what tools do I need for hood pins?

[02GTRX]

I'm going to attempt to install my frpp hood pins today, what tools am I going to need ie; drill bit sizes and types of drill bits. Any other specialty tools needed???

 

[kooldawg6]

I can't remember the sizes, but you'll need one small enough for pilot holes for the scuff plate screws (a good way to determine that is to hold up a drill bit to the screw and find a bit that is just a tad thinner than the main part of the screw itself, not including the threads). A couple of sizes ranging from about 1/8" up to about 1/4" and possibly a 1/2" or larger for the pins to easily fit through. It's much easier to make a small pilot hole and then use larger its to make the hole bigger rather than trying to get the large bit to make the large hole the first time. Larger bits with no pilot holes can easily "walk" (scoot off to one side rather than drill into the metal) across the metal and that won't be good at all! A thin round file will help quite a bit when/if you need to adjust part of the hole to aid in the pin going through the hood without rubbing. Don't be afraid to make the hole bigger if need be. Take the scuff plate and see how much area it covers around the pin. As long as you have enough room for the scuff plate screws to grab, you'll be fine.

 

[02GTRX]

Gotcha! I'm assuming I drill the pilot holes from the bottom up then the big hole from top to bottom? Also would it be easier to make new holes closer to the center of the hood or use the ones on the outer edge of the hood next to the rubber stops?
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[02GTRX]

Also with the black accents on my car and coming black wheels should I paint the whole pin kit black or leave it shiney???
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[kooldawg6]

Have you done the pins yet? If not, you will be drilling the pilot holes and pin hole from the underside of the hood first. Once you drill through the bottom layer you can move onto the top layer. Drill the pilot hole from the underside. Then lower the hood and use the larger bits from the top side. Did you get the brackets that mount to the radiator support? Those will be the easiest to use. I know emay drilled his radiator support out close to the edge of the plastic radiator cover. The factory holes next to the rubber stops on mine were a tad bigger than the pin, so I had to use a bottom nut. I tied to take advantage of the factory hole, but like I said, I couldn't get he scuff plate and pin to line up well at all. It worked, but wasn't the most pleasing to the eye.

IMO, I'd leave them bare as the paint could start flaking off and not look great at some point down the road. Besides, nothing wrong with black and aluminum accents on a white carI had black accents on my car and left them bare also.

 

[02GTRX]

Yea I went ahead and did them about an inch from the plastic cover, although the driver side was alittle sloppy due to the fact that I had to cut a small hole in the radiator support to retrieve the nut I lost lol. Overall though they came out good, I left them the bare color. The passenger side pin goes in alot easier than the drivers side, the driver side kinda goes in at an angle...not sure how to fix that. Also I see you left the cables off any reason for that? I put mine on but now Im wondering if maybe theyll start to rub the paint off. The cables do have the plastic or rubber or whatever it is coating.

 

[kooldawg6]

Cool! Any pics?????
Hard to say a fix without pics to see how the driver side is. I don't like the look of the cables for starters and no matter what is covering them, it can eventually wear through the paint. Very justifiable as I drive mine up and down the interstate several dozen times a month which is quite a bit of wind to keep the cables moving around.

 

[02GTRX]

UPS came early and brought my rims tonight so pics tomorrow. Ill get a close up of the driver side pin, there's nothing visually wrong with it though..it may just need to go up one turn.
Posted via Mobile Device