Hood brackets won't go down

It is almost impossible to push the hood hinges down without the hood on. The springs are to counter the weight of the hood and assist in closing and opening. Remember that when you close the hood, you are using the entire length of the hood as a lever, and the hood is usually still not easy to close. Now take away that lever and try to do it with the short stubby leg of the hinge. Not gonna happen without removing the spring. And like Charger70 says, they will not stay down for long, especially if you plan on driving that way. Just my experience. Geof