Genuine Dodge Caravan Hood

Dodge Caravan Hood Parts Questions & Experts Answers

• Hood Panel
  4860455AB
  Q: How should the hood be removed and installed safely and effectively on Dodge Caravan?

  A: The hood is rather massive and somewhat cumbersome to dismantle and assemble, it is advised to have at least two people do this. To start with one should cover the cowl area and Fenders with the blankets or pads especially when removing the hood to avoid damaging the body and the paint. When drilling the bolts head locations and the hinge attachment points, it is imperative to put alignment marks around these specific areas which will be the specific reference point during the bolt installation, Scribe alignment marks around the bolt heads and hinge attachment locations to assist in the alignment during the bolt installation process, and this may be done by using a permanent type of felt pen. Take out the upper bolts that hold the hood in place with the hinge and loosen the lower bolts until they can be hand twisted out of place. Set an assistant on the other side of the hood to help you hold the hood steady and also, while holding the hood using your shoulder, have an assistant unbolt the bottom part and pull off the hood. Installation is done in the reverse order to removal. To not tighten, the hood can be adjusted front-and-back and side-to-side by moving it in reference to the hinge plate, after loosening the bolts. Some models have ports that allow the user to scribe or trace a line around the hinge plate to observe its movement, then the bolt or nut should be loosened and the hood adjusted by a slight degree at a time, the hinge bolts or nuts are then tightened before checking the alignment. Align the hood with fenders when closed by fine tuning the hood bumpers on the radiator support and align the Hood Latch by marking its position, unbolt them and shift to the appropriate position when the hood is closed. Oil the hook latch assembly and the hinges with white lithium-base grease from time to time in order to avoid sticking and wearing out.