Aerocatch Hood Pins/locks Installed!!

[2.4 turbo hyped]

As promised I installed a set of these today and am very pleased!!

The beauty of this setup is that the eye bolts thread into the factory hood bump stops. They have to have about 2 inches cut off of them and the bottom of the bumpstop needs to have a hole drilled through it but thats it.

These things are very durable and well constructed!

Do a search on ebay for aerocatch if you want a set. They are worth every penny.

I broke one of the eye bolts on install but have a new one on the way.

They add an agressive look to the STI if thats at all possible!!

More pics of the install can be found in my 2005 wrx sti album at http://photos.yahoo.com/turbo_hyped

Thanks again for the space and the great forum!!

Sean

[YBNormal07]

If you do an install write-up to accompany the photos, I'd like to move this to the tutorial section? Up for it?

btw...I really like how they look.

[2.4 turbo hyped]

These things are so simple to install on our cars. The benefit is thieves wont be able to cut your battery cables to disable your alarm or steal engine parts.

First you have to pick up a set of the locking versions www.aerocatch.net or search ebay for "aerocatch"

I will list the steps in order to install them, it could not be any easier.

1. Open aerocatch package and familiarize yourself with the parts, don't damage the cardboard insert as it is a template.

2. Open the hood of your Suby and unscrew the bumpstops

3. Put the bumpstops in a vise and drill a hole all the way through them, remove the top 1/4 inch of bumpstop with a utility knife (so the bumpstop is all threads)

4. Insert one of the threaded latch pins into the bump stop and thread it all the way down until the bumpstop just starts to cover the flat eye of the latch pin. Use some soap on the threads and an adjustable wrench and a vise to thread it down.

5. Cut off the excess latch pin threads protruding through the bottom of the bumpstop. Be sure to leave at least 1/4 inch of threads for a washer and a nut.

6. Screw the bumpstops back into their original positions with the newly added latch pins.

7. Place one of the washers and one of the nuts on each of the latch pins and tighten them just enough to "squish" the bumpstop a slight bit.

8. Place a small dab of grease on the latch pin heads.

9. Close the hood to get the grease to transfer to the hood skeleton.

10. Drill a 3/8" hole on each of the grease spots all the way through the skeleton and the hood(I used a 1/2" hole saw at this point but you basically need a centering location)

11. Mask off the front corners of the hood

12. Use the cardboard template (it has crosshairs on it) to line up the lock cutouts, trace the template

13. Use a dremel with a fiberglass reinforced cutting wheel and cut about 1mm inside of the template you just drew

14. Use the dremel again to cut away enough of the skeleton to have access to the mounting bolts and nuts (try to make straight cuts on the skeleton if you can)

15. Use the dremel with a grinding stone to smooth out the burrs on the cuts you just did

16. Insert the hood locks and close the hood, adjust the latching pins if necessary by using the factory screw in bump stops

17. Mark holes to be drilled for the allen bolts

18. Drill holes

19. Attach hood locks with hardware

20. Use mounting hardware to mount hood locks

21. Pick up some "door edge trim" to use on the underhood skeleton cut outs (normally used on the edge of car doors to prevent dings and chips, black looks best)

22. Slam hood, lock it and enjoy!!

The fitment on these is very tight so be careful not to break the latching pins when test closing the hood. I broke one on install, if you do break one, search ebay for the sparco style hood pins as the latching pins will work with these.

Any questions post them here!!

Tons of pictures of the install at http://photos.yahoo.com/turbo_hyped look in the 2005 wrx sti album.

Thanks for the space!!

Sean

[YBNormal07]

Nice write-up. I've moved it to the Exterior and Appearance tutorial forum. I'll bet someone uses this!!!

[blahblah]

you put em on backwards. on the aerocatch site it suggests putting them with the narrow side first.

[2.4 turbo hyped]

Originally Posted by blahblah

you put em on backwards. on the aerocatch site it suggests putting them with the narrow side first.

They will not fit on our cars that way.

Trust me I tried every possible area to install them and it will not happen.

Prove me wrong?

[Jebus]

Originally Posted by 2.4 turbo hyped

They will not fit on our cars that way.

Trust me I tried every possible area to install them and it will not happen.

Prove me wrong?

You know, they didn't fit on my 240 that way either... I had to do em backwards...

[blahblah]

i saw em on a blobeye with the narrow ends first, just angled in about 45 degrees.

[PARANOID56]

i like the way litchfield did theres. if and when i do mine i will do the same, i like the way it sort of flows with the headlights. looks real clean.

[blueman05]

will the bump stop actually hold the pins? ive always seen the pins mounted directly to car. i hope this same install method works on a vis carbon fiber hood