Tuffy TJ & LJ Hood Lock

Good product. It comes with a single bolt to secure the lock. This seems like it won't work, but you need to know how it works. The lock is positioned in front of the Jeeps safety latch. When locked you can not push the safety latch up, so it catches the body of the jeep. Open the lock, and the safety latch functions normally. So if someone tries to force the hood open the pressure is applied to the body, not the lock. I have large hands, so installing the lock was difficult until I figured out an easy way to do it. Take an offset box end wrench, and put tape on the bottom side. Drop the lock nut in, and tape the flat washer to the top. Line up the washer and use two pieces of tape that contacts opposite sides of the washer. Contact the washer as little as possible, but still holds it in place. Now put the lock in place and insert the bolt in the lock but not into the hole. Position the angle wrench up to the back of the hole. Now you can see the nut and washer are aligned. Move the bolt into place and screw together. I did this after 20 minutes trying to use a ratchet, to hold the washer in place and start the nut.

Unless you have childlike small hands, reaching through the grill opening of the Wrangler TJ to line up and secure the backing nut on this hood lock is almost impossible. I had to use a very long and narrow needle nose plier to do this and even that took multiple tries before I finally was able to line it up and start the nut's threads...and my hands were scratched and bloody from the edges of the grill raking my hands from having to reach into the grill. Then once the lock was in place and I shut the hood, with the lock UNLOCKED, the hood latch caught on the lock and was very nearly impossible to open...I had to put a screwdriver into the lock area to pry slightly to get it to release. I tried several frustrating times to adjust this so the hood latch would not hang up on it but never could get it to work. Don't waste you money on this.

No problem with seller. At first install, the product would bolt up with the two uneven-length arms in contact with and behind their respective grille bars, but the product locking lever (the zinc-plated part turned 90 degrees by the key) would not rotate because its rear flange was above the opening in the grille top where the hood latch look catches. It was a significant interference fit. I had followed instructions to the letter, and removed the product. I reviewed again the instructions and noted under "Appendix A" on the reverse side that the drawing of the product showed the locking lever "upside-down" from how the product I received was put together (see photos -- the photo with a green background shows the product as-received, incorrectly assembled. The photo of the instruction sheet shows the locking lever in the correctly-assembled and locked position). THE FIX: With the key out of the lock I removed the brass-colored nut from the lock cylinder shaft and removed the locking lever, and reinstalled it on the lock cylinder shaft the way it was shown in "Appendix A" of the instructions, and tightened the brass nut securely. With the locking lever reversed (and now correctly assembled), THE PRODUCT INSTALLED LIKE A BREEZE, AND FUNCTIONS PROPERLY. The key head does not touch the grille bars in either locked or unlocked position, or while being rotated. With the product in the "locked" position, the hood latch hook is blocked from being pulled to the front to allow the hood to be opened. Four stars for a fairly robust product, but deducting one star for poor process control at Tuffy. There should be a "failsafe" assembly jig at Tuffy that accepts the locking lever only in the correct position during assembly.

2003 jeep wrangler sportnot a real difficult installPopped down the plastic tooth for the electrical lineI put a small drop of super glue on the washer and attached the nut to it.inserted and positioned the bracketput the bolt in and laid a weight on itput the nut\washer in a long 7/16 socket and pushed it up to the bolt i insertedscrewed the bolt into the nut\washeri had to move the bracket 1\3 to 1\2 way on the slot to get proper fitmenttightened the nutkey worked fine

Installed it on my 2003 Rubicon.I can see where it could really be challenge installing this lock without the right couple of tools, it's kind of tight between the grill slots.I used two 1/4" ratchets, one on top and one up through grill with an extension and a small inspection mirror.Use a small piece of tape to hold your nut and washer to your socket when feeding it up through the grill.You need to need to pop out the little wiring harness hold down for the new bolt first.Insert the nut, washer, socket & extension up through the grill slot and line it up on the underside of the bolt hole and and drop in your bolt, so easy, also make sure you don't pinch the wires between the grill and your new hood lock.Installed my new lock in less than 10 min.Take your time on the final alignment, this where the mirror comes into play, look up through the grill slots and observe the latching action and positioning of how it works, just cinch it up lightly at first and try it before final tightening. I could see if you don't do this you could get yourself locked in or out or all bound up with the alignment, then you'll just find yourself inventing new swear words !!I soldered like a 1" extension onto the head of my key as my big fingers barely fit between the grill slats, let alone trying to turn the key inside of the grill, this allows me to turn the key from outside the grill, so much easier.....I have more peace of mind now when my toy is outside at night or even just at the store.Have fun and keep on Jeepin......

This part appeared to be well made and sturdy enough.I however could not get this to fit and or engage the hood latch on my 1999 TJ.I even cut a slot in the metal shroud to try to get the latch to clear and still no success.Check out youtube theres a video on how to install a circular pad lock on the latch.very simple and works great.