Good Sam Club Open Roads Forum: 20201 Class C on Ford E-450-Heavy Hood


Open Roads Forum	Already a member? Login here. If not, Register Today! \| Help

Newest | Active | Popular | RVing FAQ

Forum Rules | Forum Posting Help and Support | Contact

Open Roads Forum > Class C Motorhomes > Class C

Reply to Topic | Subscribe | Print Topic | Post New Topic |

jolooote

Miami, FL

Senior Member

Joined: 01/29/2002

View Profile

Offline

Posted: 01/14/22 07:33pm

Link | Quote | Print | Notify Moderator

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

North-East Illinois

Senior Member

Joined: 02/26/2007

View Profile

Offline

Posted: 01/15/22 09:30am

Link | Quote | Print | Notify Moderator

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.

2007 Phoenix Cruiser model 2350, with 2006 Jeep Liberty in-tow

bukhrn

Lanexa, Va

Senior Member

Joined: 03/20/2005

View Profile

Good Sam RV Club Member

Offline

Posted: 01/15/22 01:51pm

Link | Quote | Print | Notify Moderator

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
You can have my RV, when you pry my cold dead fingers from the Steering Wheel

bobndot

USA

Senior Member

Joined: 08/21/2007

View Profile

Offline

Posted: 01/15/22 04:08pm

Link | Quote | Print | Notify Moderator

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.