S14 carbon fiber trunk issue

[ramman434]

So I bought a cf Carbon Creations trunk. After a lot of custom cutting/drilling I've been able to make everything fit on the inside as far as the bolts for lights and whatnot.
My problem is I was driving around town with it on and the trunk popped open twice. The latch itself doesn't seem to be holding. I only have my lock bolted up on one side (there's technically two pieces to the lock - the lock itself, and a metal rod that attaches to a rotating screw that's bolted in just below the actual latch), the rotating screw wasn't actually bolted bc I would have had to cut another hole and I was tired.

I'm wondering if that's the sole reason that my latch isn't holding, because the lock isn't completely bolted. Does anyone have any other ideas? I'll try to post up pics soon of my stock trunk so yall can see the pieces I'm talking about exactly.

Thanks a lot to all who have ideas/answers!

Edited w/cell pics off the stock trunk:

Here is what was bolted up and this is the back of the lock
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f69/ramman434/Lebanon-20110707-00069.jpg?t=1310065643

This is the piece that I didn't have bolted just because there's more cutting. I'm wondering if this piece is bolted if that will solve my problems with the latch. (I'll have to cut into the indo-skeleton of the trunk some more to make it fit
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f69/ramman434/Lebanon-20110707-00067.jpg?t=1310065641

[AutechKouki]

Finish bolting it on then let us know if you still have the issue.

[iLagX]

show some pictures!

[Renelovesnike]

Finish bolting it on then let us know if you still have the issue.

THIS!!


also i was gonna buy a carbon s14 trunk from a friend but it ended up weighing more than the oe trunk -____- so that plan went out the window :sadwavey:

[ramman434]

I won't be able to bolt the trunk back up until this weekend when I'm home. I'm interning in another city during the weekdays.

I'll try to get a pic posted up of the lock mechanism later today. I just don't know how much it will help keep the latch closed since it really doesn't appear to connect to the latch in any way.

Thanks for the replies so far guys

[sickstatus]

I had one before. Installed it. Fitment was crap. Didn't lock right. Holes were drilled
Properly. Complained. Showed pics and showed in person. Got to exchange for a new one. Sold it after.

[ramman434]

I had one before. Installed it. Fitment was crap. Didn't lock right. Holes were drilled
Properly. Complained. Showed pics and showed in person. Got to exchange for a new one. Sold it after.
Fitment is fine, it only sticks up slightly on the corners next to the rear window. My only problem seems to be the latch itself.

[Beejis60]

that's why you should roll with aerocatch pins.

[iamtheyi]

`that's why you should roll with aerocatch pins.

I hope you to God you're being a sarcastic prick. If you're talking about the actual trunk latches, then I see where you're going with it.

I agree with everyone else on here. Finish mounting it up then see what happens. Did you check if the hook on the trunk to make sure it has enough length to actually latch? I had one of these CC hoods and the stupid hood hook thing was too short and wouldn't close for shit haha. Scary times.

[NissanEnthus]

that's why you should roll with aerocatch pins.

You do realize he's talking about a "TRUNK" and not a "HOOD" right?...


OP:

I have never gotten a CF trunk but that rear latch is pretty touchy...You got to make sure it is spot on! I threw an 18 inch tire in my trunk and it barely fit maybe pushing the bottom panel a couple milimeters forward and even though it looked like it was going to close the latch would not lock...

[ramman434]

Yes, this is a TRUNK. I'll def. look to see if the latch isn't catching. I'm using the stock latch so hopefully it is.
Thanks to everyone for the replies so far. I'm going to try to refit it tomorrow night when I get home.

I already have installed my HOOD w/aerocatch hood latches, thank you. I bought the cf edition ones and they look real good w/the hood. I'll prolly have pics of that posted up in the Kouki thread this weekend.

[anton1o]

Ive also got a CF "TRUNK" / "boot" and i had a few issues also, The latching just doesnt work as its meant to, but mine actually stays closed when it is closed but when closing it have to make sure you press completely down so it actually grabs.

If you want me to take photos of my setup i can, as it may help :)

[ramman434]

Ive also got a CF "TRUNK" / "boot" and i had a few issues also, The latching just doesnt work as its meant to, but mine actually stays closed when it is closed but when closing it have to make sure you press completely down so it actually grabs.

If you want me to take photos of my setup i can, as it may help :)

Yes, please do!

When I closed it last weekend I had to shut it pretty hard in order to make it close, but I'm wondering if I may need to drill the holes for the latch just a bit lower.
As someone mentioned above, it may be that my latch isn't reaching completely down to lock, so that's definitely one thing that I'll be measuring tonight when I'm tinkering with it.

