What's up with hood pins?

[Speed Raycer]

We tape the pins on Mcgyverits Neon... not to help aero, but to keep the pins in the holes

[mom'sZ]

This is after I pulled a "Jeff" and broke the hood & windshield.

For those how haven't done this yet, it gives ZERO warning.

Yeah .... and having been in a car when it happened (not driving, nor during a race or even a race car) it is like someone turned the sun off. I mean holy crap I can't see!!! It takes a second to realize what happen and you need to stick your head out the window or something FAST! I can't imagine it happening while turning a wheel in anger.

[NutDriverRighty]

I was driving a former Toyota Celebrity Challenge Celica GT-S in driver's school and forgot the hood pins. Luckily, the hood flew back and completely off! Bystanders said that it reached 30-40' in the air. Knocked down the #3 brake marker at T1 at Savannah. Quite embarassing. After looking at the hinge, seems Toyota might have designed it to do this. We were able to hold the hinge in place and hammer it closed again.

[dave parker]

"Hood Pins are the way that we get to see who is paying attention and who is not."
said to me by a very long time racer who shall remain nameless after a windshield was broken by a hood at test day at Summit Point (it was his windshield).
Ever since then I personally check my pins on the grid before the five minute warning.
We are all human and make mistakes, the key is to not make the same mistake twice.

cheers
Dave Parker
WDCR HP#97
2007 MARRS HP Champion

[NutDriverRighty]

One caveat from a corner worker. If you see flames under the hood and there is not a slew of corner workers, all with 10-pounders in their hands OR the fire truck there, DO NOT OPEN THE HOOD!! You could give the enclosed fire the breeze it needs to blow back into your face. A toasted engine is a whole lot cheaper to replace than a bunch of my skin (although a new engine would certainly be prettier!)

[lateapex911]

IF I had a front opening hood, I would leave the stock "Up two inches" safety catch thingy in place...what could it weigh, 12oz? IF for some reason the hood pins fail, the worst case scenario is extra hood drag. better than missing a race, and buying a new hood and windshield.

[JLawton]

I just pulled the stock latch mechanism from the parts car. Weighs far less than a pound. I'm going to hang a strap out the front of the hood to release the first latch and still keep the lever for the secondary latch.

Plus, it will be more aerodynamic!!


Technically, taping hood pins for aerodynamics is illegal.........But taping them to keep them in is OK!!

[Gary L]

Technically, taping hood pins for aerodynamics is illegal.........But taping them to keep them in is OK!!

I am of the opinion that taping hood pins for aerodynamics on an IT car is the stupidest damned thing I've ever heard, illegal or not.

Back to the more serious discussion... I can see my hood pin cable tethers from the driver's seat, but only if the pins are installed. If I don't see the cables, I don't leave the grid.

[tom_sprecher]

IF I had a front opening hood, I would leave the stock "Up two inches" safety catch thingy in place...what could it weigh, 12oz? IF for some reason the hood pins fail, the worst case scenario is extra hood drag. better than missing a race, and buying a new hood and windshield.

Gotta love rear opening hoods, they almost make it a non-issue.

[trobbins]

The guy in the multi colored Neon on the SR20 website is one of our racing friends from Waterford Hills here in Mi . I've raced with him many times .
That's not usually his style .


BTW .
We use hood pins on our cars because that is what came on them .
Actuall I think they are much safer than a stock hood latch .
Also if the stock cable breaks it is a pain in the rear to get the hood opened .
I've been there .

[StephenB]

I do tape my hoodpins because I came in on one run and 1 pin had slid down and was no longer in place. (I have the type of hood pins that are on a slide rather than removable this way they cannot be lost.) I am also paranoid because of what Raymond said about my fathers loss of the NARRC and NERRC championship. Some may think it is for Aero but I doubt that anybody is truely taping them for perfomance, we unfourtunatly do not reach the speeds nor do we have light enough cars that would benefit from this type of advantage!

[tderonne]

So what would work better at Daytona on a Grand Am Cup Mustang: 4 hood pins (all at the front), or the stock latch?

Not 100% sure as I never tried it with the stock latch, but I do know 160 MPH will rip the hood, pins, and parts of the radiator support right off.

The pins allowed the structure of the hood to lift about and inch. There was a gap between the surface of the hood and the inner structure where the pins were. That inch at the front edge allowed enough wind under it to rip it right off. (HORRIBLE aero of the S197 Mustang didn't help.)

Moral of of the story is that you have to do your homework.

[joeg]

I tape my hood pins' lanyards.

They can cause the pin to pull out.

Pins are recommended for emergency crew situations. I like them because they are light.

[tom91ita]

Speaking of that also, that is another reason I left the factory latch. Most engine fires you don't want to open the hood, and if you do you just want enough for the extinguisher to get in there. With the latch still in place it gives them just enough of a reminder that this is as far as you really want to go so you don't fuel the fire. Whether it works or not, again, it makes me feel better.

i had the engine oil fire at mid-o at last year's IT fest.

i think hood pins are a good idea. i was not even aware i had the problem until i stopped. and when i realized what was going on, i was focused on getting out and would not want to be bothered with having to release the hood, etc.

i will have always have hood pins for easy access if the workers want it.

i have also adopted a practice of only stopping on pit lane after a race where i see a fire bottle. you just don't know.

[924Guy]

Am I the only one here who finds it amusing that most of those citing a major preference for hood pins over stock latches are VW's or of VW descent??

[spnkzss]

Am I the only one here who finds it amusing that most of those citing a major preference for hood pins over stock latches are VW's or of VW descent??

I don't currently run a VW, but have in the past, and I can say that the hood release is jsut about stupid. On one of the cars you actually have to PUSH the release back down since there was no spring return. If you didn't push it far enough down then the hood wouldn't stay latched. That sounds like the best example for hood pins.

Man am I glad I don't run VWs.

[rhygin]

I am aiming for the best of both worlds.... I have the cable and such removed, but have the factory safety latch and hood pins...

[tom91ita]

might be time for a new thread but....

has anyone used these hood pins?

http://www.aerocatch.com/index.html

[JLawton]

For those that have the stock latch and the pull cable out the front of the hood (I hear Miata's use this for trunks a lot) what did you use to attach to the pull cable and how did you do it?

[Greg Amy]

...what did you use to attach to the pull cable and how did you do it?

Most people use the factory cable.

Remove it from its sheathing, connect it to the lock using the existing OE end/attachment, and cut the other end to the desired length. Loop the cut end on itself to give you a pull handle and either duct-tape it or use a cable crimp...replacements available from any dealer... - GA