Hood Pins - where to mount (keeping AC)

[Moron95M3]

Any clue on where to mount hood pins? I'm keeping the A/C on the car so I can't use the spot where most track cars use. The rest of the radiator support is not flat...so I'm curious where's the best spot to use.


p.s...I do not want to put stock cable in...and it's not financially worth it for my beater car. Hood pins were $15 at autozone...

Here's a track car (jmitro's) and he used a nice flat spot...but that's where the A/C condenser used to be.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i308/jmitro2000/IMG_0184.jpg

[mynameisBMW]

Are you sure that location would interfere with the AC condenser? Isn't the AC condenser in front of the radiator? I bet there is room up in that upper radiator support for the pins. Do they extend that far below what we see in that pic?

[Pik Masta]

I believe your suppose to mount the hood pins on the front frame of the car where the radiator mounts to. At least that's where I seen other cars do.

[JDStrickland]

I have no interest in hood pins, so excuse me if this sounds stupid...

Why don't you put the pins where the hood latches go?

Seems to me, as stupid as I am in this area, that the pins and the latches would not co-exist -- you have one or the other. If you want pins, then you don't want the latches. Since you don't want the latches, then take them off and put the pins where the latches used to be. You have the parallel flat surfaces to work with, and the intitial holes in the hood to start with for drilling to the outside.

The car in your example has the original hood latches removed...

Having said that, I think the space where the guy in your example put his pins is empty underneath. You should be able to gain access to the underside of that support by removing the plastic cover and the top radiator mounts, then you can mount the pins and put the radiator back in place. I don't know how much space the hood pins need on the bottom, but there is space under that support that you should be able to used.

(I'm not suggesting that hood pins are bad, I'm only saying that I would never put them on my car because that's just the way I roll... I get that they might be a requirement for the track.)

[flyfishvt]

Well I just went out and looked. The car in that pic is using the holes for the bolts that hold the top of the condensor in place. You might be able to get away with that and make your pins do both jobs. My suggestion is to look at the hood. Its divided up into three sections. Measure to the middle of the outer sections and mount the pins on the front support. That way you won't get the edges of the hood bouncing around and it will look pretty symetrical. If you mount them too far to the center of the hood you'll lose a lot of support for the edges.

[Moron95M3]

Are you sure that location would interfere with the AC condenser? Isn't the AC condenser in front of the radiator? I bet there is room up in that upper radiator support for the pins. Do they extend that far below what we see in that pic?

Yep if you look that is in front of the radiator. Where the pic shows the pins are exactly where these mounts go:

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/f/a/23.png


I believe your suppose to mount the hood pins on the front frame of the car where the radiator mounts to. At least that's where I seen other cars do.

Yep I agree...there are 2 slight issues (hence the question) with this:

1. the rad support isn't flat, thus the pins will angle forward, conflicting even more with the hood when it closes...but maybe that's not a very big deal

2. If you pull up on that support, you can feel it move, it's only strong in between the supports that attach down low (part 12). the 'wings' of the part seem weak (but maybe that's not that bad)

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/t/e/3.png


I have no interest in hood pins, so excuse me if this sounds stupid...

Why don't you put the pins where the hood latches go?

Seems to me, as stupid as I am in this area, that the pins and the latches would not co-exist -- you have one or the other. If you want pins, then you don't want the latches. Since you don't want the latches, then take them off and put the pins where the latches used to be. You have the parallel flat surfaces to work with, and the intitial holes in the hood to start with for drilling to the outside.

The car in your example has the original hood latches removed...

Having said that, I think the space where the guy in your example put his pins is empty underneath. You should be able to gain access to the underside of that support by removing the plastic cover and the top radiator mounts, then you can mount the pins and put the radiator back in place. I don't know how much space the hood pins need on the bottom, but there is space under that support that you should be able to used.

(I'm not suggesting that hood pins are bad, I'm only saying that I would never put them on my car because that's just the way I roll... I get that they might be a requirement for the track.)


I have had this same thought...I will look into using the same spot - while keeping the driver's side piece on the hood (safety catch).

Yea I don't 'want' to run hood pins...but on a sub $2k car I don't want to put $150 worth of parts into it when I can do it for 10% of that. (and this may turn into a rally car eventually...seriously...)


Well I just went out and looked. The car in that pic is using the holes for the bolts that hold the top of the condensor in place. You might be able to get away with that and make your pins do both jobs. My suggestion is to look at the hood. Its divided up into three sections. Measure to the middle of the outer sections and mount the pins on the front support. That way you won't get the edges of the hood bouncing around and it will look pretty symetrical. If you mount them too far to the center of the hood you'll lose a lot of support for the edges.

Thanks fly, yea part of me doesn't want to F with the condensor...rather leave it than touch it and inherently have it fail.

And I'll make sure to keep them some what towards the outsides of the hood.



Thanks everyone for the responses so far!

[mynameisBMW]

Well I just went out and looked. The car in that pic is using the holes for the bolts that hold the top of the condensor in place. You might be able to get away with that and make your pins do both jobs. My suggestion is to look at the hood. Its divided up into three sections. Measure to the middle of the outer sections and mount the pins on the front support. That way you won't get the edges of the hood bouncing around and it will look pretty symetrical. If you mount them too far to the center of the hood you'll lose a lot of support for the edges.

