Bonnet Struts

[Omurru]

Strut clearance isn't a problem, well not with the GTR anyway. I'm using new struts, not something pilfered of another car so using exactly whats needed. Their about the same size as the ones on the boot but much thinner. The ones on my commodore's bonnet for example are about twice the size, but the reason being is different location and different set-up.

The bracket will hopefully clear, thats sort of the whole strength problem, it would be easy to make one that would clear but it would be too weak, hopefully one thats strong enough will fit.

[MANWHORE]

damn, omaru, didn't realise you had a gtr. I have reason to believe that the r33 gtrs are different in the side of the bonnet area, so the tein gtr kits might not actually fit.

I have inspected r32s, and the gtr and gts are the same at the side, but haven't compared r33s.

If you're free at some stage, do you reckon you could take a picture of the edge underneath side of the bonnet,a nd also the side of the engine bay (whole length shot please so we get an idea of the context.

[Omurru]

If I can do it on mine without too many problems, i'll look into doing it for other models. Might have to run some group buys Doing a SAUVic run driver training thing tomorrow so will have a squizz at some of the other cars there and see if there's much difference.....

[Craved]

i'll probably need to make 2, one for the std steel bonnet and one for my fibreglass one.

mines a gtst so we can both have a go

[MANWHORE]

oh yeah. those fibreglass ones are light as. if you had a set of struts for the steel bonnet, pulling down the fibre one would probably snap it in 2 before the bonnet closes. lol

[Omurru]

had a look at a GTST bonnet today, never realied how heavy they are my commodore has a lighter bonnet Looks like there wouldn't be a clearance problem at all with them though, where the hinge sits is a slightly different set-up to the GTR and gives a bit more room...

[Wogboy]

I have done this mod to my R34. Brought new struts from E-bay for $50.00 (would never use s/h) that suited a late model Toyota Camary (had a look at one & the bonnet was about the same wieght as mine). It was a bit fidly but looks great and works a treat! Will post up some pic's.

[MANWHORE]

awesome wogboy!!! very keen on the pics. perhaps a close up of both sides, and also, if you could maybe quickly (or as detaield as you would like ) outline of what you did

[Wogboy]

Attached are some pic's. Drilled some 8mm clearance holes in the guards, cleaned up & painted. Got some 8mm panel washers then removed plastic inner guards, placed a 8mm nut & washer up inside the guard over the drilled hole then screwed in the ball end from the strut, tight! (this may sound straight forward, but it was a real pain in the arse! Specially if you have fat hands!)

For the bonnet I got some 3mm x 12mm flat bar & drilled an 8mm clearance hole in the middle then got an 8mm nut & welded it on, drilled some 8mm clearance holes in the bonnet, cleaned up & painted the bits & holes. I used a telescopic magnet to lower the flat bar bits through the large hole in the side of the bonnet until it lined up with the drilled holes (this was also fiddly!) then screwed the ball ends in nice & tight!

To stop the F/B from falling if ever I undid or if it can loose, I drilled a couple of 1/8 holes & riveted in.

Just a brief outline of what I did. Have some patience & it will look great & no more pole!!

[Craved]

looks nice and neat. nice work

does it still allow full lift in the bonnet?

notice any issues in closing the bonnet? does it require force from the top to allow it to close or does it fall from a point to close itself?

[Wogboy]

Bonnet opens further than using the pole, no different than stock when closing, just let the bonnet go 250mm - 300mm from latch & it locks no problems.

[Craved]

Bonnet opens further than using the pole, no different than stock when closing, just let the bonnet go 250mm - 300mm from latch & it locks no problems.

ahh sweet, sounds good, cheers

[MANWHORE]

Good work, but i was hoping for someting a little better. Just like the tein kits how they don't require drilling!

I was wondering why you decided to go for that approach as opposed to fabricating a bracket to bolt onto the stock bonnet bracket etc so you don't have to drill holes?

[Omurru]

been having a play last week or so, haven't been able to find balls (i dunno what you call them, ball one end threads the other end) that are the right size to screw straight into the panel holes, they only seem to come in 1 size round here and that size is too big. ie hole needs to be retapped. bent up some brackets the other night at work but left them there grrr. will get them next week and weld some cut off balls on and see if they fit

[Wogboy]

Good work, but i was hoping for someting a little better. Just like the tein kits how they don't require drilling!

I was wondering why you decided to go for that approach as opposed to fabricating a bracket to bolt onto the stock bonnet bracket etc so you don't have to drill holes?

There's a couple of reasons,

1- I think this looks more stock, if you look at alot of the factory setups they are all screwed into bonnets and guards, no brackets involved.

2- To manifactuce brackets as good as in the Tien kit can take alot of time and some fancy equipment, I did this at home and it only took around 4 hrs just taking it casual, it was easier in my opinion.

[Wogboy]

been having a play last week or so, haven't been able to find balls (i dunno what you call them, ball one end threads the other end) that are the right size to screw straight into the panel holes, they only seem to come in 1 size round here and that size is too big. ie hole needs to be retapped. bent up some brackets the other night at work but left them there grrr. will get them next week and weld some cut off balls on and see if they fit

What size thread are you after? All the automotive struts are 8mm thread, you really wouldn't want to go any smaller. Bonnets are quite heavy and at the geometrey the strut are at there's alot of weight on the thread.

Bursons and Repco sell the balls, but generally they should come with the struts.

[Omurru]

What size thread are you after? All the automotive struts are 8mm thread, you really wouldn't want to go any smaller. Bonnets are quite heavy and at the geometrey the strut are at there's alot of weight on the thread.

Bursons and Repco sell the balls, but generally they should come with the struts.

yar welcome to the delima, i think the guard bolts are 5mm from memory, or maybe even smaller. The strut guy I talked to said exactly the same thing, for a GTR or a carbon bonnet smaller thread would be fine, but for a GTST your gonna need the bigger thread to cope with the pressure put on it......Just seeing if I can do it without having to drill and tap anything.....

[MANWHORE]

omurru, that's what I was looking at too - without drilling and tapping. I found out that top secret actually sell an ecr33 kit (gtst) which uses the guard's bolt hole - just the small bolt. so it must be ok.

But the price is f**ked, when at the end of the day, it's just a small bracket, bolt,a nd strut

[Wogboy]

yar welcome to the delima, i think the guard bolts are 5mm from memory, or maybe even smaller. The strut guy I talked to said exactly the same thing, for a GTR or a carbon bonnet smaller thread would be fine, but for a GTST your gonna need the bigger thread to cope with the pressure put on it......Just seeing if I can do it without having to drill and tap anything.....

Guard bolts are 6mm, how were you going to do this? If you were going to screw the strut ball in to one of these the strut wouldn't swivel enough to raise the bonnet. Just curious.

[MANWHORE]

It would - have a look at the tein/top secret design i posted in post #2.

because it's bolted onto the bracket, the angle is very flat (unlike yours which is very vertical, so it deosn't ahve to pivot much .