So many hood strut choices, which one is the best?

[Spike-S550]

No offence, but I hope the Installation Instructions are not that Long !

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[Bikeman315]

Do all the "well liked brands" of hood struts use steel brackets on tops/bottoms?
Id guess yes, But figured id ask anyhow.

Alum brackets on hood strut mnts. Can i get an Amen?

Hi Dee, welcome to the forum. Hope you do not mind me shortening your post for my reply. As this this thread is topic specific and will probably start fading out as the OP has already responded might I suggest reposting in the introduction section. You have a lot to say on topics other than hood struts that members would be interested in. Looking forward to your future involvement in the forum.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Do many guys here on 6g like make there own parts? Is there a forum section for that?

Alum brackets on hood strut mnts. Can i get an Amen?

Sounds like you've still got at least one foot in the world of traditional hotrodding.

No, I don't think there's as much DIY-fabrication these days, which is a little sad even for such simple tasks as installing ready-made-and-bought hood struts. I'm thinking that anybody who had much of a DIY-fab outlook would have spotted the possibility of pinching that hose without having to be told in the printed directions to watch out for it. There is a DIY section here, but I have no idea how active it might be (and I've been here a while and made a few posts).

From the standpoint of choosing similar metals over dissimilar metals, I think choosing an aluminum bracket to fit up against an aluminum hood might be the right way to go. But I don't know other things, like how much shape such a bracket might require. Haven't bothered to look into it (not being a hood-up car show guy where appearance might be a factor).



There's also a section where a number like 308 is a matter of interest.


Norm

 

[kiksbutt]

I got the ford performance ones and what a joke. Drilling the battery cover, so good luck taking the cover off once you install it. Then, this thing almost ripped up the washer fluid line and the hood wasn't flush. Also, it can't go up by itself when you lift it so you have to support it. One plastic side exploded on second day and was making tons of squeaking noise on first day. Just awful.

 

[Flimflamman]

I got the ford performance ones and what a joke. Drilling the battery cover, so good luck taking the cover off once you install it. Then, this thing almost ripped up the washer fluid line and the hood wasn't flush. Also, it can't go up by itself when you lift it so you have to support it. One plastic side exploded on second day and was making tons of squeaking noise on first day. Just awful.

How often would one need to remove their battery cover? Not very often I'd think. Also, I haven't done an install yet, but visually I can see being able to spin the cover out of the way. Or even cut a slit in the cover to slide it out. And it looks like you have to slightly adjust the fluid line according to prior posts. Otherwise, yeah sounds like they didn't work out to well for you. That sucks.

 

[gismo4]

I got the ford performance ones and what a joke. Drilling the battery cover, so good luck taking the cover off once you install it. Then, this thing almost ripped up the washer fluid line and the hood wasn't flush. Also, it can't go up by itself when you lift it so you have to support it. One plastic side exploded on second day and was making tons of squeaking noise on first day. Just awful.

No problems here. Everything went smoothly for the most part. Did you use a torque wrench during the install? It's easy to over/under torque these brackets. As far as the battery cover, I just cut a slit. Annoying, but it's not like I'm checking the battery daily. Hopefully these problems are no longer bothering you.

 

[Silver Bullitt]

I just cut a little "V" cut from the hole to the edge. Battery covers just slips right around the strut for easy removal.

 

[Elp_jc]

Is there a hood strut kit that requires NO modifications whatsoever, AND that doesn't interfere with anything? In other words, an OEM fitting and looking kit. I wouldn't care if it's more expensive, but achieves that . Thx.

 

[JohnDoe]

Been using Redline since early 2015. So far so good

 

[ice445]

Is there a hood strut kit that requires NO modifications whatsoever, AND that doesn't interfere with anything? In other words, an OEM fitting and looking kit. I wouldn't care if it's more expensive, but achieves that . Thx.

Sure, just use the prop rod. It's free even.

 

[Bikeman315]

Is there a hood strut kit that requires NO modifications whatsoever, AND that doesn't interfere with anything? In other words, an OEM fitting and looking kit. I wouldn't care if it's more expensive, but achieves that . Thx.

No

 

[Norm Peterson]

Is there a hood strut kit that requires NO modifications whatsoever, AND that doesn't interfere with anything? In other words, an OEM fitting and looking kit. I wouldn't care if it's more expensive, but achieves that . Thx.

I think the best you're going to get is less about the kit than the quality of its installation.

