1998 Wrangler hood rod retainer clip installation

somis81

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I have a 98 Wrangler TJ and the hood rod retainer clip that came with it was a black metal spring clip that went into a small aprox 3/8" round hole on the sloped part under the hood.
Its the scuffed round hole. (not the square hole)

Rod Clip.jpg

It came loose and one day I was pushing the rod into it and it took off inside the engine compartment and I never could find it,

I Amazon-ed another just like it here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BM6Y811/?tag=wranglerorg-20

It came today, exactly like the original, and I cant figure out how on earth it can fit into the round hole, there are 2 protruding clips on the back of it that the larger clip will fit in the hole but once its in, the smaller clip wont get close enough to go in, and the whole thing just will not stay in the round hole.
There has to be a trick to this??

I don't have a square hole that takes the plastic retainer its a round hole.
I know there are a myriad ways of jerry rigging something, and my name is Jerry but I don't like rigging things, I bought it and by damn I want to make it work.

Thanks in advance for any wizard who can put a spell on this wretched clip.
 
I'm thinking you should be able to slide the long protuberance (middle-top in pic below) into the hole in the hood, then press the clip hard against the hood to put pressure on the curve of the clip's body (upper part of clip in pic), making it flatter, while pulling it down to engage the smaller protuberance...and that should hold it in under tension.

1596085829210.png


That all sounded vaguely pornographic 🤔
 
  • Haha
Reactions: DEValken and Chris
I have a 98 Wrangler TJ and the hood rod retainer clip that came with it was a black metal spring clip that went into a small aprox 3/8" round hole on the sloped part under the hood.
Its the scuffed round hole. (not the square hole)

View attachment 180396
It came loose and one day I was pushing the rod into it and it took off inside the engine compartment and I never could find it,

I Amazon-ed another just like it here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BM6Y811/?tag=wranglerorg-20

It came today, exactly like the original, and I cant figure out how on earth it can fit into the round hole, there are 2 protruding clips on the back of it that the larger clip will fit in the hole but once its in, the smaller clip wont get close enough to go in, and the whole thing just will not stay in the round hole.
There has to be a trick to this??

I don't have a square hole that takes the plastic retainer its a round hole.
I know there are a myriad ways of jerry rigging something, and my name is Jerry but I don't like rigging things, I bought it and by damn I want to make it work.

Thanks in advance for any wizard who can put a spell on this wretched clip.
If push comes to shove my welder {or some other less drastic tool) will make short work of it the next time you visit San Diego lol.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: TJ Hunnicutt
I'm thinking you should be able to slide the long protuberance (middle-top in pic below) into the hole in the hood, then press the clip hard against the hood to put pressure on the curve of the clip's body (upper part of clip in pic), making it flatter, while pulling it down to engage the smaller protuberance...and that should hold it in under tension.

View attachment 180427

That all sounded vaguely pornographic 🤔
Thanks, I will try that later today and let you know if it works.
 
I'm thinking you should be able to slide the long protuberance (middle-top in pic below) into the hole in the hood, then press the clip hard against the hood to put pressure on the curve of the clip's body (upper part of clip in pic), making it flatter, while pulling it down to engage the smaller protuberance...and that should hold it in under tension.

View attachment 180427

That all sounded vaguely pornographic 🤔

I just went through this, and this retainer goes in the square hole. It slides in and snaps into place. Here's the one I used on my '97:

Mopar 55075480AC Jeep Wrangler Hood Prop Rod Clip
 
I just went through this, and this retainer goes in the square hole. It slides in and snaps into place. Here's the one I used on my '97:

Mopar 55075480AC Jeep Wrangler Hood Prop Rod Clip
No doesn't work, as I said before I tried it and the square hole is not just too big for that plastic clip but the square hole is in line with the large hood spring and the rod, so the rod can't even get close to the square hole even if it fit, which it doesnt.
Thanks for the try though .
 
Finally figured it out.
My 98 TJ has a round hole on the sloped part.
TJ clip.jpg

The metal clip has 2 prongs on top that go into the small round hole.
1 large and 1 small prong,
I turned the clip around so the open part that retains the hood rod was facing the firewall, then tapped the back end of the clip toward the firewall slowly with a small hammer until the small prong clicked into the hole.
Then it was solid into the hole, I spun it round 90deg so the open end was facing the front and toward me and that's it.
 
So here it is ... over a year and half later and I'm trying to do the opposite. I need to take the factor rod holder out. One of the rod hold clips broke. How do you remove the holder? Just pull out with pliers? Anybody done this? I bought a replacement, but can't put it in until the original, now broken, one is removed. Thanks!