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

[Torched10]

I have the steeda and like everyone else they have been working very well for 2 years. I would buy them again.

Read the reviews.when I did some of struts don't work as well as others,like some getting some hoods dent over time because of poor design.ive got steeda

Sponsored

 

[Norm Peterson]

Read the reviews.when I did some of struts don't work as well as others,like some getting some hoods dent over time because of poor design.

Doesn't surprise me a bit. It's as much because the hood was never intended to be supported that way as it being any shortcoming in the aftermarket strut design. Maybe more so. Keep in mind that it's the hood getting dented (they're still aluminum, aren't they?), not the strut attachment bracket bending.


Norm

 

[dbegley]

I went with the Roush. Lifetime warranty. The Roush install requires removing the TWO bolts on the both sides of the hood. I think most if not all those others just requires removing one bolt. I figured that would strengthen the supports. I may have been correct on that but I didn't count on needing a second person to hold the hood in alignment. My first attempt was solo and got the hood out of alignment. The next time I got some help.

 

[Silver Bullitt]

I went with the Roush. Lifetime warranty. The Roush install requires removing the TWO bolts on the both sides of the hood. I think most if not all those others just requires removing one bolt. I figured that would strengthen the supports. I may have been correct on that but I didn't count on needing a second person to hold the hood in alignment. My first attempt was solo and got the hood out of alignment. The next time I got some help.

This was the one reason I didn't go with the Roush struts. I agree their design seems better overall, but I didn't want to risk the hood shifting and what could happen or getting the hood back aligned well. My hood has pretty even gaps all around. With that said, I just hand tightened the two hood bracket bolts for installing the Steeda struts and they have never moved. Steeda supplied a couple small pieces of neoprene that fit between the hood and the strut bracket. It not only keeps the strut bracket from marring the paint on the hood, but also helps keep them from rotating.

 

[gismo4]

I have them for almost a year they work just fine, worth the money. Be careful not to pinch the washer fluid line on the passenger side.

I've had the FP struts for about a year and so far they're doing a fine job. Much better than having the prop rod. I'll echo what someone else stated, watch out for the washer fluid line on the passenger side or it could get pinched. I ended up pulling out the last retaining clip to reposition the line so it wouldn't be a problem. I don't know if this is an issue unique to the FP struts, or other struts also face this issue.

You both may have gotten the installation instructions for the 15-17. That happened to me. I wish I was sent the correct one to begin with. Fortunately, I saw the problem sooner than later. I looked online on the Ford Performance site and the 18+ has additional instructions that says to move the washer fluid line.

Scroll down to the last 2 pages in the below pdf link:
https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/instructionsheets/FORDINSTSHTM-16826-MA_3RD.PDF

 

[lightrules]

i went with MRT bc there is no drilling whatsoever. i've got a GT350R but i think it's the same for the GT. working great so far and install was a pinch...

https://www.shopmrt.com/2015-2019-Mustang-MRT-Hood-Struts-p/80u900.htm

and here's my video of it...

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

I ordered the Ford Performance struts (still waiting on them). Honestly, I picked them because they were affordable. Hopefully it doesn't end up being a "you get what you pay for" scenario.

I have the Ford Performance on mine, they work pretty good, can't complain and they were affordable. The lasered logo is pretty nice and looks good on my '19 Bullitt! And my windshield washer fluid hose did get pinched, I just undid one of the clips and now all's good.

 

[gismo4]

I have the Ford Performance on mine, they work pretty good, can't complain and they were affordable. The lasered logo is pretty nice and looks good on my '19 Bullitt! And my windshield washer fluid hose did get pinched, I just undid one of the clips and now all's good.

Looks good. Sounds like you got the 15-17 instructions as well. I got these for the same reason. the lasered logo is pretty nice and were affordable.

If you want, scroll down to the last 2 pages in the below pdf link to see the 18+ part about the windshield washer fluid hose:
https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/instructionsheets/FORDINSTSHTM-16826-MA_3RD.PDF

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

Looks good. Sounds like you got the 15-17 instructions as well. I got these for the same reason. the lasered logo is pretty nice and were affordable.

If you want, scroll down to the last 2 pages in the below pdf link to see the 18+ part about the windshield washer fluid hose:
https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/instructionsheets/FORDINSTSHTM-16826-MA_3RD.PDF

Yeah, saw that just before I hit "reply" on your post, I do notice that mine were the old instructions. No biggie. I guess I was wondering why my window wasn't getting sprayed at first. Should've taken better pics, the Bullitt is a really nice car and I showed off exactly none of it.

 

[ShadowPP2]

I put Redlines on 2019. Easy to install, no drilling except in plastic battery cover, work very well and even match my color theme. Highly recommend.

 

[JRuss]

I ordered the Ford Performance struts (still waiting on them). Honestly, I picked them because they were affordable. Hopefully it doesn't end up being a "you get what you pay for" scenario.

The brackets on the Ford struts are flimsy like the early 2015 Redline's. You will see too much hood flex when you pull the hood down, I replaced my Redline brackets with their later heavier V3 bracket and would go Redline again.

 

[gismo4]

Yeah, saw that just before I hit "reply" on your post, I do notice that mine were the old instructions. No biggie. I guess I was wondering why my window wasn't getting sprayed at first. Should've taken better pics, the Bullitt is a really nice car and I showed off exactly none of it.

