Carbon Fiber Hood + Hood Pins

[djet820]

Anybody here in the springs have a high speed dremel? I need somebody to drill holes in my hood so I can get some hood pins in, but not a single shop will touch it because they don't want to replace the hood if it was to crack while drilling.

[Weston-work]

You better be kidding. ;NutKick;

[Mario]

Dremel? I just use a 12v cordless drill and a regular bit. :) I just drilled from the bottom of the hood going to the outside.

[djet820]

I'm actually not joking. My friends did it with their hoods..."*drilling* ok now lets put the pins in"

10 seconds later it was cracking and spiderwebbing everywhere.

[Mario]

Your friends must suck... mine came out fine. :)

[Weston-work]

Why must you ruin a perfectly good hood (even if it is ricey carbon fiber)? I don't get it.

[Mario]

Why must you ruin a perfectly good hood (even if it is ricey carbon fiber)? I don't get it.

Me?

[Weston-work]

My harassment is directed at printer boy.

[Mario]

:rofl: Ok.

[djet820]

Actually it's the fact that the latch isn't holding. I think I might need to get a new latch.

Because my regular hood popped up and smacked my windshield when I was going 60 on the highway. So I got the CF one and now it shakes around 55. I just wanted to put hood pins in to secure it. To tell you the truth I really don't wanna do it because hood pins are ugly

mario come down and put the pins on for my car lol.

[Mario]

Honestly dude, mine wasn't that hard. Took like 10 minutes of drilling... we even took a small grinder to make the holes a lil bigger.

What kind of hood is it, and how is the fitment?

Aren't you going turbo?

[djet820]

Yeah I'm going turbo, I'm missing all of the little parts. so when I get my next paycheck I'm hoping to finally finish this long ass thing.

As for the hood I don't know, I had a shop order it for me. The fitment is perfect except it's raised on the left side about 1/5t of an inch because my hood brackets flew back when the hood popped up.

[Mario]

Damn dude, I am gonna beat you in the turbo race. :rofl:

Anyways, just curious.. my hood fit like shiat.

[djet820]

Does that mean you'll help me?

[Weston-work]

Then maybe you should fix the hood latch. Hood pins are only used on race cars because they don't have a latch (ie the hood would fly open without the pins). There is no reason to run pins on a car that has a working latch.

[Mario]

djet - if you were less than an hour drive... :)

Weston - my hood was unstable at 50 MPH +...

[STIBungy]

Do it anyways, that Del Sol that was at the Sport Compact drags broke it's hood latch while running and still managed to run 12s. :D

[djet820]

I did get another one and the hood still shakes. I just dont' want to spend another $500 for a hood/windshield.

I also remember jose telling me about Slavas hood cracking in half.

[Weston-work]

djet - if you were less than an hour drive... :)

Weston - my hood was unstable at 50 MPH +...

Fix your latch or hood alignment then. My hood will sometimes wobble at highway speeds too, but on several occasions, I have done 90 with it popped and it had no problems at all.

[doctorstupid]

weston, it's not at all uncommon for the latch to rip out of the hood completely. fact is, fiberglass (hate to break it to you guys, your hood is actually fiberglass) is not as strong as steel, so with enough wind under it it can easily fly open. hood pins are a good way to prevent joining the "dented roof, shattered windshield, fucked up hood, major accident due to instantly impeded vision club"

[djet820]

weston, it's not at all uncommon for the latch to rip out of the hood completely. fact is, fiberglass (hate to break it to you guys, your hood is actually fiberglass) is not as strong as steel, so with enough wind under it it can easily fly open. hood pins are a good way to prevent joining the "dented roof, shattered windshield, fucked up hood, major accident due to instantly impeded vision club"

lmao, yup. But it wasn't that bad when it popped up the last time...it was just the $500+ bill that made me shit my pants.

[stu]

Weston, I once considered removing my hood latch for room for my intercooler, but then I thought through the problem and went another route.

[Kwando]

To do it correctly you should start with a small hole and enlarge it slowly. HAHA (that sounds nasty!)

I almost put hood pins on my car when i had the c/f hood. I was too afraid the hood was going to fly open. It got a little wobbly at high speeds.

[STIBungy]

Is that the same as starting off with 1 finger and slowly moving to 2 and 3 and then your entire hand?

To do it correctly you should start with a small hole and enlarge it slowly. HAHA (that sounds nasty!)



















You knew it was coming...especially from me.

[Kwando]

Is that the same as starting off with 1 finger and slowly moving to 2 and 3 and then your entire hand?




















You knew it was coming...especially from me.


You are nasty! If these things are running through you head at 6 in the morning i'd hate to see what you are thinking at 8pm.

[oracle]

I have no problems with my hood. I have never seen it wobble at high speeds, and my fitment it like OEM.

[oracle]

You are nasty! If these things are running through you head at 6 in the morning i'd hate to see what you are thinking at 8pm.
I would have to agree with Simon

[fast01TT]

i have a high speed dremel but im not in spring

[STIBungy]

Me too. It worked pretty good for porting the wastegate. But it sure got damn hot, though.

[rmcdaniels]

I just used a regular drill. My hood was unstable at 60+, the front corners would lift and vibrate like hummingbird wings. Now it is fine at 130+.

[djet820]

I just used a regular drill. My hood was unstable at 60+, the front corners would lift and vibrate like hummingbird wings. Now it is fine at 130+.

Yeah that's the problem I was getting. First I thought it was the reflections and bumps in the road making it look like it was shaking. But I actually saw the corners and stuff shaking.

I just bought a drill so I'm going to be trying it tomorrow.