[NissanEnthus]

Yes, this is a TRUNK. I'll def. look to see if the latch isn't catching. I'm using the stock latch so hopefully it is.
Thanks to everyone for the replies so far. I'm going to try to refit it tomorrow night when I get home.

I already have installed my HOOD w/aerocatch hood latches, thank you. I bought the cf edition ones and they look real good w/the hood. I'll prolly have pics of that posted up in the Kouki thread this weekend.

I saw your post in the Kouki thread really interested in pics of that CF hood...I have been thinking of getting one myself but always wondered about their fitament.

[ramman434]

I'll try to get some up for you tonight ^^. I'm really happy w/the way it came out. I was stressing big time w/having to cut holes in my new hood lol

[whitenoise]

OP , if u still have the problem with the latch opening by itself, u can add aerocatches for extra latching . Just make a flatbar for the pins and ur set . Also u can get a sprin from a factory wingless trunk ( non SE ) so the springs r less stiff .

[ramman434]

Whitenoise, I was thinking about that as a last resort by adding more aerocatches and I was wondering about if there was anyway to reduce the spring tension. Is there any other way besides swapping out the springs? Also, why do the base's springs have less tension?

For anyone wanting to see what my hood looks like installed, I've finally posted some pics in the Kouki thread:
http://zilvia.net/f/chat/301737-kouki-s14-thread-184.html

And now I'm headed out to the garage to mess w/the trunk

[whitenoise]

Whitenoise, I was thinking about that as a last resort by adding more aerocatches and I was wondering about if there was anyway to reduce the spring tension. Is there any other way besides swapping out the springs? Also, why do the base's springs have less tension?


its because base model without wing doesnt need it and if they put the strong spring without the weight of the wing, the trunk will be popping off like a rocket lol. or maybe u can adjust the height of the lower latch ( trunk side ) so the CF trunk loop will hit the lower latch sooner and have room for the loop to grab on .

[ramman434]

Well I figured out the problem. The pre-drilled holes for the latch are too low so when bolted in, the latch sits about 1 cm too low, therefore it's not able to connect up. I swear Carbon Creations may have been retarded when it came to the endo-skeleton of the trunk, I've had to custom fit parts and cut out huge chunks in order to make things fit.

I'm going to have to re-drill the holes in the morning, but I've gotta find some locking nuts to hold the new, longer bolts that I'm going to fit through the latch onto the trunk. Otherwise they'll just kinda be hanging out. I'm gonna cross my fingers that this will work...

[iamtheyi]

Well I figured out the problem. The pre-drilled holes for the latch are too low so when bolted in, the latch sits about 1 cm too low, therefore it's not able to connect up. I swear Carbon Creations may have been retarded when it came to the endo-skeleton of the trunk, I've had to custom fit parts and cut out huge chunks in order to make things fit.

I'm going to have to re-drill the holes in the morning, but I've gotta find some locking nuts to hold the new, longer bolts that I'm going to fit through the latch onto the trunk. Otherwise they'll just kinda be hanging out. I'm gonna cross my fingers that this will work...

Same problem I had with there hood :P. that's why I returned it. Read my previous post. They made the hook for the hood to short so it wouldn't *click down.

[ramman434]

Well I'm not exactly w/in returning distance lol. That's halfway across the country since I live in Nashville. It's a simple redrilling of holes, so if I get bored later today I'll just go do that and fit the damn thing

[bookoo]

You never had your car fellow tennspeeder

[iamtheyi]

lol very true. Returning is out of the question for you.

[Beejis60]

`

I hope you to God you're being a sarcastic prick. If you're talking about the actual trunk latches, then I see where you're going with it.


You do realize he's talking about a "TRUNK" and not a "HOOD" right?...

No sarcasm, yes I know he's talkiing about the trunk. Run aerocatch pins. Saves weight and elimnates fitment isssues. You guys have never seen real race cars do this?

[iamtheyi]

No sarcasm, yes I know he's talkiing about the trunk. Run aerocatch pins. Saves weight and elimnates fitment isssues. You guys have never seen real race cars do this?

Those are just trunk latches not aerocatch pins.... if you knew how an aerocatch worked, i don't see how you could make it work ona trunk. Where would you mount it?

[Beejis60]

Those are just trunk latches not aerocatch pins.... if you knew how an aerocatch worked, i don't see how you could make it work ona trunk. Where would you mount it?

:picardfp:


If I know how aerocatch latches worked....

amusing. Insulting me will not help you get your questions answered, fyi.

