getting rid of the toothy grin?

suburban_ennui · Post by **suburban_ennui** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:41 pm

sorry I've been spamming the board so much lately, but one last MX5 question.

My 1990 MX5 has sockets for (what I assume are) fog lights, and also the two original tie-down hooks. Obviously, it'd look cleaner/nicer with them gone, and I assume the airflow would be better as well.

So ... my question is ... is it very difficult to remove these things from the intake? Is it something I can do by just jacking up and car, or is it a specialist job? I wouldn't like to start randomly removing bolts and find the front of my car falling apart.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:32 pm

Don't remove the tie down hooks. If the car breaks down then it is very
difficult to safely drag the car on to a flat deck for transport. I have
needed the hooks on my NA when the radiator split (Anzac Day of course)
requiring it to be trucked 30km for repairs. My NB had to be trucked for
repair when the engine quit due to a faulty cam position sensor.
If you do remove them then keep them in the boot along with the bolts so you
can amuse yourself replacing them while waiting for the breakdown truck to
arrive! They are quite easy to remove if you have a reasonable socket set
available.
Don't know about the fog light fittings though as my NA didn't have those.

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poison · Post by **poison** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:36 pm

Ha ha ha.... questions are all good, the more the better. Most of us have done the same, and soon you will be answering these same questions.

No it's not hard to get the hooks off, just a bit fiddly, I think it took some spanners and a socket set. The rear bolts are harder but did not need to be jacked up. Maybe 30 to 45 mins.

And no idea about these sockets for fog lights.

Gazza

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poison · Post by **poison** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:39 pm

Hey Grant, good idea to chuck the hooks in the back.... mind you the NB ones are a bit easier to get off, or maybe that's because I've done it before..

Gazza

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Post by **zorruno** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:21 pm

Grant said on 09/12/2006 10:35 PM:

Don't remove the tie down hooks. If the car breaks down then it is very
difficult to safely drag the car on to a flat deck for transport.

Ahh yes, remove hooks or not. Another time honored MX5 philosophical
dilemma

I removed mine. I keep one in the boot with the 3 bolts, and a
spanner/socket of the right size. All wrapped up together so I don't
lose them.

It was a lot easier than I originally thought to get them off, but a
little fiddly due to lack of spanner swing space.

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Shermio · Post by **Shermio** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:59 pm

Why remove the hooks when you can frab your own grille that attaches to it... 2 problems solved!

WRW · Post by **WRW** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:36 pm

My StripeMonster still has her tie down hooks aka baby teeth (painted red) and she'll keep them for as long as she lives.

I wouldn't recommend people to use them to tow with over long distances, as they were only put in to tie down your baby on the journey from Japan

poison · Post by **poison** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:05 pm

Sorry but this is an age old myth debated many times.... they are bolted directly to the main chassis rails and the car can even be lifted by them (with a big crane). There is no stronger point on your car for towing or anything else.

Gazza
"PO1SON & TURB05"

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Post by **jif** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:58 pm

do it ! It'll look better and you get to "add lightness".

The flatbed guy will know to pull the car using the lower suspension arms...

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