Interest check - ~Kellyefields~ custom hood damper kit

MarkGideon · 03-02-2013, 11:34 AM

Second try, and still no luck. I have probably maxed out on the spacers I can add. I have a washer, a jamb nut, and a plastic spacer I made from some leftover parts from a wall mount kit for a flat screen TV. (The plastic spacers are heavy duty and like a thick ABS washer of sorts.)

First pic shows the "Frankestein" spacer stack. It provides right at a half-inch rise for the ball stud mount. I don't think I can go any higher at this point. I think I am getting close to the max clearance to the hood, and I have just enough threads underneath for a washer and the nut.

With the spacers in and everything in place, it still is making significant contact with the plastic trim pieces, flexing the strut (inner part), and pushing the trim pieces down (and you can see the rubber seal pulling away from inner fender) as the hood closes. The following is the hood bulge I have with them installed and the hood closed.

The last pic is the hood with the struts removed, just as a comparison. (Sorry for the blurry phone pic. I was trying to get the same angle as the last pic.)

I am not posting this follow up to take away from the effort put into making this kit available to the community. I really do appreciate the effort, time, and personal financial commitment involved. I am open to any suggestions, because this is a really neat mod, but for now I will just use the prop rod Nissan provided.

Baer383 · 03-02-2013, 11:43 AM

Go back and read post 186 and you will see your answer,I had the same problem with a different company,and also had the same problem with Z1's after I did what I posted in 186 all is good.

MarkGideon · 03-02-2013, 12:25 PM

Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't have a heat gun nor do I know anyone that does. At this point I don't want to put any more money into this mod buying or renting one. Also, heating up the plastic trim to just short of its melting point to deform it to fit the struts does not sound like a solution I want to attempt either.

Baer383 · 03-02-2013, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkGideon

Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't have a heat gun nor do I know anyone that does. At this point I don't want to put any more money into this mod buying or renting one. Also, heating up the plastic trim to just short of its melting point to deform it to fit the struts does not sound like a solution I want to attempt either.

You don't melt it you just heat it up so it bends then cool it off.

kellyefields · 03-02-2013, 01:11 PM

Something is not right in terms of the installation. If you can take a pic of the engine bay open maybe I could tell you what it is. It may be the plastic covers is not seated correctly. you can also do the heat procedure by just running the car one day and allow the strut to force it into position and once you are home using a rag and press it down and then allow it to cool. By any chance are you going to zdays. if you are I will be there and I can help you install it and figure out why is it not working. chances are it is something simple that is happening. but I will do everything to make it right.

dmhenderson · 03-02-2013, 01:11 PM

Also you can get a non-fancy heat gun for like $20 on amazon or home depot

NitrousZ34 · 03-03-2013, 08:52 PM

Mine fit perfectly now. Hood closes smoothly and everything. To anyone that has problems just try tweaking your brackets a bit. A couple centimeters can make a huge difference with these things.

LMBmikeZ · 03-03-2013, 08:58 PM

Awesome glad you got it fixed NitrousZ34. I figured it was just missing a small adjustment

kellyefields · 03-03-2013, 09:14 PM

can you go into detail on what you did. I would really like to know what the difference was. It may be because I have done a few installs that I am overlooking something that I always do but not realize it and be able to put that in my next video and instructions to help others out.

NitrousZ34 · 03-04-2013, 03:00 AM

When my strut bar was off my boss said he will check it and fix it accordingly. I think what he did was adujust the bracket slightly to where the ball faces downwards a tiny bit more. I don't think I'm explaining it right. I'll ask him tomorrow exactly what he did. If others can't get it to work, I think that if they notched out part of the plastic then it could work too and help lower the strut and prevent bulge. You can also trim the plastic down around the lower ball joint so it sits on the metal, and it will be lower, flush, and look OEM.

cdoxp800 · 03-08-2013, 04:45 PM

Mine are installed. I did not use the washers. I came up with my own Idea. This spacer fits through the hole in the plastic while allowing it some movement. This spacer is 10mm in height. No contact with the Hood at all. Looks like factory Product now.

