Hood Strut Question

[Jesda]

On other cars I've used a broomstick handle with much success. Kept it in the trunk.

[RAP]

Here's the real problem with the above solution: the hood is designed to bend and crumple in a crash.

Strengthening at that crumple point could result in it coming through the windshield and decapitating the driver. In some cases, not much of a difference, I guess.

As if. Do you really believe all that bull****?



Jack

[qship96]

Actually, Brian is correct, the hood is designed to bend, or fold over during a frontal impact for a couple reasons including not blocking drivers vision and to prevent it coming thru windshield- all modern cars are designed this way-look carefully at the side edges of the underside of a hood and you will see the notches where it is designed to bend and fold over.

[RAP]

Well I'll be danged ! ! !

Now all the while I thought those were just buenas notches....

Oh well...

Still bull ****.

Jack

[qship96]

Yeah, who needs seatbelts, airbags, crumple zones, breakaway steering columns, steel beams in doors, ABS, stability control, disc brakes, or even turn signals -- modern safe cars suck, right?

[maxnix]

Basically yes, until you are in a collision and your fibia are compoundly fractured, or you don't have edema in your brain cavity, etc.

One compelling reason for me to purcahse a 1994+ G50 Q45 over an early version was the passenger side airbag for the wife.

Have I said "Thank you, Dennis" enough? No, I have not.

[Jesda]

I'm telling you guys... broomstick. Free solution that doesn't compromise safety, and guarantees the hood won't fall and smack you in the skull.

[RAP]

Yeah, who needs seatbelts, airbags, crumple zones, breakaway steering columns, steel beams in doors, ABS, stability control, disc brakes, or even turn signals -- modern safe cars suck, right?

Modern cars are like older cars as far as crashing them is concerned. All accidents are random events. What is done on a test track or crash test are controlled events seeking a specific results.

I never had any problems driving older cars. No accidents and I refuse to say how many decades of driving I have, so don't ask

Of ALL the modern gizmos mentioned above I like disc brakes and turn signals. Good brakes because I like to stop, hopefully before an accident happens, and turn signals, because of my consideration for fellow drivers.

Steel beams in doors? ? ? You mention that as though we are looking for a massive I beam type of steel? Have you ever looked inside a modern car door? Ain't much steel beam there. The whole damn car is constructed as light as possible as it is cheaper that way? And that is the bottom line.

You must be a Democrat if you need all that help getting from here to there in your car.

Jack

[jamesmost]

A lot of owners, me included, have had problems with bent hoods and many of these happened after the OEM struts were replaced with new struts. In many cases the new struts were OEM. If you need to replace the struts I think you might be better off replacing with a used set with equal, but lesser than new, compression. I sold a pair to a member that I was able to measure by compressing on a bathroom scale.

A also inherited a bent hood on my 94Q and came up with this quick fix after getting the hood painted and not wanting the crease to come back. It's not the prettiest repair I've ever made but it's functional. Ever looked at the tiles on the underside of the space shuttle? You wouldn't know it's a billion dollar spacecraft. I used 1" angle iron and had to open it up to about a 120 degree angle to fit the channel of the hood and allow it to close flush. It looks like my choice of fasteners was not the best. I'm sure there's many better ways to do this repair and improvements are encouraged.

Did I mention that all the parts needed for this repair can be found at your local Ace Hardware?

SO i sent ur picture to my Body Shop, they had e-mail problems so i faxed it apparently did not fax well but they got the idea.they used an aluminum angle iron, and did it on both sides, even though my problem was only on drivers side.they flipped the angle iron on the inside so most of the angle is covered by the hood pad. CAME out awsome cant even tell they did anything.

http://www.q45.org/gallery2/v/...13ddd
Modified by jamesmost at 10:05 AM 6/25/2008

[Q45tech]

I open hood at least once per week [to check fluids] that is about 1,000 times so far. Never needed anything except a monthly drop of hinge lube.

Maybe it all started as a couch potato HOOD never getting exercised.

[jamesmost]

I open hood at least once per week [to check fluids] that is about 1,000 times so far. Never needed anything except a monthly drop of hinge lube.

Maybe it all started as a couch potato HOOD never getting exercised.

thats nice - so do i but about 8 years ago i left part of my intake on the ledge just below the strut mount and closed my hood and bent it.thus the fix..............................................