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Daystar hood latches?

5K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  SheBotIt4Me 
#1 ·
(a.k.a. Daystar Hood Wranglers or Daystar hood hold downs)

I passed a dump truck on a fast two lane road today and experienced startling hood flutter for the first time. OK, I get it: big vertical grille + rubber hold downs + plus hood spring = perfect opportunity for flutter. I'd like a clean solution.

Removing the hood spring doesn't appeal to me because I'm forgetful and will undoubtedly slam the hood to all heck on a wrench, flashlight, or just the fenders.

I have read the other hood flutter threads and I like the Daystar solution, but the photos on the seller sites show the hood secured so tightly that the hood corner paint is chipping from fender contact!

Attached are photos of my stock hood latch (anvil), Quadratech's photo of the Daystar (blue) and Extreme Terrain's photo of the Daystar (orange). IMO, both sellers show extremely unflattering images of the product's effect on the corner of the hood. I've had my wonderful JK for less than a month, so I don't feel quite ready for chipped paint.

If you have these installed, is this extreme degree of clamp-down your experience?
Also, wouldn't you have to push the hood down very hard against the spring resistance to get the shorter Daystar-altered latch to engage?
 

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#4 ·
I'm on my second set. The first ones, 5 years old, started to crack. Amazon has them for a pretty good price.
Yes they are very hard to close and yes, my drivers side almost touches the fender. I'm going to figure out how and where I can add a couple of bump stops under the hood. Shouldn't be to darn hard.
 
#9 ·
Terrific: I'm sold. I'm going to give 'em a try for the price because that was a "nearly rip your hood off" level of scary. There's a similar road that I haven't driven yet with the JK, but typically drive more frequently and I'd be dreading every large vehicle.

Thanks for the great feedback.
 
#10 ·
Thread back from dead. My hood scared me for the first time, and I am weighing doing these versus new all metal latches. It would seem like, with some care, that the pins holding the stock rubber pieces on could be removed without removing the assembly from the Jeep. Has anyone succeeded in installing these that way?
 
#11 ·

Easy install, and mine has eliminated all of the flutter..FYI
 
#13 ·
They're awesome. I was looking at all sorts of much more expensive options, decided that I didn't care if my hood latches were metal or shaped differently since I never look at them. Put on the daystars at least two yeas ago and haven't thought about it since.

As said, the first time I secured the hood they were -tight- but even a few days later they were much better.

I have a 66 mile round trip commute, mostly highway, usually around 80MPH. No flutter ever.
 
#15 ·
Mine are very solid as well. Just broke factory fasteners with pliers and installed. $20 on Amazon was well worth it. I like the JL look but this is fine with me. I used a heat gun to warm them a bit, still tight AF. Need a set for my '19 Ram, should see that hood shimmy and shake! WTF, FCA, 110yrs and still can't get this right??? My 65 & both '66 Chryslers were solid after 40yrs. Sorry rant...
 
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