Joepro · 03-09-2013, 11:20 AM

I think im going to to mine today or tomorrow since it will be nice here. I like nitrous's idea, ill try that id I have issues.

BeemaaZ · 03-09-2013, 11:41 AM

Mine fit perfectly without any extra washers. You just need to drive the car to warm up the engine bay and let them settled in.

dmhenderson · 03-09-2013, 12:22 PM

Yeah mine have carved out little grooves in that foam cushion. Absolutely no issues. Had two of these kits at the MAZOC meet today and no problems with either.

Joepro · 03-19-2013, 07:00 PM

Installed mine today with my m370. Sadly I have to report hood bulge..BUT its not all bad news. I went for a 1 long drive after I finished the manifold, and 75% of the bulge is now gone! It is still cold here so I covered the car back up, t, I think over a short period of time after it warms up around here it will be all gone. Really happy with the kit, even now it is so small, no one will notice it.

03-02-2013, 11:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
MarkGideon Base Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: USA, SC Posts: 213 Drives: 2012 370Z Base Rep Power: 15	Second try, and still no luck. I have probably maxed out on the spacers I can add. I have a washer, a jamb nut, and a plastic spacer I made from some leftover parts from a wall mount kit for a flat screen TV. (The plastic spacers are heavy duty and like a thick ABS washer of sorts.) First pic shows the "Frankestein" spacer stack. It provides right at a half-inch rise for the ball stud mount. I don't think I can go any higher at this point. I think I am getting close to the max clearance to the hood, and I have just enough threads underneath for a washer and the nut. With the spacers in and everything in place, it still is making significant contact with the plastic trim pieces, flexing the strut (inner part), and pushing the trim pieces down (and you can see the rubber seal pulling away from inner fender) as the hood closes. The following is the hood bulge I have with them installed and the hood closed. The last pic is the hood with the struts removed, just as a comparison. (Sorry for the blurry phone pic. I was trying to get the same angle as the last pic.) I am not posting this follow up to take away from the effort put into making this kit available to the community. I really do appreciate the effort, time, and personal financial commitment involved. I am open to any suggestions, because this is a really neat mod, but for now I will just use the prop rod Nissan provided. __________________ 2012 370Z Base Gun Metallic--2015 Altima 2.5SV Gun Metallic--2020 Chevy Silverado RST--1965 Chevy C10 Stepside Shortbed

03-02-2013, 11:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
Baer383 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lawrenceville,Ga Posts: 4,293 Drives: My foot up your azz Rep Power: 31	Go back and read post 186 and you will see your answer,I had the same problem with a different company,and also had the same problem with Z1's after I did what I posted in 186 all is good. __________________ 2013 ZL1 754 rwhp 747 rwtq

03-02-2013, 12:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
MarkGideon Base Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: USA, SC Posts: 213 Drives: 2012 370Z Base Rep Power: 15	Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't have a heat gun nor do I know anyone that does. At this point I don't want to put any more money into this mod buying or renting one. Also, heating up the plastic trim to just short of its melting point to deform it to fit the struts does not sound like a solution I want to attempt either. __________________ 2012 370Z Base Gun Metallic--2015 Altima 2.5SV Gun Metallic--2020 Chevy Silverado RST--1965 Chevy C10 Stepside Shortbed

03-02-2013, 01:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
kellyefields A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Lexington Ky #BBN Age: 49 Posts: 1,166 Drives: Supercharged Rep Power: 18	Something is not right in terms of the installation. If you can take a pic of the engine bay open maybe I could tell you what it is. It may be the plastic covers is not seated correctly. you can also do the heat procedure by just running the car one day and allow the strut to force it into position and once you are home using a rag and press it down and then allow it to cool. By any chance are you going to zdays. if you are I will be there and I can help you install it and figure out why is it not working. chances are it is something simple that is happening. but I will do everything to make it right. __________________ MY 2009 SC BUILD.

