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Author Topic: Lexan hood  (Read 3668 times)

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Offline chrisfranklin

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Lexan hood
« on: April 10, 2012, 10:45:34 AM »
Was considering picking up a new hood.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Lightweight-Durable-Lexan-Jeep-YJ-Hood?item=270379455968&cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D7624831415567557114#ht_500wt_748

Lexan is apparently a strong material.  Have read that 250-270F is about as hot as you want it to get, though.

I currently have the oem hood and I've repaired the dent in it from wind kicking the hood up and slamming it in to the top of the wind shield.  I have repaired the same dent 3x with evercoat, but crack keeps appearing in repair, despite "surgical" attention to prepwork, application, finishing.  I am guessing the hood repair problem is due to hood flex, heat, because I am careful not to drop the hood when closing it.

So, heat is on my mind -- especially if I buy a hood besides a new/used OEM metal hood.  Heat is in terms of Engine heat, living in the SW U.S., Black paint job.  

Anybody here have any experience with Lexan hoods?  

------------------

Figured I could install some vents to release some of the engine heat.  Could also just do OEM and get one of those hood lift kits (probably do that regardless).
« Last Edit: April 10, 2012, 10:54:42 AM by chrisfranklin »
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Offline Jeffy

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2012, 12:21:18 PM »
Lexan is what RC car bodes are made of.  This is just thicker piece of it.  I'd be worried that it might buckle or flap at highway speeds.  It's also interesting how they show a pic of a white hood when they don't actually sell one.  http://www.brtechracing.com/DetailsList.cfm?ID=JEEP-YJ  Lexan can get scratched to hell, heat and UV is doing to dry it out over time.  Lexan will harden and then get really brittle and possibly just shatter when you're driving.
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Offline chrisfranklin

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2012, 01:23:13 PM »
I had checked their site and saw that white was missing in their color selection, too.  Saw the RC body deal searching around, but gave it benefit of doubt.  Saw it written that Lexan is used in some bullet-resistant window applications. 

Yes, flapping around at highway speed would tick me off.  Figure prep, prime, paint would be somewhat of a barrier to UV exposure, but...  Probably just get a new/used oem metal hood and a hood lift kit and get that prepped and painted.
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Offline Jeffy

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2012, 07:21:06 PM »
Quote from: chrisfranklin on April 10, 2012, 01:23:13 PM
I had checked their site and saw that white was missing in their color selection, too.  Saw the RC body deal searching around, but gave it benefit of doubt.  Saw it written that Lexan is used in some bullet-resistant window applications. 

Yes, flapping around at highway speed would tick me off.  Figure prep, prime, paint would be somewhat of a barrier to UV exposure, but...  Probably just get a new/used oem metal hood and a hood lift kit and get that prepped and painted.
Normally you wouldn't paint on the exterior of lexan.  Unless you're making a trailered rockcrawler, I'd stick with a steel hood.
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Offline chrisfranklin

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2012, 08:05:12 PM »
Didn't think of that.  Interesting.  

Looking like it'll probably be a new or used metal yj hood in my case -- this time, just with some kind of hood lift kit to keep it under control during a surprise gust.  

(Course, could get the clear Lexan job so all could gaze in awe at the mighty 4 squirrels in action :lol:    "Hey bud, I see 4 squirrels -- what happened to the other 4? ...You're shtting me -- that thing could hold 8 and you only got 4 in there? You must be  :brick:")
« Last Edit: April 10, 2012, 08:15:21 PM by chrisfranklin »
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Offline grumpygy

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2012, 09:45:29 PM »


Most colors on their site are $500 Except Clear at $400 and Trasher/Black at $200.
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Offline sharpxmen

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2012, 11:44:06 PM »
what the hell does Thrasher/Black means, scratch and dent or something and painted? (given the price) i couldn't find any info on that on their site
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Offline Jeffy

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2012, 12:12:45 AM »
Quote from: sharpxmen on April 10, 2012, 11:44:06 PM
what the hell does Thrasher/Black means, scratch and dent or something and painted? (given the price) i couldn't find any info on that on their site
Matte finish.  Seeing as how thin the lexan is, I wouldn't want to run on on the highway.  http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=370363

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Offline chrisfranklin

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2012, 12:23:22 AM »
The black one isn't Lexan.  http://www.brtechracing.com/faqs.cfm
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Offline Jeffy

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2012, 01:49:33 PM »
Well ABS is a bit firmer then Lexan.  Still, these are offroad only hoods.
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Offline neale_rs

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2012, 03:52:27 PM »
Why not cut out the repaired area and install a custom size louver?

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Offline chrisfranklin

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2012, 08:26:33 PM »
Quote from: neale_rs on April 11, 2012, 03:52:27 PM
Why not cut out the repaired area and install a custom size louver?



Would love to do that.  

Most of the repair is on the right side of the hood, though.  I could carve out the hood area for a pair of vents, or one big vent, install one or the other, but then I'd still have a "mouse-hole" on the right side due to the dent.  

Not a big deal, though.  Like you said, maybe some kind of custom louvre setup would work.


-------------

Read all 17 pages of the post in the pirate 4x4 link, Jeffy provided -- it was an education.  Reads like the lexan hoods are light (like 6-7lbs), sturdy/flexible, but you paint them inside, and you'd apparently need hood pins or 1/4 turn fasteners to hold one down at highway speeds -- fender latches aren't enough. 

Maybe the company ordered a change in the composition of the "thrasher" hoods in recent years -- in the link post, it read like several buyers saw their thrasher hoods (of 5-7 years ago) deform due to engine heat. 
« Last Edit: April 11, 2012, 09:08:17 PM by chrisfranklin »
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Offline Hunter02

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2012, 09:52:10 AM »
Mr. Chris. You mentioned a 'hood lift kit'. All I can find with that search is a way to secure a jack across the front of your windshield. Is the lift kit you're talking about so that you can put the hood up like on a regular car(not what I'm looking for)or a way to lift the back edge of the hood to let out engine heat(yea, that's the ticket).    Jim
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Offline chrisfranklin

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2012, 10:38:32 AM »
Quote from: Hunter02 on April 23, 2012, 09:52:10 AM
Mr. Chris. You mentioned a 'hood lift kit'. All I can find with that search is a way to secure a jack across the front of your windshield. Is the lift kit you're talking about so that you can put the hood up like on a regular car(not what I'm looking for)or a way to lift the back edge of the hood to let out engine heat(yea, that's the ticket).    Jim

Was talking about the first one you mentioned -- hood up like on a regular car.  So something along the lines of this:  http://www.quadratec.com/products/13027_1030.htm. 

If I was looking to let out engine heat, I'd probably just install some hood vents.  Am actually planning to do that...
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Offline aka-justin

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Re: Lexan hood
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2012, 08:29:43 PM »
Quote from: chrisfranklin on April 11, 2012, 08:26:33 PM
Not a big deal, though.  Like you said, maybe some kind of custom louvre setup would work.

These look nice, but pricey.

http://www.hoodlouvers.com/jeeps.html

They show some small ones reversed to make a ram air for the air cleaner above the intake filter on a cherokee. Seems like a good idea.



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