Hood bar delete? NE1 done this?

[Anthony]

Just watched that Jay Leno piece on the s14 swap car. Coolest thing about that car is the hood bar delete IMO, using pneumatic hood or hatch shocks, anyone done this?

[KFunk]

So the support shocks can go bad like the ones that support the hatch or hood in every other car of mine?

[TobyB]

Yup.  It's not a BMW if it doesn't smack you in the back of the head in a light breeze.

 

There was someone years back who said it would be really easy.

I don't recall  any 'after' pictures.

 

I've never messed with it.

 

t

[Preyupy]

If you pay attention when they open the hood it does flex a bit.  Also at that angle those need to be unbelievably strong.  I do think it is a great idea, it cleans up the underside of the hood and even lets you open the hood a bit further. 

[72ITB]

I always wondered if the hood bar contributed to bracing the strut towers? albeit it's not directly attached but did BMW use that fat bar just for the hood? spanning the width of the car?  

[AceAndrew]

McMaster sells shocks that rated for various lengths/pressures.  I ordered a few options and ditched the idea shortly thereafter since my radiator setup would interfere.  There's no reason it couldn't work.  Just bear in mind, the higher the pressure, the more force you'll have to use to push it down.

[jimk]

1 hour ago, Preyupy said:

even lets you open the hood a bit further. 

Too far and your kidney grill gets a nice dimple.

[Conserv]

It certainly solves a problem I failed to recognize for the last 44 years....   ?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited May 4, 2017 by Conserv

[Son of Marty]

4 hours ago, 72ITB said:

I always wondered if the hood bar contributed to bracing the strut towers? albeit it's not directly attached but did BMW use that fat bar just for the hood? spanning the width of the car?  

Maybe but it didn't work, way back in the beginning of the FAQ there was a long heated thread on the dimples you got at the joint between the fenders and radiator support caused by spirited driving. My back yard engineering background leads me to think that this set up is running a real small triangle to lift the load of the hood which equals large forces on the set up.

[02Les]

4 hours ago, KFunk said:

So the support shocks can go bad like the ones that support the hatch or hood in every other car of mine?

The original shocks on my Touring's rear hatch door lasted nearly 30 years. I have just put on the 3rd replacement pair since.

Hope the one's on that Leno '02s hood were not supplied by BMW.

[LLCoolJQ]

Looks like the ones made by Stabilus for a 911 frunk, rear deck lid or whale tail will work. Struts looks the same.

[jimk]

Swap the end mounts for the hood support bar and the hood will snap up like it did when new (if you know what new was!).

[Stevenc22]

I also liked this idea. I do however have AC condensor and fan in my nose so im not sure what space i have available in there.

[TobyB]

Holy Crap, I just looked at the phone pic more carefully-

at that motion angle, those don't do squat.  They'll shove the

hood up as hard as they can in front (it's pretty floppy up and down to start with)

and not really do any 'holding' at all.  If they're strong enough to hold it up,

they'll murder the hood, the hinges, and probably eventually fatigue

the hood mount brackets on the body.

 

The world might end tomorrow!

 

(so I guess charging the phone's not that important)

 

heh

 

The thread I remember, the poster was trying to use smaller gas- charged lifters to emulate what the

bar does, but leaving the scissor action of the bars that mount to the fenders.  Which could possibly work.

 

t

 

Edited May 5, 2017 by TobyB

[burndog]

Such as this?


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