C/F Hood

[scottski87]

When putting a C/F hood on can i keep my stock hood struts or do they provide too much lift for one?

[STLVR4]

Short answer - No

[vr4gto]

So use a stick to hold it up?

[Creative]

http://www.3sx.com/store/comersus_viewItemBundle.asp?idProduct=24379

[vr4gto]

Interesting. Never knew that had that.

[boomer3000]

yea but looking at that price for just two.... i think i will go with the stick.. call me cheap lol or maybe i just have princples.......................not!!

[STLVR4]

Right and if you read the note at the bottom it states that most CF hoods don't have the ports necessary for the hood struts. Furthermore it reads that installing these struts may be detrimental to the integrity of the hood itself.

So is it possible do have them - yes only if you buy a 3sx hood.

Is it worth it - probably not

Use a stick : P

[vr4gto]

Stick it is then.

[95gto]

Or you could get a dedicated pop rod or do something that is a combination of both ingenuity and total cheapness like I did. I made some locking supports out of locking brass hinges from Lowes for under $20. They worked better than a stick since they were mounted in place but they did look a little odd.

[vr4gto]

I've been thinking of rigging something like my Eclipse uses

[scottski87]

so obviously hood pin it down in front and then what for the rear towards the windshield? i've obviously never changed a hood so bear with me haha

[vr4gto]

so obviously hood pin it down in front and then what for the rear towards the windshield? i've obviously never changed a hood so bear with me haha

Use the stock hinges or use hood pins in the rear too. But that way you'll have to take the whole hood off evertime.

[scottski87]

cool works for me, otherwise have a board in the way or the hood blocking light in the garage. so just repaired power steering pump for the rear because the elbow off the top of it was about rusted through, got a welded and now i think one sprung up in the pressure line going to it from the hose to metal fitting. any ideas on where to find another one besides a dealership. I know i need to get rid of it but its a lot of shit to change right now

[vr4gto]

Cut it all off. Power steering is for sissies. :)

[boomer3000]

so the verdict is...drum roll please............................................ ............STICK!!!!

[vr4gto]

so the verdict is...drum roll please............................................ ............STICK!!!!

Basically. I'd use a traditional metal rod that most cars use. I'm sure one could be fitted in a 3S. Just for shits and giggles, maybe this weekend if I have time I'll try it. Kind of like this.

http://www.aww-kittah-aww.com/up/public/thumb_4bacdff6bedb7817808184.jpg (http://www.aww-kittah-aww.com/up/public/141898/33041360009_large.jpg)

[scottski87]

being done by....???? the fwd version which requires the front crossmember and the fwd power steering?

[scottski87]

i dont have any power steering now and it sucks ass lol

[vr4gto]

Start a new thread and explain what's up with the power steering.

[J. Fast]

When putting a C/F hood on can i keep my stock hood struts or do they provide too much lift for one?

Yes, you can use them but be careful when openeing the hood :) .

Short answer - No You can use them. I know several SCCA, NHRA, and NASA Racecars with CF hoods and OEM struts. I believe a respected member here would be Blue Velocity.

Right and if you read the note at the bottom it states that most CF hoods don't have the ports necessary for the hood struts. Furthermore it reads that installing these struts may be detrimental to the integrity of the hood itself.

So is it possible do have them - yes only if you buy a 3sx hood.

Is it worth it - probably not

Use a stick : P Struts work fine on the Chaser and VIS lines also

Jeremy

[95gto]

Yes, you can use them but be careful when openeing the hood :) .

You can use them. I know several SCCA, NHRA, and NASA Racecars with CF hoods and OEM struts. I believe a respected member here would be Blue Velocity.

Struts work fine on the Chaser and VIS lines also

Jeremy

95% of cf hoods on the market are fg hoods with a top layer of cf. The stock hood struts are sized to lift a 60lb hood, where cf hoods weigh less than 20lbs. What that means is that the hood will be under constant excessive pressure from the struts while you close it and when it is closed. Add some heat and time and your hood will bow and or break.

Go with low pressure struts or go with a prop rod of some kind.

[scottski87]

alright well i think the popular verdict is screw the struts just the regular connections will be plenty along with of course hood pins for the front. thanks guy

[vr4gto]

Drumroll.........stick. :)

[J. Fast]

95% of cf hoods on the market are fg hoods with a top layer of cf. The stock hood struts are sized to lift a 60lb hood, where cf hoods weigh less than 20lbs. What that means is that the hood will be under constant excessive pressure from the struts while you close it and when it is closed. Add some heat and time and your hood will bow and or break.

Go with low pressure struts or go with a prop rod of some kind.

Over fiberglass... I thought we were talking about a CF hood, maybe a 5 or 6 layer? They are strong... So strong that a CF front valence downforce wing 12" deep (the width of the front bumper) with 4 CF layers over foam can take 180mph wind and downforce and pull a suspension down on a 3000lb car on JIC's nearly 2 inches lap after lap. A true CF setup is what enables you to pull it off. A real CF hood is very strong.

By all means if you want a prop pull the struts. If you have a real CF hood there is no need to swap out the stock struts to prop with a stick other than weight savings. Swapping hood struts is one of those mods that you can say you've added that's a waste of money that doesn't do crap.

