Scuffing on top of BTG Strut Tower Brace

[purplept]

I thought I heard somebody had a solution for the scuffing that takes place on the top of the BTG strut tower brace where the hood insulation rubs against the strut bar. The rub takes place around the two venting holes on the underside of the hood which seems to be closer to the engine than the rest of the insulation. I'm sure some cutting is required but I don't want to mess anything up. Does anybody know the best solution?

[PTGT Redman]

heh, I painted mine gunmetal.
(See sig [])

[JPMS GT]

Doc, painting it wont help! Mine is rubbing on the PS control and is rubbing through the strut bar. It may have Miniiopia and can't see %#@& under WOT![8)]

Jn

[Mike-in-Orange]

Here's what I did and posted on another forum:

It took me a while to figure out how come my BTG strut brace kept getting these scratches and scuff markes in the same places all the time. Turns out the hoodliner was contacting it and rubbing the darn thing, and it was because of the high spots where the hood liner covered the washer nozzles.

So, I cut a semi-circle out of the hood liner, completely removing the raised portion. This is very easy using a good pair of sturdy scissors - the kind you're likely to use in the kitchen.

I then picked up some windshield washer tubing, 7/16" I.D. and cut it to length. Next, using a basic X-acto knife, lay the tubing on a hard surface with the knife next to it. Keep the flat edge of the blade parallel to your work surface and you should spot on for splitting open the tubing along one edge. This works really well as the tubing is the same thickness as the knife body, so the blade hits right were you want. Nice straight cut, no worries. Just don't try to cut all the way through the tube wall in one motion - go over it several times.

Now the tricky part - open the split end of the tubing and work it around the rough cut you made in the hood liner. I found that starting on one end and then overbending the tubing to force it to split apart helps a lot here. I couldn't take a picture of this because I don't have a third arm to hold the camera while I did this! Basically, if you fold the tubing backwards it will force it open, then you just sort of roll it onto the hood liner and it will close up, holding securely in place. Repeat for the other side and you're done.

Apply a little dressing to shine it up and you're BTG strut brace will no longer be annoyed by the itchy hood liner. And yes, I checked, the freshly applied tubing does not contact the strut brace if you do this correctly.

[nozzano22]

Excellent idea Mike, and it will look factory done! (you never know when you need access to those nozzles to tweak performance of the washers!).

I am ordering my BTG soon, will be doing the mod before I ever put it on.

Also, How did you paint it? what surface prep did you have to do?

I hear touch up paint is available in spray cans, if so, could I paint the bar to match my Elec. Blue PT?

Good talking with you the other day, and thanks for the info

Mike (in SF)

[PTGT Redman]

Oh, I had contact points like that too. Got a Good Hood without the hood liner it is nice and smooth now.
Nice idea Mike.