[Mario]

You didn't have a drill? Or a dremel? How do you plan on doing your turbo stuff d00d? :rofl:

[djet820]

Friends shop :)

My stepdad took all of the tools when he moved out. It was pretty sad when I was trying to change my bumper and my hood...I sat there trying to find socket wrenches but nooooooo, they were all gone.

[RedRiceR]

Any one in the denver area know where i can buy a CF hood, besides racing trenz

[STIBungy]

There are other shops in the Denver area.

Ask celicaman, I'm not sure if he's still able to get cf hoods or not.

Any one in the denver area know where i can buy a CF hood, besides racing trenz

[Dave_L]

I put the pins on bc the latch on the hood was only held by fiberglass and i didnt trust it. Also the hood was already drilled for pins from the kid i bought it from so i figured i might as well have the extra safety.

[Bedlam]

I have no problems with my hood. I have never seen it wobble at high speeds, and my fitment it like OEM.

Its because your hood isnt some ghetto cheapass piece-o-carbon.. :)

-Bedlam

[damian9669]

ive heard great things about the viz racing cf hoods.If I do pick one up its going to be a viz.Id hate to have a shitty fitting hood.That would just suck.

[ryanman]

I have a viz carbon fiber hood on my car. It shook anywhere about 45 mph so I put hood pins on and now I'm alot happier and feel alot safer from it flying up. I don't care what kind of CF hood you buy or how much you spend, those latches on any of them will not hold forever and you'll regret not putting hood pins on it.

[ryanman]

Its because your hood isnt some ghetto cheapass piece-o-carbon.. :)

-Bedlam
Neither is mine but I know what happens after some vibration breaks loose that "glue" that they use to hold the latch on, it's not pretty.

[Bedlam]

Neither is mine but I know what happens after some vibration breaks loose that "glue" that they use to hold the latch on, it's not pretty.

Hrmm..I suppose Jons hood has an advantage to a wider hood in that case. I have seen the latches on a lot of carbon hoods..they are kinda sketchy. Not sure that I'd be willing to put up with the hassle for the few pounds lost..unless there was some other functional purpose.

-Bedlam

[STIBungy]

I'm waiting for them to make a decent looking CF hood with vents for the STI. :D

[Kwando]

mine was a cheap c/f hood and the latch was just glued on also. now jon's on the other hand has an actual plate for the latch, so it's a little more secure but it can still fly open

[ryanman]

Hrmm..I suppose Jons hood has an advantage to a wider hood in that case. I have seen the latches on a lot of carbon hoods..they are kinda sketchy. Not sure that I'd be willing to put up with the hassle for the few pounds lost..unless there was some other functional purpose.

-Bedlam
Yeah, thats true.

[oracle]

yeah mine has a metal plate with the latch on it that is bolted on the hood

[STIBungy]

How much trust do you put on that latch?

yeah mine has a metal plate with the latch on it that is bolted on the hood

[Kwando]

I know of two people that have had hoods fly open on them not to mention that guy with the delsol at bandi during the last race.

[oracle]

How much trust do you put on that latch?
well everyone else that has this hood have not reported any problems. This hood has been out for 2 year without any problems.

[damian9669]

Sounds like the safe bet is to just use hood pins.Otherwise youre playing with fire.

[Mario]

Sounds like the safe bet is to just use hood pins.Otherwise youre playing with fire.

:werd: It's not worth the trouble IMO...

[Weston-work]

I know... just hook a chain to the underside of the hood that prevents it from going far enough to hit the windshield! :D

I still say fix your hood latch or alignment. If it's wobbling, then it's because a lot of air is getting under it and/or the latch isn't holding it down far enough. This can easily be caused by improper hood alignment, or the hook on the aftermarket hood being the wrong length. Make sure the latch lines up correctly (you may need to adjust it's height), and make sure those rubber stoppers near the front of the engine bay are set right.

[doctorstupid]

I know... just hook a chain to the underside of the hood that prevents it from going far enough to hit the windshield! :D

I still say fix your hood latch or alignment. If it's wobbling, then it's because a lot of air is getting under it and/or the latch isn't holding it down far enough. This can easily be caused by improper hood alignment, or the hook on the aftermarket hood being the wrong length. Make sure the latch lines up correctly (you may need to adjust it's height), and make sure those rubber stoppers near the front of the engine bay are set right.
or maybe it wobbles because fiberglass is flimsy compared to steel? ;)

[Weston-work]

But it's supposed to be uber stiff Carbon Fiber... in an accident, it's guaranteed not to crumple and to increase your chances of injury. Are you telling me that these guys got ripped off? :D

[doctorstupid]

it can be as stiff as anything, it's a matter of strength. i mean a 1/4" bolt is stiff, but relatively weak. unless they spent $2,000 for a REAL carbon fiber hood (i.e. one that doesn't have a fiberglass skeleton and has carbon fiber overlayed to make it look bad) with enough wind rushing over and under it there is a chance the latch will let go. obviously the chances of that are less with a well-built hood, but it's a chance you take no matter what.

as i said on the first page of this thread, a "carbon fiber" hood's structure is composed solely of fiberglass. carbon fiber is strong, yes, but its strength is mostly directional. hitting a hood from the front of the car probably won't do much damage, hit it from the top and kiss that hood good bye. and the fiberglass skeleton will still be able to flex and tear and fracture and fuck up your day. your chance for injury is the hinge bolts will rip out of the fiberglass skeleton and the hood will come through the windshield to say hello. again, it's a matter of the fiberglass (what the hood is actually made of) failing.

[RedRiceR]

you know the hail storm that just happened about a month ago, how will the CF hood will handle that if it happens agian? will it dent like a stock one?

[damian9669]

I dont think carbon fiber dents.If it does anything it will probably crack or shatter.Thats what ive heard anyways.