I just bolted on a CF hood but I'm having an issue with the latch / "U" (U shaped metal thing that pushes down and locks into the latch on the car).

The "U" on the hood was shorter than the stock hood, so I raised up the whole latch system that was bolted onto the car by about a half inch or so. I think this should be enough height now.

But when I push down on the hood to close/lock it, it wont go down and lock. I don't want to apply too much force since the hood is Carbon Fiber top, fiberglass bottom, so I'm not sure how to get it too lock using the stock system. And I don't want to push down so hard it cracks the hood!

I was thinking replacing the spring in the latch system with a low-tension spring instead, since the hood isn't that heavy? OR, I may just remove the latch system completely and go with the hood-pins, which I don't really want to, but I'm leaving that open as a last resort. And I don't want to go to a body shop :/

Anyone else run into a similar problem like this? Any ideas or advice?
I'd appreciate all the help I can get. So that is why I'm here asking the experts as I'm sure one of you out there has ran into this! Thanks in advance.

Here's some pictrures showing the difference in the sizes of the "U" (stock vs cf hood) :
"U"
------------------------------------------------------------
Thing to the right of the "U"

Thanks again!

 

adjust the rear bolts and re-center the hood, and semi-tighten

align the oem hood latch hook, and close the cf hood give it a firm push down right above the latch.

it wont crack. if you use both palms down and equal out the pressure.

then when it does close, pop open and retighten the rear..

i would suggest always using hood pins in all cases with an FRP/CF hood, even if it does latch properly.

 

Hmm, okay, I'll give that a try then, thanks.
What would you recommend for some good hood pins? I was looking at the NRG Carbon Fiber ones, but I'm assuming the weave won't match and would look funny, so I might just get regular black ones.

 

Also do you have a rad cooling plate? Sometimes the hood will come in contact with the plate and prob need trimming.... Adjust the two latches toward teh windsheild too, may need a slight pull forward... I have had to dremel the latches to make bigger holes for adjustment..

Although you may be careful pushing down on the hood, some ******* shop may not.. So be careful when dropping your car off.. It happened to me and the **** heads cracked my ****.....

 

Oh god, yeah that's what I'm afraid of and why I don't want to take it to a shop!

No plate, but I guess I'll play around with when I get home today and see whats up.

 

Aerocatch are without question, the best ones on the market

 

Aerocatch eh? Thanks for the info, I never heard of them, but I'll look on Google.

 

we stock them if you need a set - they do locking and non, as well as carbon and non. Can be painted too by your body shop if you want

 

I have never used hood pins on my Z but I may...... I hope they are easy to install..

 

Aerotech for me! not too hard to fit. Screw in the bolts to the engine bay, dab some grease on the top of them, lower the bonnet (hood!!!) down till it touches the pins, lift up and grease mark is on the bonnet, then have fun with the dremel!! First cut on a carbon bonnet is not the easiest one to do!! When you have done cutting use superglue on the edges to stop any fraying.

On the bonnet fit side of things, you still got the stay in place? Also what type of strut bar and any other engine mods? Ingalls Stiffee, throttle body spacer? It may be that you are sitting slightly proud and then bonnet is flexing over there meaning it comes up short on the latch...

 

I'm new to hood pins lol, what do you mean by locking and non? lol. And PM me a price for carbon if you don't mind / don't want to post. Thanks.
Yeah, I hope they are easy to install as well if I end up going that route. They look pretty nice (from the pics I've seen on-line).

 

The whole enginebay is stock. I haven't installed anything yet, just working on the hood.

I got everything lined up, the "U" sits right in the middle of the latch, I then push down using two hands to try get it to lock, but it wont. This was before I realized the "U" was too short. So then I moved it (the lock latch on the car) up about half an inch, pushed down again with two hands, but it seems like it won't lock with the stock lock latch. I thought it was because the spring had too much tension (I propped the hood up, and used a screw driver to see how much force was needed to lock the lock, and a LOT was needed). So I'm not really sure. Maybe I was pushing down to gently in fear of cracking the hood. I'll give it another try today and see what happens and let you guys know / post more pictures or video.

 

I am on my 2nd CF hood the first siebon TS2 latched with minor adjustment to the catch system. The second is a Mastergrade, this one will not stay latched even after elongating the holes on the latching system as far as was possible. Now I'm fitting the aero catches. I guess for safety's sake all CF and FRP hoods should use an aftermarket locking mech anyway...

 

Well I figured out my problem.
There was too much molding compound by the "U" under the hood, that it kept hitting the latch system on the car so I couldn't push it down to lock it. So I just filed away on some of that extra molding stuff and now it fits (still had to lift the latch system up about a quarter inch)

Haha, why I didn't notice this earlier, I have no idea.
I drove down the freeway like at 75-80mph to see if the hood would be okay.
Seemed to be sturdy, but I'm nervous so I think I'll be getting those hood pins lol.

Thanks again everyone.

 

i use sparco pins, but the aerocatch is a nice design but also like 3x the price.

good job on fixing the issue..

pin installation is easy. we have two holes on the radiator support frame that are next to the head lights that is a natural area for pins. install the pins w/ the supplised bolts nuts. then mark the top of the pins with a grease pen or something that can transfer to the underside of the hood, and close the hood on top of the pins. (looking from under the hood) using a step drill go up and make the holes big enough for the movement of the hood (in an arc) so it will clear the height of the pins. now do the same thing again with the grease marks ontop of the pin so that you can mark the underside of the top layer of the hood, make a pilot hole with a small drill bit. (from the top of the hood now) drill down (with the step'd drill bit) until the hood pin can come up through the hole. that's about it. secure the plates to the hood and you're set.

 

Dude, thanks for the write up. I do believe I have something to do this weekend now!

 

pict


look for the hole area on the driver side..