Fly, I normally agree with just about everything you say, but in this case I this the answer here is easy. There are two sprung hood "catches" mounted on the hood and there are two "holes" where they pierce the radiator support. The car in the pic has covered those holes with the aftermarket hood pins. Normally the parts mounted to the hood extend into the radiator support a little bit, so there must be room there for the hood pins... I think someone else in this thread has already mentioned this..

[Moron95M3]

Fly, I normally agree with just about everything you say, but in this case I this the answer here is easy. There are two sprung hood "catches" mounted on the hood and there are two "holes" where they pierce the radiator support. The car in the pic has covered those holes with the aftermarket hood pins. Normally the parts mounted to the hood extend into the radiator support a little bit, so there must be room there for the hood pins... I think someone else in this thread has already mentioned this..

Incorrect...the hood pins in the pic go where the AC condenser was

The oem 'holes' (catches) have been removed...as hood pins save weight on track cars. (note holes in plastic rad cover)

I do agree though if I can remove those oem catches that would mean there is room for the pins to mount

[flyfishvt]

OEM Hood latches

[Moron95M3]

fly...c'mon ;)

I'm just not sure how far down they mount...and if the pins are long enough

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy275/MTU4x4/hood.jpg

[flyfishvt]

Big WOOPS

[Moron95M3]

So to finish this thread, I did as JD said, use the same spot where the oem pins mounted.

I left the 'catches' and put the new pins all the way through them. Then I already had the holes in the first layer of the hood from where the oem pins were.

I'll take some pics soon and post them. But that's how I did it. Biggest PITA was drilling out the drivers side oem latch - had to drill out the thicker threaded part so I could keep the secondary latch. Just was time consuming.

results:
$15 >>>>>>>> buying new parts ($$$)
http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy275/MTU4x4/cars047.jpg

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy275/MTU4x4/cars048.jpg

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy275/MTU4x4/cars049.jpg

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy275/MTU4x4/cars051.jpg

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy275/MTU4x4/cars052.jpg

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy275/MTU4x4/cars053.jpg

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy275/MTU4x4/cars055.jpg

[flyfishvt]

Wow...I dont usually like hood pins but those look pretty nice. Great job.

There's lots of people here that are considering this. You should put up a new thread with all the parts and prices and how you ended up doing it.

[mynameisBMW]

Okay, I concede to being a moron.

One more dumb question. I realize the pic up top has replaced the condenser pins with the hood pins, but couldn't you use the hood pins to serve both functions? I mean the hood pins are threaded right? So couldn't you just drill out the hole in the condenser mounting bracket a little bigger and mount the condenser using the threaded hood pins and some bolts with some rubber spacers or something?

Sorry, I realize this is late and you are already finished, but it was just a thought.

[Moron95M3]

Wow...I dont usually like hood pins but those look pretty nice. Great job.

There's lots of people here that are considering this. You should put up a new thread with all the parts and prices and how you ended up doing it.


I'll just add it here...if someone's searching I think they can find this.

Parts:
Advance auto --> APC Hood pins (in stock in the store)
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_x_17580212-P_x_x?cm_mmc=CSE-_-Google-_-VALUE3-_-VALUE4&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=

$16.99


Small sheet metal screws (optional...easier if you don't have a rivet gun)


Process:

1.(if needed) Get hood open! lol. Refer to the search function on the forum...get the hood open.

2. Remove Passenger side OEM hood pin from hood (2 10mm bolts).

3. Remove Drivers side OEM hood pin from hood. The secondary catch/release will be on that...which you'll want to reuse for safety.

4. remove the actual pin from the drivers side oem pin bracket...on the back of the bracket it has a nut you can unscrew it with.

5. Drill out the threaded section of the bracket...stepping up to around a 1" bit. It will finally kind of break off (the welded section).

6. Reinstall the secondary catch bracket to the drivers side of the hood

7. insert hood pins through OEM 'catches' on radiator support. You'll have to remove atleast the drivers side headlight for access to the bottom of the pin.

8. After getting both pins mounted (at close to what you think is the right length/height) close the hood...make sure the pins go through the openings where the oem pins were in the hood. (use a dremel/air grider to open them up if need be)

9. Use a dab of grease or paint on the pins to mark the underside of the top layer of sheet metal of the hood.

10. Drill holes up through the hood. Start small, check that the pins appear to be lining up with the holes. Continues till they go through.

11. Adjust height of the pins to keep the hood 'tight' with the 'latch pins' installed. this is a bit time consuming.

12. put the latch pins on and through and either use the pop rivets provided or drill through the hood and use small sheet metal screws to hold down the latches (what I did).

13. Should be done. You can always fine tune it. I should probably open up the holes in the first layer of the hood as it rubs a bit when I open the hood.


Okay, I concede to being a moron.

One more dumb question. I realize the pic up top has replaced the condenser pins with the hood pins, but couldn't you use the hood pins to serve both functions? I mean the hood pins are threaded right? So couldn't you just drill out the hole in the condenser mounting bracket a little bigger and mount the condenser using the threaded hood pins and some bolts with some rubber spacers or something?

Sorry, I realize this is late and you are already finished, but it was just a thought.

probably so. Although I didn't want to drill out the holes in the mounts...if they're isolation mounts, that would mean drilling out all of the inner race most likely then just mounting through rubber :/

I just didn't want to F with the condenser to be honest.

[atlantisvip]

Cool, thanks for the link. That looks super clean.