I suspect you would have to change this in threadbit
HTML Code:
<if condition="$show['threadratings'] AND $show['threadrating']"><span style="float:$stylevar[right]"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_rating]/rating_$thread[rating].gif" border="0" alt="<phrase 1="$thread[votenum]" 2="$thread[voteavg]">$vbphrase[thread_rating_x_votes_y_average]</phrase>" /></span></if>
maybe to something like (not tested at all)
HTML Code:
<if condition!="$show['threadratings'] AND $show['threadrating']"><span style="float:$stylevar[right]"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_rating]/rating_$thread[rating].gif" border="0" alt="<phrase 1="$thread[votenum]" 2="$thread[voteavg]">$vbphrase[thread_rating_x_votes_y_average]</phrase>" /></span></if>
you'll need to play around with that code