[Vet Rider]

This is a PSA for anyone with a 2021 Charger Hellcat with the Redeye hood. If you decide to wrap your hood, you will need to remove the hood vents.

For some reason unknown to me, dodge decided that the side vents that have the single screw that go into the metal collar thats molded into the plastic vent should be BLUE LOCK TITE'd in. Yeah great job dodge. You have now made this part a consumable part if they ever need to be removed. This should have been a 20 second removal and easy reinstallation, but no. As you would expect any amount of force to remove the screw caused the metal collar to start spinning in the plastic of the vent. And because its attached to the metal finger on the hood, it is impossible to NOT damage the vent and the metal (painted) finger to get this out. I had to have myself and someone else pulling the vent up, while I was trying to hold the metal finger back from bending like crazy, while trying to pry the screw out. Once the vent broke off of the metal collar, I was able to get behind the screw and hold it tight with vice grips to be able to get it lose from the blue locktite. What a mess. I just had to order new vents now, to the tune of $120.

And I will have to touch up the metal fingers under the hood where the screws attach to the vents because they are all scratched up now. What a bunch of idiot stuff thinking it was a good idea to locktite the screw into the metal collar that was molded into plastic. DUUUUUHHHHHH DODGE.

 

[Slowpoke387]

After all of the complaints Ive read about loose vents and bezels I’m surprised theyre not welded on. It’s been an issue so this shouldnt really be a surprise.

 

[ceebydeeby710]

Wow, so unnecessary

 

[Mattm400]

That looks EXACTLY like the same brass collars used on Harley Davidson fairings. If you ever strip one out, that might be a good replacement.

 

[furious70]

well shoot - I also want to wrap my hood.

 

[Vet Rider]

well shoot - I also want to wrap my hood.

Yeah no idea what to tell you. The wrap came out perfect but I’m waiting on two new vents now.
I have no idea what you can do in order to break loose that blue locktite without stripping that collar inside the plastic vent. Maybe heat the screw first with a blow torch but that might transfer to the plastic and make it worse. No idea. Hopefully yours don’t break. It was two hours to try and carefully break the old plastic vents to get them out. And even then the painted ears that the screws screw into got all dinged up and bent. They bent back easily and I touched them up with my touch up I got for the car but still. This is so stupid. But the end result is pretty awesome I must say.

 

[Vet Rider]

Oh and also had to damage the hood blanket to get to the hole that leads up to the nut that holds the front scoop on as well. They no longer snap in on the top. There is a single threaded post that hangs down back behind it and you need to put a nut driver up there to get the nut off that’s holding the top of the scoop in place.

 

[Taxinator]

The wrap looks great but what a pain!

 

[Himmelkat]

Louvers would be cool in at least two ways, airflow and looks. I'm not sure if it's a look that is sufficiently aligned with Dodge, however, as it has a more utilitarian Tom, Dick, and Harry air about it.

 

[ChillxPoint]

My 2020 challenger redeye widebody also had thia problem when removing the vents but the guy who put my wrap on also fixed my vents. He was real handy.

 

[Dennis H]

What a pia.

 

[Festus]

Next time, apply heat to soften the thread locker.

 

[Gotgap]

Which only leads me to believe there’s a peanut gallery of pranksters engineers at dodge

 

[Germansheperd]

The wrap looks good but personally I would‘ve have left it alone before going down that rabbit hole. Just me.

 

[Vet Rider]

The wrap looks good but personally I would‘ve have left it alone before going down that rabbit hole. Just me.

You’re thinking we knew all this before hand?? Lol yeah we didn’t.

 

[snobrdrdan]

I'm guessing Dodge got wind of knowing you were going to wrap it, instead of ordering it from the factory, and got you back

 

[zsuperbee]

With Loctite heat is your friend, for blue a hair dryer or heat gun until the screw is warm to the touch red Loctite get out the torch.

 

[Germansheperd]

Note to self if black hood is wanted order from factory.

 

[TheFrankenberry]

Ha-ha-ha, at least it wasn't red LocTite! I wouldn't be mad that Dodge made sure a screw stayed put throughout numerous heat cycles and constant vibrations. At least others now know to use just a bit of heat to remove that screw.

 

[Vet Rider]

And if you’re looking for the part number and the cost of the bezels here you go.