Bonnet struts

[RB30X]

I want to get rid of my torsion bars at the front to clean it up a bit, but without having to resort to a manual rod to hold the bonnet up every time.

A mob in the US do these kits: http://store.zraceproducts.com/mountinghardwareparts.htm

 

Has anyone here found a way to install some short struts to keep the bonnet up?? I was thinking of ordering a short set and having a crack myself. It does seem to require a hole to be drilled/cut out of the horizintal section near the radiator support panel.

http://album.hybridz.org/showphoto.php?photo=18420&size=big&cat=

 

[NZeder]

Yes I have - and using a Nissan strut too - however I do have a G-Nose so the hinges are different ie not double acting. I have worked it all out and it works fine for my setup - I can open the bonnet at any location and it will stay put

 

So you could just do as I did - beg borrow different struts, go to a pick-a-part and purchase different struts and test, test and test. I found Falcon BA boot struts almost worked but were too long for the G-Nose hinge. RX8 boot struts (with spoiler they are stronger than stock RX8) were too short. For my setup I went for Nissan Primera P10 boot struts and I welded a nut into the bonnet as it did not work if I tried to pick up on the bonnet mounting bolts (ie replacing one of the bolts with a 10mm ball for the strut to connect too.

 

There was a bit of testing and playing around but I got a solution for me that worked - when I get the car together again I will get some pics for you but that will be a few months away as I have still have lots of work before the bonnet is installed again.

[hunterzed]

You can go to repco or supercrap auto and just buy the shortest struts with the highest rating. They sell universal struts that would suit your needs. Just figure out where they will be fit the best and then buy the struts to suit. Another thought is to use some struts off the 280zx hatch. Its pretty heavy and they do just fine and you might even have a couple spare off the cars you have.

[nizm0zed]

i have done this conversion on the front of my zed.

I'll try and remember tomorrow to see if the specs and part no. are on the strut.

It was an off the shelf item (monroe) from autobarn, about $50 per strut retail.

I only used 1 strut, it was more than enough to hold my bonnet up.

I pretty much replicated the kit you have linked.

 

I have pulled it out and scrapped it though.

Problems i encountered,

 

1. Getting struts with a low enough rating, If they are too strong, they try to force the bonnet open at all times.

 

2. Twisted bonnet, because i only used 1 strut, it tended to twist the bonnet, while open and closed.

An IMPORTANT point to note though, im using a glass bonnet, so it has more flex naturally than the original steel one. Its also a lot lighter. (7 kg against 20?kg)

 

3. Excessive play in the hinges, That kit pretty much requires you to drill through the centre of one of the hinge pivots, and place the ball joint into it.

I drilled the hole and tapped a thread so that it'd all be flush. If there is excess on the other side of the joint, it binds up when the hinge moves through its arc of travel.

When you drill out the hinge, it tends to fall apart, hence, excessive play.

 

I wont be putting it back in, i can live with the metal rod.

I will probably end up looking into those electric lifter kits, i think that'd be pretty trick, and i'd be able to set the bonnet to any height i want.

[RB30X]

Another thought is to use some struts off the 280zx hatch. Its pretty heavy and they do just fine and you might even have a couple spare off the cars you have.

 

Yeah I did try some of those struts, waaaay too long.

Thanks for the feedback Nizmo, a glass bonnet would definetly exagerate any small issues over a big steel one. And I'll be using two struts so as not to have the twisting issue. Did you ever take any photos of where the lower section was mounted, and I'm guessing you had that same hole cut in that area.

 

This is a similar mod to over in the engine swap section. I'm trying to make my old Z more like a new car similar to those pulling out the Lseries and going something newer. Should I just be happy with a rod and keep it old school? ;D

 

Anyway , I've order some cheapies off ebay so watch this space.

[NZeder]

I mounted mine on the radiator support panel ie not through like the pic above. I did have one of these kits from the US but again did not work with the G-Nose hinges so I welded up the holes and started looking for a different solution for my application - pleased with the out come from the testing I did before the car was painted (waiting for me to assemble now) - I have a steel bonnet and I can place the bonnet anywhere in the range and it will stay put.

 

Given I don't have the stock hinges anymore you first want to work out the stroke required to operate through the range. Then I assume the forces would be same as the ones I have for a steel bonnet (I will check a strut website I found, if I still have the link, and let you know what I am using in that regard) then you just need to find a unit that will provide the stroke and force and then one that can be mounted with ease etc. I did fine that if the location of the strut mounting point was changed the forces required also changed (go figure, goes without saying really). Anyway I did find the BA boot struts were good but I could not mount them for my setup with ease - so hence Primera units will now be used with a modified bonnet (ie nuts welded in - I will get a pic of this for you and post up in this post)

 

EDIT: Ok here is a good gas strut/spring site that lists length, stroke length and the force. The Nissan P10 strut I am using is the second unit with the 720 force rating. see http://www.piston.com.tr/p_nissan.htm other manufactures are listed so again work our the stroke and the overall length you need then get some cheap ones of those and have a play.

 

Hope this info is of use to you.

Cheers

Mike

[nizm0zed]

Did you ever take any photos of where the lower section was mounted, and I'm guessing you had that same hole cut in that area.

 

Would you beleive i went out to take some photos and ended up spending the day working on my car.

Then i came in, and sat down to upload the photos, and remembered that i hadnt actually taken any. DOH!!!

So, after a second, special just for you trip back out to the shed, here is some pics for you.

 

 

 

 

I couldnt find the part no for the strut, but its a 370nM rating, with a compressed length of 225 mm (ball centre to ball centre)

and an extended length of 340 mm (ball centre to ball centre)

The strut body is 185mm long.

If i remember, i'll see if i can find the part no. at work and update this later.

[hunterzed]

That looks great and is what I had in my mind of how to do it. I was thinking of a mounting on the bonnet itself rather than the hinge though. With those numbers you don't need the part number. They'll do just fine when you go into any one of the auto stores.

[RB30X]

So, after a second, special just for you trip back out to the shed, here is some pics for you.

 

 

Thanks I feel all warm and fuzzy.

 

Did you have to weld/install that bracket that the ball is attached to or was it already there.

The specs of the toyota camry bonnet struts I just bought off ebay sound very similar.

 

thanks again

[nizm0zed]

that ball is a universal one, its threaded.

I folded up a quick bracket, welded a nut to it and screwed the ball in.