Road Runner Nest

I'm convinced my Roadrunner is trying to kill me. It has made several attempts to decapitate me.

Apparently, it does not have the correct hood springs on it. They barely have enough strength to hold the hood open. The slightest disturbance will send the hood crashing down. I've been using an old broom handle as a safety measure. While it's an effective temporary solution, it's a bit tacky.

I've since learned that Roadrunners use a heavier spring than the Satellites. This is regardless of Air Grabber or not, and all Roadrunners use the same spring.

Unfortunately, there is a shortage of 71/72 Roadrunner parts cars around here from which to harvest a set of springs.

I have come across several 71-74 Chargers though, and they seem to have a heavier spring. I nabbed a pair in a recent trip to the salvage yard.

Does anyone know for sure if these are the same as Roadrunner springs? They're definitely heavier than the one currently on my car. They aren't too strong, are they? I don't want to have the opposite problem and the rear of the hood bulge up. I'd like to know for sure before I go to the trouble of blasting, painting and installing these.

Also, any tricks to installing them without causing grievous harm to surrounding painted surfaces?

It would be helpful if some of you N96 guys could count your coils and wire diameter and post it.

Mine are about 18 coils and the wire diameter is .223"

The Charger springs I found are 21 coils and .201"

Started with these original Satellite flat hood springs for my A/G retrofit, look at it wrong, the hood would fall. 18 coils, not sure of wire dia. but smaller that springs below.

Bought a set of Charger hinges off eBay that came with these springs, .245" wire, 18 and a half coils(note the way the last hook faces).


Made this tool to easily handle replacing springs. Some bailing wire, a short piece of 3/8" steel tubing, and a little duck tape to protect the freshly painted springs.
I have the original sport hood hinges/springs stashed somewhere, they looked to be the same as the flat hood springs.

One of the guys on Moparts posted a cross-reference for 71 springs (as you've apparently read). The descriptions I'm getting are somewhat contradictory though.

As far as removing and replacing, bending the spring back and forth and alternately shoving washers between the coils will hold it extended. I've used the same trick on clutch pedal over center springs. Then you just remove the washers. I was just hoping for a more graceful technique.

Like Nick's 71' info, according to the 72' parts book, the spring for the Plymouth N96 application was #3586092. Same number listed for the Charger standard hood. 3586094 is for the Charger sport hood(I assume that would be their Ram Charger hood). 3586088 for the non-N96 Plymouths, I read that as the flat and sport hoods. The two inserts can't weigh a whole bunch. Too bad they didn't stamp the part numbers on them, would have saved me a bunch of grief.

Here's an eBay action that came up under a search for 3586092. Coil count appears correct.

72RoadRunnerGTX wrote:Here's an eBay action that came up under a search for 3586092. Coil count appears correct.

Those sure look like the ones I brought home from the salvage yard. If he get's $90 for those. I'm going back for more!!!

My springs are off a 71 satellite and they are 18 coils. It holds up my ag hood just fine. They are the same springs that were on my 71 GTX and they only reason I replaced those was because the teeth were worn off. The reason the charger ones have more coils is because they have a longer hood and more weight to hold up.