the hood. Either repeat your cowl measurements to find the hood center, or loosely mount the pads to the hinge arm, remove the inner fenders and front wheels, and set the hood on the truck to confirm it’s centered and fits correctly before welding.
7. Install the lift struts. If equipped, install the 4 hood lift struts on the outside of the firewall bracket to triangulate the shocks and help stabilize the hood.