97 TJ Hood Safety Latch?

Mopar7014

Mopar7014

TJ Enthusiast
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Feb 18, 2016
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Does the 97 TJ Wrangler have (suppose to have) a safety hood latch or not? The one that you release thru the grill? Mine doesn't have one but I'm not sure if it's suppose to. As well as the rod that the hood rest on if it is raised up? Maybe someone removed it and never replaced it, not sure.
 
Mopar7014 said:
Does someone have a link to the correct Assy I need?
Click to expand...
There were two different latches used on the '97 TJ based on when it was manufactured. Look on your driver's side door jamb for the manufacturer's plate which will give the month and year of manufacture. Like my '97 TJ had a manufacturing date of 3/96.

HOOK, Hood Safety Catch
55074952AB 1 Up to 1-2-97, 1997 TJ
55176731AA 1 After 1-3-97

It's likely you need the first of those two part numbers.

The screw that holds it is:
SCREW, Tapping, M6x1x20

Once you figure out which of the two safety catches you need, just do a Google search. Very likely you'll be able to find it on eBay.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
There were two different latches used on the '97 TJ based on when it was manufactured. Look on your driver's side door jamb for the manufacturer's plate which will give the month and year of manufacture. Like my '97 TJ had a manufacturing date of 3/96.

HOOK, Hood Safety Catch
55074952AB 1 Up to 1-2-97, 1997 TJ
55176731AA 1 After 1-3-97

It's likely you need the first of those two part numbers.

The screw that holds it is:
SCREW, Tapping, M6x1x20

Once you figure out which of the two safety catches you need, just do a Google search. Very likely you'll be able to find it on eBay.
Click to expand...

Awesome! Thank you so much.
 
Mopar7014 said:
Ok so mine is after but the one I see on eBay is correct part number however the last two letters are
"AF" instead of "AA"? Was that a typo?
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The two letter designators just indicate a different revision of the same part... AF indicates a later version than AA is which normally indicates an improvement but it's still essentially the same part.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
The two letter designators just indicate a different revision of the same part... AF indicates a later version than AA is which normally indicates an improvement but it's still essentially the same part.
Click to expand...
OK, thanks Jerry. Now what about the small metal piece that this safety latch actually latches into that attaches to the underside of the hood?
 
If you're missing that too, I dunno. I looked for that in the Mopar parts guide too but didn't see it. I figured your hood probably still had it but since you confirmed it's missing too I'll look again.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
If you're missing that too, I dunno. I looked for that in the Mopar parts guide too but didn't see it. I figured your hood probably still had it but since you confirmed it's missing too I'll look again.
Click to expand...
Jerry any luck on finding the little piece that the safety latch catches into on a TJ hood? I have this piece but it locks into another...
 
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That's why I couldn't find it, I'm not even sure if my '04 has anything there... never looked specifically to see.

Edit: Just had the cover off my TJ to confirm that nope, there is nothing but a square hole in the hood for the latch hook to fit into.
 
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Yes. I've had three '97s. I had a Sahara for a little while that didn't have the same latch system as my other two. I didn't have it long but my recollection is that it didn't have the latch. It was a weird one though. It was an Ohio Jeep and supposedly it actually started out as being owned by someone who worked for the Jeep factory in Ohio. It didn't have AC installed. I bought it on the cheap as the frame was completely rusted through in sections.
 
So it didn’t take long to figure out my hood latch problem. Someone installed grill inserts which blocked access to the latch, then bent the hook over so it wouldn’t latch. I straightened the hook back to where it is supposed to be and the inserts are coming out. For now my pocket knife works to slide the hook over. The crazy things people do in their effort to customize....
 
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