Sokie Tech Ebay hood damper review
 

My hood dampers arrived yesterday. I've seen hood dampers for $150 which makes 3 pairs of Sokie Tech dampers at $49.99 so I thought I'll give it a try.

First of all the shipping was reasonably fast, it arrived approx. within two weeks after I ordered (it comes from taiwan) Instructions are clear and fit and finish is also good. Very easy to install by yourself, I actually spent more time trying to install the slip-proof pin then the actual hood damper and the hinges.

As for operation, to open you have to push it all the way by yourself. I've read some hood dampers lift the hood by themselves after you lift the first 70%. This one doesn't do that. To close, you have to close halfway and then let go, and it closes so just like any other damper. You don't have to push all the way to close.

Here are the pics:

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/1090/img0259kv.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3680/img0261yy.jpg

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/3088/img0260s.jpg

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/835/img0262x.jpg

One problem I had (not with sokietech) during install is, I asked for a friend to push the bonnet open all the way up and then close slowly to test the fit, clearances and hinges etc. before I fully tightened everything and my friend mistakenly slipped the hood from his hand, so the hood closed shut with bottom half of the damper sticking out between the hood and the guard. Now when the bonnet is shut I can see the driver side hood damper through the gap. Looks like side of the bonnet flexed/bent :( I hope a bodyshop can fix that with little adjustments or it'll bug me :(

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6242/img0264zq.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/5966/img0263l.jpg

looks good, now go slap your friend for hurting the FD. Pics must be included after the brawl LOL

I bought similar ones from an ebay seller, for the same price. However, mine lift the hood from the halfway point. I was very pleased with them, especially after spending $200+ for HD rear hatch shocks from Mazda, and the hatch still falls closed (due to the RB rear wing).

Too late for that, we already finished his funeral services, I even took initiative and opted for cremation :D I hope a bodyshop can fix that easily (maybe by putting a piece of wood under it and gently bending it etc.) otherwise i'll shoot myself in the head so i can go kick his butt again on the other side :)

Ok, I tried again and mine also lifted the hood from halfway point, meanwhile I went and made myself a cup of tea to come back and watch the finishing of operation :D Either mine are faulty or it has to work a little bit to loosen up. Anyway it slowly lifts up so I can't complain.

This is actually more important to me than having the strength to fully open unassisted. I wouldn't want to have to push the hood to fully latch. That leads to dented hoods.
How long ago? At the price, I don't mind trying them over the hood-prop, but how do they seem to be holding up?

Here's the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/93-94...Q5fAccessories

The $50 eBay ones branded "Godspeed" look similar to these. I've had them for a year or so now and they're holding up fine. They do have the power to lift the hood by themselves once past about the halfway point, but they seem stronger during the summer months. One of the best "cheap mods" you can do. Nothing worse than burning your hands lifting a BB hood that's been sitting in the sun all day when at the track while you fumble for the hood prop.

Right when I finished up the 20B and put the hood on, so Aug. They are holding up great. We've had the same ones on our 13b-re Vert for a couple years and they still work perfectly.

We also have to hoods open much more often then most people, since the cars are constantly in our shop.

Mine do not lift slowly, it is completely unassisted and fast from halfway up, and it drops unassisted from halfway when closing. The hood shocks will hold the hood open right at the middle if you put it in just the right spot.

I noticed that mine are slightly different, these have black shafts, instead of silver.
http://www.banzai-racing.com/20B/Efini_converted1.jpg

^^ jeebus that ride is sick

I searched for godspeed in ebay, the new models seem to have silver shafts. Honestly I didn't pay attention to that when buying the damper but now that I know, I'd prefer black cause silver is kind of visible through the gap when the hood is closed.

The dampers and the car looking good btw :icon_tup:

so after the halfway closed point the shocks arent pushing up on the hood?
I would nab some but i have a Cf hood and pressure would probably making it bow

After halfway the shocks are slowly lifting up the hood by themselves, and to close again after halfway the shocks do not resist so you can drop the hood to close instead of pushing it.

anyone one running these or similar ones with an after market hood? they say it doesnt work with cf or fpr hoods...?

I don' thave it with me but in the instructions paper it says something like do not use with CF hoods. Hood Dampers and CF hoods have been covered in the forum, try doing a search. Afaik some use certain brands and say they work with CF hoods.

ok cool, thats kinda what I thought. sweet. thanks man

I've seen a number of the hood dampers that push on the hood a bit when closed, giving it the gap on the sides. Try unbolting the dampers and see if the gap disappears.

I still have yet to be sold on the dampers. Hood rod isn't sexy, but it works.

Dale

As far as that gap goes just push the hood back down evenly on that side, this happens with aluminum hoods if something obstructs it when closing. Your lucky there isn't a huge ding in the car.
I happen to have what looks similar to these hood dampers. I have no complaints.

Hey do you guy know what kind of shocks i should use for a carbon fiber hatch with out bowing it up ???? my oem one

Oh and for the hood too i got a carbon fiber hood i would like to put some on too with out bowing it or a big gap???

The gap is on one side only, and it's the side that dropped on the shock.

You can't go wrong for $49.99, you can give it a try if you don't like it you'll easily sell it for $30 here and keep using the hood rod. It's easier to open the hood with it and better/modern looking, not many cars use rods nowadays. This is all the sales talk you'll get for $49.99 :D

Yeah I was thankful for that. The part that got stuck between was mostly that silver shaft part of the shock and luckly it didn't push on the guard to dent it cause I know for sure, it's impossible to remove the dents that are on the edge and that don't have round shape, with paintless dent removal.

man i wish i knew about it before i bought my prosport ones, but i spent 90 dollars, much cheaper than rotary extreme and tein... so these have a carbon fiber finish look good, and open the hood themselves at just about half way. all in all im happy with it

well... i just got one and going to paint the silver black. thanks for the heads up!

I have the NRG dampers and i dont have the gap issue.

i had the gap problem with the sokie tech also. the hood bracket was too thick. the nrg bracket that goes on the hood(little square piece) has a recess for the nut, it's also much slimmer. i'm currently using the nrg hood bracket and the sokie tech shocks.

http://www.xlevelonline.com/img/NRG_HDPolish.jpg

Two questions:

- Are you saying the gap problem is caused by sokie tech and not because we dropped the hood on the shock and guard by mistake? Cause the passanger side gap is perfectly normal, I can only slightly see the shaft of the shock through there but driver side gap is bigger (hood sits higher I think). Maybe I should loosen and move the bracket around cause inside the bracket is a L shaped hole to move it around.
- Can we buy the NRG/slimmer bracket seperately?

Just FYI, I also have the Sokie Tech hood dampers and don't have any issues with gaps.