My personal favorite hood prop is a 9 Iron.

Jeremy

Jeremy

[xwire]

Over fiberglass... I thought we were talking about a CF hood, maybe a 5 or 6 layer? They are strong... So strong that a CF front valence downforce wing 12" deep (the width of the front bumper) with 4 CF layers over foam can take 180mph wind and downforce and pull a suspension down on a 3000lb car on JIC's nearly 2 inches lap after lap. A true CF setup is what enables you to pull it off. A real CF hood is very strong.

By all means if you want a prop pull the struts. If you have a real CF hood there is no need to swap out the stock struts to prop with a stick other than weight savings. Swapping hood struts is one of those mods that you can say you've added that's a waste of money that doesn't do crap.

My personal favorite hood prop is a 9 Iron.

Jeremy

Jeremy

show me someone that makes a TRUE carbon fiber hood for a 3S and I will show you a hefty price tag.... far as I know all carbon fiber hoods for a 3S are more set for look then strength

[ichihollow]

CF hoods take our cars to the ricer realm. I have a feeling you're not doing it for the weight advantage which i would understand it's an easy save of ~40 lbs but it's completely unnecessary. Want to put money in the car put it UNDER the hood.

[95gto]

Over fiberglass... I thought we were talking about a CF hood, maybe a 5 or 6 layer? They are strong... So strong that a CF front valence downforce wing 12" deep (the width of the front bumper) with 4 CF layers over foam can take 180mph wind and downforce and pull a suspension down on a 3000lb car on JIC's nearly 2 inches lap after lap. A true CF setup is what enables you to pull it off. A real CF hood is very strong.


show me someone that makes a TRUE carbon fiber hood for a 3S and I will show you a hefty price tag.... far as I know all carbon fiber hoods for a 3S are more set for look then strength

QFT

No one makes a mass produced dry carbon fiber hood for our cars. So you would have to get one custom made and it would cost several thousands instead of several hundreds. The standard cf hoods, which are a couple top layers of cf over an fg base are fairly strong but since it's all wet layup the carbon doesn't provide much more stiffness over some standard fg. Places are starting to offer dry carbon hoods but only for the more popular cars and they still run 2K-4K.

The other parts you are talking about are either aerodynamically nuetral or they are made using a vacuum bag setup and then baked in an autoclave. Otherwise the cf won't provide the high levels of stiffness. Done right cf is tough to beat but the cost of proper processing is so expensive that it is cost prohibitive for most people.

CF hoods take our cars to the ricer realm. I have a feeling you're not doing it for the weight advantage which i would understand it's an easy save of ~40 lbs but it's completely unnecessary. Want to put money in the car put it UNDER the hood.

In addition to weight savings in the correct area for improving the weight distribution of the car, most of the aftermarket hoods provide some additional cooling that the stock hood does not. Obviously some are much better than others but it's not just an all go and no show type of thing.

[ichihollow]

while we're on the topic of CF hoods, i am curious about the DIY CF hood kits. Any one ever played with one? 95GTO I can buy into the weight distribution/reduction, but i still don't see it as being cost effective unless you're in the higher levels of performance driving. My issue with them is that most people jump on them and/or any other VISUAL upgrades, before satisfying the engines performance needs.

[95gto]

while we're on the topic of CF hoods, i am curious about the DIY CF hood kits. Any one ever played with one? 95GTO I can buy into the weight distribution/reduction, but i still don't see it as being cost effective unless you're in the higher levels of performance driving. My issue with them is that most people jump on them and/or any other VISUAL upgrades, before satisfying the engines performance needs.

Aesthetics are obviously part of the equation and a lot of people do buy them just for looks. However using the same logic you could argue that most rim upgrades are rice, new paint jobs are rice, or any other vehicle body upgrade/repair is rice.

40lbs isn't a huge weight reduction but it helps. And don't forget that if you have done adequate engine upgrades you will want added engine bay cooling and a cf or fg hood is a good way to do that.

I am a form and function kind of guy so I want my car to be an avid performer as well as a reasoanbly good looking car.

[J. Fast]

I agree on the function and cooling effect. I like some of the Chaser models as far as function. I think they have one of the best CF designs out right now. I really like the new rendition of the GT300 CF57 hood. Even has the pressure relief on the firewall on the 2010 revision. http://www.aerokits.net/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_218&products_id=1611

Jeremy

[xwire]

I agree on the function and cooling effect. I like some of the Chaser models as far as function. I think they have one of the best CF designs out right now. I really like the new rendition of the GT300 CF57 hood. Even has the pressure relief on the firewall on the 2010 revision. http://www.aerokits.net/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_218&products_id=1611

Jeremy

yea just to bad that they have a rep of fitting like shit...

[J. Fast]

yea just to bad that they have a rep of fitting like shit...

Yeah... I noticed that. E.S. has a reveal that's less than to be desired but the overall function and design is very good. No matter how much he tweaked the adjoining panels it wouldn't line up! I've only seen their 1st gen 3/S and all gen DSM stuff so I cant say for the 2nd gen vr-4.

Jeremy