Without the stronger struts installed, the hood won't pop up with this weaker spring in place. I am trying to find a stronger spring but weaker than stock to pop up the hood but also easier to close the frunk. Still looking for that right balance...
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Frunk easy close spring mod
- Thread starter zhu-
- Start date
v8eater
Member
It still pops the hood but doesn't come up hardly at all. So much so you would not notice it is unlatched.
I did the mod using a heavier spring than suggested, wire size .048 coil OD .375. It worked just fine, easy close and no "thump" when opened, I liked it a lot but I ended up going back to stock and here is why.
#1 The heavier spring provides some up force at the latch area when closed. For those that have made the mod push down on the frunk at the latch area when closed, you will feel some play which is almost non-existent with the heavy spring. I suspect the frunk will rattle in certain situations without this holding force from the heavier spring.
#2 The second safety latch only catches the frunk lid if the action of opening is fast. If the frunk is released from the inside safety button, during cargo shifting etc, then the frunk must catch the second safety latch quickly or the safety latch will move out of the way and the frunk will open all the way. If I am at freeway speed the down force from the air will need to be overpowered by the strong spring otherwise the frunk will come all the way up and blind the driver.
If #2 did happen and an accident was caused by the frunk blinding my view, the insurance would point to the spring mod and blame placed on me for modifying a safety feature.
#1 The heavier spring provides some up force at the latch area when closed. For those that have made the mod push down on the frunk at the latch area when closed, you will feel some play which is almost non-existent with the heavy spring. I suspect the frunk will rattle in certain situations without this holding force from the heavier spring.
#2 The second safety latch only catches the frunk lid if the action of opening is fast. If the frunk is released from the inside safety button, during cargo shifting etc, then the frunk must catch the second safety latch quickly or the safety latch will move out of the way and the frunk will open all the way. If I am at freeway speed the down force from the air will need to be overpowered by the strong spring otherwise the frunk will come all the way up and blind the driver.
If #2 did happen and an accident was caused by the frunk blinding my view, the insurance would point to the spring mod and blame placed on me for modifying a safety feature.
Further study on pictures from eBay
#1. The spring does provide downforce to hold the hood down when locked. I think your spring may little longer than the stock one. If you feel frunk hood rattle, use little bit shorter (maybe also stronger) spring will solve the problem.
#2. I haven't have a chance to open my frunk latch mechanism to actually see how the secondary (safety) latch locking mechanism works, but from picture below, I believe there is a secondary (safety) latch release cable (green lines that I draw in the picture for the missing cable) in place to control when to release or keep locking the secondary (safety) latch.
For example,
1) when you hit the fruck release button inside the frunk, only the primary latch release cable pulled to release the primary latch, but not pull the secondary latch release cable, so the secondary (safety) latch catch the hood. You can't left to open it.
2) When you open the frunk from app or LCD screen, both the primary and secondary latch release cable pulled at the same time, so the hood just pop up high passed all latch (stay on top of secondary latch) so you can left to open it.
Stronger struts does sound very useful so I ended up ordering a pair myself. Be sure to check out Advanced Auto Parts before ordering from Amazon. They might have stores in your area that have them in stock, and with their current 15% coupon the total comes to about $15 for the pair. Gonna pick mine up tomorrow.
It's not very clear on their website, but does seem like it's for one strut. "Quantity Per Vehicle: 1"
#1. The spring does provide downforce to hold the hood down when locked. I think your spring may little longer than the stock one. If you feel frunk hood rattle, use little bit shorter (maybe also stronger) spring will solve the problem.
I have a very large selection of springs and used all strengths, as the springs get stronger or stretched further the rattle becomes less and eventually you are back to the stock spring. The rattle is a personal preference and not a safety issue. I think the concern below is a safety issue if the frunk misses the safety latch and comes open on the freeway.
For example,
1) when you hit the fruck release button inside the frunk, only the primary latch release cable pulled to release the primary latch, but not pull the secondary latch release cable, so the secondary (safety) latch catch the hood. You can't left to open it.
Put a hook into the latch to simulate the frunk catch, pull on the hook when you activate the release (inside the frunk), As the primary latch moves it passes a micro switch that releases the secondary latch. If your hood is moved fast IE a strong spring, then the secondary latch catches it. If your hook moves slow then the secondary moves out of the way and the hook pulls out IE fully open frunk.
I have a very large selection of springs and used all strengths, as the springs get stronger or stretched further the rattle becomes less and eventually you are back to the stock spring. The rattle is a personal preference and not a safety issue. I think the concern below is a safety issue if the frunk misses the safety latch and comes open on the freeway.
For example,
1) when you hit the fruck release button inside the frunk, only the primary latch release cable pulled to release the primary latch, but not pull the secondary latch release cable, so the secondary (safety) latch catch the hood. You can't left to open it.
Put a hook into the latch to simulate the frunk catch, pull on the hook when you activate the release (inside the frunk), As the primary latch moves it passes a micro switch that releases the secondary latch. If your hood is moved fast IE a strong spring, then the secondary latch catches it. If your hook moves slow then the secondary moves out of the way and the hook pulls out IE fully open frunk.
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so is it true that you should only do this mod if you have the auto struts to open the frunk as well or can this be done just replacing the spring without auto open?
v8eater
Member
It can be done but the furunk hardly opens at all. Meaning you have to get your fingers under it to lift it up. I had the spring installed before the struts came yesterday.
follow.johnny
FSD Beta Tester
I also don't have the auto open struts and planning to only replace the spring to make it easier to close. I don't really need the auto open function.
chronopc
Active Member
You need to find a stronger spring than the one recommended in the video or else the frunk will not open enough for your to lift it up. If you find one, let me know. I don't want to replace the struts.
Garlan Garner
Banned
There is no way Tesla's engineers missed a possible Mod like this.
I haven't figured it out yet. but there is a reason such a strong spring is the OEM version.
I haven't figured it out yet. but there is a reason such a strong spring is the OEM version.
chronopc
Active Member
I don't think it' s a miss. It's a design choice. They didn't want the frunk to open up all the way.
Given that we have the same style frunk closure on the S/X/3, I absolutely agree. There's a reason for it - it's not an accident, and not a "because we have a bucket of springs in the corner" kind of reason, either. Don't know the why but it's too purposeful for me to go and undo it. At least not with something that has the potential to fly in my face and block my entire field of view.
chronopc
Active Member
Yes, it's a LOT easier to close. Not much of a noticeable difference in effort to close from the 1 or 2 replacement springs. I can now latch it closed with a single thumb on the emblem.
Garlan Garner
Banned
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