Hood strut install now hood sits lower?

[Silver Bullitt]

[MENTION=7748]tj@steeda[/MENTION]Well looks like I'm ready LOL :cheers:
Are you guys having issues with the washer fluid line getting pinched? do you have any pictures of your set up installed on a 2018?

Nope. No clearance issues for me. But, Steeda shorted me one of the little neoprene pads that cushion the hood from the bracket. I put a little piece of felt in there since I couldn't find adhesive neoprene anywhere. After a couple opening and closings, that hood bracket has rotated a little bit. The other side is fine, so I think the neoprene might help keep the bracket from rotating. Called Steeda this morning and they want me to send them a pic of the part packaging (which I'm going to have to try and dig out if the trash) before they will mail me another pad. Seems a little extreme to me for a $0.25 piece of neoprene, but ok. I can post a couple pics when I get home from work. Fitment on the 2018 seems to be fine.

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[Silver Bullitt]

It was dark and the cell pics w/ flash were pretty crappy. Definitely no pinching though. I'll try and get some better ones in the daylight tomorrow.

 

[Silver Bullitt]

Here are a couple pics of the Steeda hoot struts installed on a 2018. I can't figure out why the second two pics are rotated 90* or how to fix them, but you can see on the passenger side that the wiper fluid hose does not get crushed by the hood strut lower ball. I have not rerouted the line, but I don't have it between the strut and strut ball at the hood bracket like the RedLine instructions show. You can also see how the passenger side hood bracket has rotated a little without the neoprene padding, while the driver side is still straight and hasn't seemed to rotate at all. I also cut a little V on the battery cover so there is plenty of room around the fender bracket and ball and I can remove the battery cover without taking off the strut.

 

[Matco]

Those look good...

 

[RIBS]

Relating to the flattened hood on left side...I found a fix for my situation...it might help...
I had my hood replaced due to corrosion, and the dealer mounted the hood latch metal wire part backwards, this causes torque and pressure on the hood. My hood was flat spotted on the left side. I fixed the hood latch problem and released the side pressure on the hood and it is now following the fender line with no flat spot. So check your latch assembly for side pressure on the metal wire part.....

 

[Draklia]

Relating to the flattened hood on left side...I found a fix for my situation...it might help...
I had my hood replaced due to corrosion, and the dealer mounted the hood latch metal wire part backwards, this causes torque and pressure on the hood. My hood was flat spotted on the left side. I fixed the hood latch problem and released the side pressure on the hood and it is now following the fender line with no flat spot. So check your latch assembly for side pressure on the metal wire part.....

Can you post a pic? Having a hard time visualizing what you did.

 

[Nanashii]

I just finished removing the Redline Tuning hood struts and installing the Steeda ones on my 2018. The difference in quality is remarkable. The Steeda struts are massive and very solid. The hood feels light as a feather with the Steeda struts compared to the Redline Tuning ones. I took pictures of all the components to illustrate the superior quality of the Steeda product. The Steeda hood brackets actually provide flex support for the hood with the included neoprene pads. The only area where the Redline product is better are the fender bracket supports. The Steeda ones are a bit small and don't have that lip on the top to fit the opening flush and make it easy to torque down the bolt. I didn't make any further adjustments to my washer fluid line, but suspect that it may need to be adjusted with the Steeda struts as well. I didn't look at the directions to see if they mentioned anything. Also, the hood now sits flush with the fender.

The Redline struts will be dropped off at UPS this afternoon to make the journey back to CJPP. I don't see a reason to buy this product for the 2018 cars.

 

[control4userguy]

Certainly a visual difference in parts. How does the hood feel near closed, is it heavy?

 

[Nanashii]

It’s not heavy at all even near closed. I was actually surprised how heavy it felt with the Redline struts. I don’t recall it feeling that heavy on my 2015 which also has the Redline struts. With the Steeda struts it’s light as a feather.

 

[Silver Bullitt]

Wow! Glad I went ahead and spent a little extra for the Steeda ones now after seeing that side-by-side comparison.

Question: Curious if you just hand tightened the hood bracket nuts or if you torqued them, and if so, how much?

 

[RIBS]

Can you post a pic? Having a hard time visualizing what you did.

Will try to post a pic, but the general idea is make sure your latch parts are centered and not moving the hood left or right.

On mine due to hood being replaced they assembled the bent rod part attached to hood backwards, this changed the shape and where it landed in the lower latch assembly and caused stress on hood....if you have not had work done on your hood then your lower lach assembly might be offcentered. You can adjust it by removing the radiator cover and loosening 2 10mm? Nuts....

In this pic, look at the rear part of the bar, to the left of the right nut. The bar should be laying flat against hood parallel to the raised alignment mark, mine obviously is not. This cause side forces on this bar and put a twist in the hood..

 

[Draklia]

Will try to post a pic, but the general idea is make sure your latch parts are centered and not moving the hood left or right.

On mine due to hood being replaced they assembled the bent rod part attached to hood backwards, this changed the shape and where it landed in the lower latch assembly and caused stress on hood....if you have not had work done on your hood then your lower lach assembly might be offcentered. You can adjust it by removing the radiator cover and loosening 2 10mm? Nuts....

In this pic, look at the rear part of the bar, to the left of the right nut. The bar should be laying flat against hood parallel to the raised alignment mark, mine obviously is not. This cause side forces on this bar and put a twist in the hood..

Thanks for the pic and extra info, much appreciated.

 

[rmreid17]

While we are talking hood strut installs, I need details (hopefully easy) on how to retrieve my 1/4" ratchet and socket that slipped and fell inside the fender well? Newbie mistake I know :shrug:

 

[Nanashii]

Wow! Glad I went ahead and spent a little extra for the Steeda ones now after seeing that side-by-side comparison.

Question: Curious if you just hand tightened the hood bracket nuts or if you torqued them, and if so, how much?

I hand tightened the hood bracket. It's mounted solid and I haven't noticed it shifting at all. The fender brackets however shifted even though I tightened them with a 3/8 ratchet as much as I could by hand.

While we are talking hood strut installs, I need details (hopefully easy) on how to retrieve my 1/4" ratchet and socket that slipped and fell inside the fender well? Newbie mistake I know :shrug:

Just remove a few of the plastic clips on the wheel well liner so that you can pull it down enough to reach inside the fender well and you should be able to get them out.

 

[rmreid17]

Just remove a few of the plastic clips on the wheel well liner so that you can pull it down enough to reach inside the fender well and you should be able to get them out.

Thanks!

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