It is like a flat headed bolt but with no threads. There is a channel cut into it near the end to retain the clip. For some reason I am unable to give it the proper name. Perhaps a stud? Anyways it is welded to the inner fender or part of the cowl by the head of it.

For the other poster. Using wd40. I do not consider it a true lubricant. It has some uses. And truthfully I use it on occasion as well.

Yet as a reasonably longer term lubricant or even short term I believe it has no place.

It would penetrate better into the space between the bushing and stud. But following it after with some form of oil is required in my opinion. The hood is not opened often enough for any dirt accumulation in the oil to be of any signifigant wear concern.

People in general buy wd40 because it is both well known and cheap. More a cheap solvent based product than a lubricant. Again just in my opinion.

I also believe they may have changed the base chemical some years back. I have found it far too flammable to be considered an oil. No big deal though at the same time.

People that ignore lubricating that hard to get to point on both sides. Can get into a world of trouble eventually. The additional loading with a seizing bearing transfers to a lot of stress on the hinge itself as well. Possibly distorting it over time. As well as a piece of the sheet metal and stud being torn out of the body metal when it totally seizes.

You do have to pull the battery to get it lubricated on one side I think I remember. You can get the weld into the area using very small diameter stick welding rods. Required as you are welding thinner sheet metal plus the length of the rod gives access. There is no room to get a mig head in there I believe. .

Remember this episode in my case was well over twenty years ago. So every last detail is not registering in my mind. It was just more miserable than memorial at the time.

The break for the poster may be his stud is still there and somehow the retaining clip came off the end. He may have an easy repair.

For clarity what I have been discussing is at the very end of the hood hinges. Plus if you did not pull the battery to lubricate it previously it would have been very hard to get that side lubricated at the last hinge position.