With that being said, I know I don't have many posts here but it doesn't mean I don't know shit, so IDK why it seems like you're trying to turn this into a pissing match.
A lot of guys I know run aerocatches for both the hood and trunk; some even run them for their bumpers as well.
To make it work for a trunk, you can either run two or four latches, though in 'real life' I've only seen people run four latches, I have, however, seen people run two latches in pictures. I have also seen people run four latches on the hood; myself being one of those people running four on the hood of my last car.

[iamtheyi]

:picardfp:


If I know how aerocatch latches worked....

amusing. Insulting me will not help you get your questions answered, fyi.

With that being said, I know I don't have many posts here but it doesn't mean I don't know shit, so IDK why it seems like you're trying to turn this into a pissing match.
A lot of guys I know run aerocatches for both the hood and trunk; some even run them for their bumpers as well.
To make it work for a trunk, you can either run two or four latches, though in 'real life' I've only seen people run four latches, I have, however, seen people run two latches in pictures. I have also seen people run four latches on the hood; myself being one of those people running four on the hood of my last car.

I apologize and I step down from my high horse. It's hot right now and I'm agitated lol. My bad.But yeah, I don't understand where you'd mount them. to work, they need to be pushed INTO from top down like the hood. So would you drill them into the top of the trunk? and mount the pins where the taillights go?

[ramman434]

I have 2 aerocatches on my hood, but as for the trunk, I'm sure I'd have to make a bracket or something, but that's beyond my expertise, nor would I know exactly where to mount them.

Plus I use my trunk a lot, so I don't want to have to constantly be going and popping open the aerocatches before opening the trunk

[Beejis60]

I apologize and I step down from my high horse. It's hot right now and I'm agitated lol. My bad.But yeah, I don't understand where you'd mount them. to work, they need to be pushed INTO from top down like the hood. So would you drill them into the top of the trunk? and mount the pins where the taillights go?

Go on either side of the mechanical latch towards the tail lights if you want for lower mounting point. And here's an S14 with two aerocatch latches in place of the hinges.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i311/living4surf/daf9c260.jpg

[ramman434]

Yeah I ended up not having the time this weekend to finish the trunk....

I would be very interested to see the inside of that guy's trunk and how he's bolted up the pins and everything^^

[Beejis60]

Yeah I ended up not having the time this weekend to finish the trunk....

I would be very interested to see the inside of that guy's trunk and how he's bolted up the pins and everything^^
my guess is from the bottom; removed the hinges and thats where the latch pin went. that was only post a month ago on here.

[ramman434]

Beej, would you happen to know who the member was by chance? If so, I'll PM him ASAP

[Beejis60]

Forgot about this thread....

anyway, sorry, I also forgot where I saw it and I can't find the damn thread anymore.

[ramman434]

It's fine lol. I found my problem. One of the holes was drilled 1/8 of an inch too low, so i had to redrill the hole and then get a locking nut to keep the bolt in place. It now latches perfectly.
My only problem now is getting it to line up perfectly. It's almost an 1/8 of an inch too far to the right when shut, so I spent most of yesterday morning trying to align it, but it wouldn't have it.
I won't be home for another 2 weeks to work on it, but I plan on getting it on that night and doing some street/highway driving to test it out and make sure it's staying shut. I don't need it popping open on my 3 hour drive back to school lol

[ramman434]

Well, I've had the trunk on the entire weekend including a few hwy runs that may or may not have just barely exceeded triple digits. After redrilling the hole that was too low the trunk fits perfectly.

Thanks to all for the helpful responses/suggestions!

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/183921_2007692640944_1502520206_32261364_7483083_n .jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/283348_2007694280985_1502520206_32261366_856772_n. jpg

[NissanEnthus]

Great job....looks pretty flush. How was the fitament on that CC hood?

[ramman434]

The hood fits perfectly, even though I'll admit I installed the aerocatch hood latches upside down. Not really a big deal since that's all about airflow and it's not like I'm taking the car around at 130+.

I've just made a for sale thread on the carbon fiber trunk for local buyers only. I'm already tired of the wingless look. It's not good to be young and indecisive lol.

Here's the link if anyone's interested:
http://zilvia.net/f/sale-items/399955-s14-carbon-fiber-trunk.html#post4179137

[Beejis60]

For what it's worth, I just saw this today. He's not running Aerocatch latches, but it's essentially the same setup, scroll down about 2/3 of the page:

So here's mine... (56k go DIAF) - Page 2 - Nissan Road Racing Forums (http://www.nissanroadracing.com/showthread.php?t=908&page=2)



http://blehmco.com/pics/240SX/roll_cage/DSCN0107.jpg

http://blehmco.com/pics/240SX/roll_cage/DSCN0110.jpg