Ring Brothers might be able to come up with something better than Redline and the rest, but you'd probably be looking at four-digit money for a one-off if you could convince them to take on such a small project in the first place. Personally, I'm a little surprised that there's a business case for these things at the $100 price point.


Norm

 

[ORRadtech]

Is there a hood strut kit that requires NO modifications whatsoever, AND that doesn't interfere with anything? In other words, an OEM fitting and looking kit. I wouldn't care if it's more expensive, but achieves that . Thx.

You mean like the FORD performance ones?

Otherwise there cannot be one with OEM look and fitment because Ford does not put them on any Mustang as Original equipment. If you want OEM fitment and looks you have to stay with the prop rod because that is what is OEM.
Now, if you want the lift struts then the Ford performance ones are as close to what Ford would design as you're likely to get because, well, Ford did design them. And they designed them so you have to cut out around the battery box and adjust the washer line.

 

[308 Cal. Bullitt]

Bikeman & Norm, thx for the response, insight, & guidance on forum locations, vs topics.

Still stuck in the ole days of hot rodding, Yes.

Dont fully understand forum etiquette.
I'll get it.. Didnt know what "jackin a thread"
Meant till recently. And All these abbreviations, are not my deal. We hav codedd words in my craft, but not just 1st letters of each word.
Could not figure out wth "MY" meant fir 3 wks.

We always just wrote "Yr".. even in my stone tablet days of school.

heck, I thought "thread" was thin string on wood spool, till recently.

What i dislike about these gas hood shocks,
(Or are they called struts nowdays?)
is the fact I only seen them on any autos, front or rear, in "single shear". Now usually the surrounding metal is pretty irregular in shaoe which adds tons of strength to the mounting point. Its when Ive had a "flat mnting point w/any cyclical load bearing surface bracket, that i later had problems. Prolly what these fellows soeak of on the Ford Perf. brand..
If thats the 1 thats known to dents ur hood.

Id want a sperical bearing, aka: rod end. In double shear. So I guess ive got my 1st diy deal to look at.

Wonder if these redline/ford perf./steeda brand struts all hav a threaded end where the plastic socket installs?
Prolly so, & prolly offshore metric.

Aquireling metric rod ends isnt hard, so now its just makin a bracket that mnts easy and get the geometry right.

Putting the hood end in double shear so it doesnt twist under torque loads and dent my hood, from 30,000 ft level lookin down seems to make more sense. Maybe im just the dumb ole guy that is out of touch and these company's are way ahead of my archaic ways of engineering disciplines..

Heck, I never thought my 05 ford would hav Alum hood..
but the juvenile Indian gang of kids, on the reservation, throwing rocks at me 1 nite, uncovered that mystery pretty qwik.

The "free and easy" prop rods, as simple as they are, still seem to get jacked up by others,..
Those who try to 'help u out', seem to screw up removing it or setting them in place, when they dont know Your car..
like a friend
or the rookie oil chg guy.. 1 dude bent my wifes prop rod on an oil chg and jacked the a bit. Long ago...
Prop rods are '70s jap car tech. IMOld & crabby a$$ opin..
Just make hood support itself @ factory.
Or make it come off completely (j/k).

Or use a mop handle.., cant bend that Jiffy dude! .. but not a rod that bends within 1st few yrs of its life cycle.

Maybe if I saw the bracket designs these companies use id feel differently.
Rule #1 in my craft, on mnting anything that pivots.
Never put anything in single shear that can be put in double shear, if its on anything more than
""the cart that carry's that carrys the rocket to the launchpad""..U gotta be real old to know what that saying means...

Norm, I guess 308 was sorta dumb, w/bore & stroke @ 307.xx, huh? Now I really Lk like the idiot ole guy..

Any kits use double shear mnting?

Could hav just said that, huh? Im learnin, only after typing too much.. FOG's !@!

How do ya get the blue bx "quotes" above ur own post?
Guess theres a forum for that too somewhere?
Ok..ill stop..

 

[Elp_jc]

You mean like the FORD performance ones?

Not necessarily. I meant something that looks OEM, and didn't require modifications. But guess that's not possible. Will check out both Ford Performance and Redline, which apparently are the better choices. Not afraid of modifications and adaptations, but prefer not to if a price premium is not that great.

And for those wise guys out there, I obviously know the stupid rod is OEM, and that no struts were/are available in any trim. I'll get them anyway, but want the closest to what OEM would have been, meaning solid brackets, reliable, minimal alterations, etc. Some folks just love to find a way to twist our words, when what we meant is pretty darn obvious. Geez .

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