NRG Hood Dampers
 

If you read my post re: Godspeed you'll understand this one better.

I was trolling vendor sites last week and saw that NRG made an RX8 hood damper.
I remembered that Donny over at www.therpmstore.com carried NRG and went looking on his site for a price. No dice, he didn't have them. I figured it was worth a try asking if he had plans to carry them.
After a quick email to Donny (and suprising him with the fact the these were actually made) he added them to his site and I ordered the next day.
This was all last week and I've now installed them on my baby.

The CF might be a touch ricey for some, they make it in silver as well.
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/4348/dscf0997tl1.jpg

Very slight change to the existing gap
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/6083/dscf0996eh0.jpg

It's like a big mouth bass... a dirty big mouth bass.
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8549/dscf0999eg1.jpg

Two struts and I've now removed the swizzle stick completely.. just twists right off.
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/6527/dscf0998ht6.jpg

Very nice!

Every '8 needs to ditch the prop-rod, it's both Mickey AND Mouse....

S

Looks great!

My Godspeed Dampers leave a slight bulge (same with the Tein's) where the hood and fender meet at the hinge. Yours don't seem to bulge unless it's the angle at which you took the photo. If not, nice find and I may replace mine at some point to eliminate it.

The change is very very minor, maybe a 64th of an inch. The bracket that attaches to the lid is cut down for the part that goes below the hinge. I was a bit worried at first but it's very strong and seems to be doing the job.

Good find - just ordered a set.

This is definately on my list.

nice! i like it...added to the list as well

Looks good.
I wonder: is the mounting bracket sandwiched between the hood and the stock hinge? That's the usual reason for the increased gap by a hood damper.
I wonder why does the bracket not install on top of the hinge plate... that should eliminate any gap.

Although from the photo, this damper doesn't really increase the gap that would be visible, which is a good thing.

Yep, the bracket is between the hood and the hinge plate. The gap change is so minor because the bracket only hits the front 2 inches of the hinge plate while the back of the plate is flush with the hood.

I'll take a better pic of it when I get home today.

Hmmm.. I like, just wonder if I can use these on a carbon fiber hood.. I imagine , I'd just have to be carefull

According the the NRG website (www.getnrg.com): If you send an email to donny over at RPM I'm sure he'd be able to get it.

oooh. Thanks!

Nice, will these work with an aftermarket hood as well?

can't really specify for this car, since the 8's aluminum hood is already as light as a carbon fiber hood.

I like. Must get a set.

Nice ... but 110 each?

No, it's 110 total for both.

Any chance for a close-up pic about the mounting bracket? :)

here you go:


Passenger side bracket:
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7844/dscf1002eg2.jpg

Driver's side: http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/6478/dscf1005bn9.jpg

Driver's side different angle: http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/4755/dscf1006zo6.jpg

Passenger side post that strut attaches to: http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/3640/dscf1008za5.jpg

i have a chrome set that i have not put on yet. maybe tomorrow i will have some time.

however, after looking at photomunkey's install and PMing him back and forth, they had the bracket placed under the hinge (flipped over than the way you have it as well) and used washers so the ball joint doesn't scrape the hood everytime it rotates and it doesn't alter the height of the hood. i think that is the correct way since nrg prototyped it onto photomunkey's car.

i have yet to attempt it though.

btw, how did ya end up compressing the damper to install it?

the grunt and squeeze method. I installed the damper to the bracket, attached the bracket to the hood, then compressed the damper with my hands and attached the ball end to the mount on the chasis. hardest part was getting the wire retainer clip into place once it's on the ball joint.

I didn't use any washers on the bracket and have a whisker of clearence between the ball end and the hood.

laythor, have you noticed any problems of the underside of your hood flexing (getting that popping metal sound)? also has your hood raised up any amount since installing?

problems arose for me a few days after my install. eventually both sides of my hood begin to pop that it didn't even feel safe to try closing it. they had also raised the hood corners about 1/8th inch since starting to pop, and are still evident even after removing the dampers.

i think my hood may be messed up now.

wow, no.

It looks the same as the day I installed it. I've probably opened the hood a dozen times since.

If you had the bracket mounted so it was trapped against the hood and your bracket how did it bend? Did you torque down the bolts so it was very very tight?

it was bending at the hood. note that the aluminum hood has buldges on the underside, i noticed it flexing as the hood was being closed. bolts were done very tight.

i guess i just had some major bad luck. they looked awesome installed and worked perfectly for those few days.

Might want to shoot an email to NRG and see what they say.