Hood webbing, what do they do?

[john 4d]

I've always been the type of person that has questioned why things are made the way they are, what's the reasoning behind a design, what's the thought process?

I'm just at the stage of fitting my new hood and I thought I'd throw a question out to the forum. I've wondered for some time, what is the point of the webbing on a Stag hood?

The spacing of the hood sticks is determined by the hood itself, spacing the sticks with the webbing doesn't make it any easier and getting it wrong could make it a lot worse, the idea of two sets of fixed distances fighting each other doesn't make design sense. I don't buy the idea of rigidity, sorry Chris, the hood fabric wins that one hands down. Takes the load off the hood? Nope, I don't think so. And the thought of taking the tension out of the hood make no sense what so ever, who wants a hood that flaps in the wind? They certainly don't help from an aesthetics point of view. I've been talking to a TR enthusiast today about this issue, apparently the TR hood doesn't attach to all the hood sticks and so needs webbing to aid hood stick spacing, that makes sense. Even he was scratching his head in his attempt to answer me.
I'm not ruling out fitting them, I'm just vexed at having to fit them for reasons I don't understand.
What do you think they do?

John4D

[martin]

Hi John, as far as I can work out, the webbing sits under the main side seams to stop them abrading on the sticks. Could well be wrong, hopefully Chris will tell us, if he can log on of course. Martin.

[john 4d]

Good suggestion Martin.
Any others?
John4d

[john 4d]

Is that rolling tumble weed and the sound of crickets?
John4D

[marcusclive]

Evening John,
I can't answer your question but would be interested in he answer. Mine have both come dis attached ? at the front and i was thinking about removing them as i don't see why they are there. As you say they don't seem to actually have a function on the stag.
Marcus.

[V Mad]

They certainly don't help from an aesthetics point of view.
John4D

I think that only applies if you have webbing that isnt colour matched to the hood lining. Have you got black webbing on beige lining?

Anyway, some people like a bit of bondage....

[john 4d]

I thought I'd cracked the reasoning today! Bear with me on this, it occurred to me that at speed the hood tends to billow upwards due to aerodynamic effects. Forgetting what I've read and seen before, I justified that because there are fixing points for the webbing on all the hoops and rails, the longitudinal, front to back, bracing provided by webbing would help reduce any tendency for the hoops to bow out of shape.
Blissfully ignorant, I happily unrolled my matching cream webbing from its purchased state to a strip folded in half, each half comparable in length to my old webbing. Cut the strip in half and we're away, I thought. It's funny what the mind can do, but it never occurred to me that the strips wouldn't reach the elbow rail when I offered the webbing up up. I thought I'd dropped a clanger along the lines of 'should have measured twice before cutting', but no, they were the same as the old ones, and my old Practical Classics confirmed, on page 90, that the webbing only spans between the front rail and the fly stick (how many times have I read that) to space the gaps between the rails.
What are the rear fixings for? Seems to me that the bracing theory was originally considered, but now only extends between the fixed rails over the 'b' post to the front rail, and if Marcus has not experienced any detrimental effects whilst driving, this would tend to blow the need for the bracing theory out of the water altogether.
If we don't need them, why fit them? Come on, think!
john4D
P.S.
What are the suspender elastic thingamabobs for, between the fixed hoop and the fly stick? Don't tell me doing the same job as the webbing!

[jasper]

My webbing looks to be underneath the seams , could it be there to hide them or stop any drips ???
John

[john 4d]

John,
Just had a look at my hood, the seams are quite neat, I guess if they needed hiding, webbing is as good a choice as any but as you might have deduced from my earlier comments I don't regard them with complementary regard. Drips? I hope not, relying on the webbing as a sponge is I imagine not advisable, if only for the watermarks!

John4D

[jamcarr2]

[QUOTE=john 4d;131588]I thought I'd cracked the reasoning today! Bear with me on this, it occurred to me that at speed the hood tends to billow upwards due to aerodynamic effects.

The webbing on my hood has come undone on the near side and at speeds in excess of 70 MPH the near side flaps up and down so maybe that is what is was put there for .

[john 4d]

To late! Need them or not the webbing is fitted, still can't see their point but hay ho! Also, first seam of the new hood stuck to the main hoop over the tee bar. I'll leave it until tomorrow before tensioning over the front and rear rails. Looking good.