03-02-2013, 01:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
dmhenderson A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 5,930 Drives: AWD TT 370z Rep Power: 28	Also you can get a non-fancy heat gun for like $20 on amazon or home depot __________________

03-03-2013, 08:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
NitrousZ34 Banned Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Canoga Posts: 505 Drives: Myself crazy Rep Power: 0	Mine fit perfectly now. Hood closes smoothly and everything. To anyone that has problems just try tweaking your brackets a bit. A couple centimeters can make a huge difference with these things.

03-03-2013, 08:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
LMBmikeZ A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 12,237 Drives: 40th Rep Power: 10352	Awesome glad you got it fixed NitrousZ34. I figured it was just missing a small adjustment __________________ CUSTOM NISMO \| BERK \| H&R \| STANCE \| SPL everything \| EVO-R \| 34 Setrab \| WHITELINE \| Redline \| Carkitcompany \| Zspeed \| UpRev \| SEIBON

03-03-2013, 09:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
kellyefields A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Lexington Ky #BBN Age: 49 Posts: 1,166 Drives: Supercharged Rep Power: 18	can you go into detail on what you did. I would really like to know what the difference was. It may be because I have done a few installs that I am overlooking something that I always do but not realize it and be able to put that in my next video and instructions to help others out. __________________ MY 2009 SC BUILD.

03-04-2013, 03:00 AM	#10 (permalink)
NitrousZ34 Banned Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Canoga Posts: 505 Drives: Myself crazy Rep Power: 0	When my strut bar was off my boss said he will check it and fix it accordingly. I think what he did was adujust the bracket slightly to where the ball faces downwards a tiny bit more. I don't think I'm explaining it right. I'll ask him tomorrow exactly what he did. If others can't get it to work, I think that if they notched out part of the plastic then it could work too and help lower the strut and prevent bulge. You can also trim the plastic down around the lower ball joint so it sits on the metal, and it will be lower, flush, and look OEM.

03-09-2013, 11:20 AM	#12 (permalink)
Joepro A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Athens ohio Posts: 1,213 Drives: Company car Rep Power: 35	I think im going to to mine today or tomorrow since it will be nice here. I like nitrous's idea, ill try that id I have issues. __________________ Swift\|Koni\|SPC\| FI CBE\|Z1\|Stillen\|Sbend\|Zspeed\|R/T Tuned\|523 whp\|458 tq\|10.5 psi\|SOLD Joepro's Journal\|Joepro's Boosted Performance Build \|Pittsburgh-Western-Pa-Ohio-Wv-Group

03-09-2013, 12:22 PM	#14 (permalink)
dmhenderson A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 5,930 Drives: AWD TT 370z Rep Power: 28	Yeah mine have carved out little grooves in that foam cushion. Absolutely no issues. Had two of these kits at the MAZOC meet today and no problems with either. __________________

03-19-2013, 07:00 PM	#15 (permalink)
Joepro A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Athens ohio Posts: 1,213 Drives: Company car Rep Power: 35	Installed mine today with my m370. Sadly I have to report hood bulge..BUT its not all bad news. I went for a 1 long drive after I finished the manifold, and 75% of the bulge is now gone! It is still cold here so I covered the car back up, t, I think over a short period of time after it warms up around here it will be all gone. Really happy with the kit, even now it is so small, no one will notice it. __________________ Swift\|Koni\|SPC\| FI CBE\|Z1\|Stillen\|Sbend\|Zspeed\|R/T Tuned\|523 whp\|458 tq\|10.5 psi\|SOLD Joepro's Journal\|Joepro's Boosted Performance Build \|Pittsburgh-Western-Pa-Ohio-Wv-Group

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Evo-R Hood Damper Install	Stealth36	Exterior & Interior	10	06-29-2013 07:11 PM
The Z Store - CF hood damper kit	whittier	Nissan 370Z Roadster (Convertible)	3	01-25-2013 08:17 AM
hood damper kit??? where?	boomboom	Exterior & Interior	4	08-22-2012 06:19 PM
FS: Prosport CF Hood damper set with bracket	kenchan	Parts for sale (Private Classifieds)	14	08-27-2010 12:12 AM