No worries. I was in the same boat wondering wth? I followed the instructions and my windshield wiper fluid isn't working correctly. Then I decided to double check the instructions from their site and saw they amended it for the 2018+ models.

 

[tj@steeda]

Go Steeda in the front & Steeda in the rear

https://www.steeda.com/mustang-hood-trunk-struts

 

[hemistar1]

Thanks for the advice!

Good and I hope you got the best advice here. Enjoy.

 

[308 Cal. Bullitt]

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

Dont mis-understand my intent by posing the ??
Not implying they should be.
Im as big a fan of using steel in places where warranted as anyone. & alum. in places it fits the bill well. We use it alot in my trade.

As for steel, we like 4130~90% of the time,
if its gotta be steel. On rare occasion stainless. Of coarse on exh. stuff mostly.
Can be a good material for a few other areas under right circumstances.

Steel on non OEM parts, "diy Fabricated or machined stuff", is a safe play for most bolt on's of DD veh's. No one likes stuff failing. Never a good time for part to break.

So Im askin if any brands that are
"known quantitys", use any alum bracket parts on these hood lift kits?... or just play it safe w/steel?

Im not only new to S550's, but too car forums in general. I Dont do, or use, social media.
Or post hardly ever, or even read forums..
Not till I realized there enormous collective of , experiences, insite/value on them.
I had employees over the yrs who did all that stuff I mentioned above, & talked bout it to each other more than too me directly.

I was just not smart enuff to embrace the depth of info by such large groups.
I 1st experienced the value of forums on my F150.. few yr's ago, when searching for help, & right tools for the spark plug removal on 5.4s 3V when left in too long.
<worlds longest reach plug Id guess> My billet Hemi heads hav normal length plugs,
for petes sake. These things are broom handles.

Im Real Green on the S550 cars, (green= rookie, in ole guy talk)
& forums as well, & still am non existant in social media. Not embracing that any time soon. Everytime i say never thou, i seem to end up there.
Said id never buy a new car again 20 yrs ago.
Most "nevers" took bout 3-7 yrs to come around.
I got a LOT TO LEARN bout all of the above topics. Excited to learn bout the s550 cars.

I'll apologize in advance for asinine remarks I put out, till I get figurecput how to fit in. Im pretty stoked about it all, (not social media, but inclusion into forums)
as the wealth of knowledge in places like, here in 6g, is like nothing I grew up with havin access too.
I used things called books, and letter writing, to garner info from experts on topics I knew little/nothin about. Hav always wanted to try to learn from the successes of others, rather than from my own mistakes as an ametuer in any endeavor i knew nothin bout.

What I would give to be in my 20s again NOW, in 2020. This era of cars under $40k/60K @ 450+ hp, from the big 3, w/parts avail @ touch of ur ph, for nearly need.
The yr i graduated HS, i dont think u could buy 300hp made on US soil. I could never bring myself to buy offshore. The old man wouldnt allow it in the house.. That was the 80s.
Im like that dumbazz who says something like,
" id rather push my Harley than...ride my rice burner". The old man was UAW 30 yrs, & my 4 siblings, & mom too a shrt while.
No foreign anything on dad's 25 acres of soil was allowed, especially in the driveway.
Things hav chgd. No avoiding offshore today.

Back to the alum. bracket question.
As a worse than just new guy.. new to forums & old. A guy everyone can hate.

I ask as it could certainly be a bad idea, if poorly designed. & sounds like the Alum hoods are not always happy with how some brands dispersing there cycling forces of hood open/closed,
along the hoods edge

I, myself, as most might, prefer to use Alum. where applicable.
Use it w/confidence, that us. Not just in order to say I did.

Again, lookin forward to being the old dog tryin to learn some new tricks. For yrs i taught a lot of people the trade I was in. Now im the no nothing novice again, after 3+ decades.

My '79 Cobra Turbo Fox bdy had a prop rod..
& it was cheesy then. Practical maybe. I was so hillbilly then i just keft hood off for a month while tuning it.

I wasnt smart enuff to put assist cylinders on it like everyone does today. Only thing good was it was simple & lite.
& U need lite on a 4 banger..turbo or not.
From '79 era.

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

This is a new ago of bolt on parts < to me> that actually for most part work well.
The ease of how u can review, then order,
& bolting on parts that improve the perf. or looks, or both, of ur ride.

The world i grew up in, "bolt on" meant,
u bought the part 1st, then bolted to the vertical milling table, (to machine it to fit)...
Or U bolted to a fixture u rigged up, in the lathe, to get it modified to fit car right.

Now days this stuff u buy actually bolts on a car, for most part, and works from the start.

Entirely new concept for an old guy, as Im used to having to make the stuff we needed more often then buying. Or couldn't afgord stuff before mass production offshore.

Im pretty stoked about the idea of someone else's time being burned up, & development costs being absorbed, other than on my nickel.

I believe u are usually always better off doing what u know how todo best, & take those wages, & buy/pay for services from others, who know there craft best.

I often over the yrs hav told my diy customers to weigh heavily there own skills, & time, to just pay for parts already built by those who developed them properly. vs spending all there xtra time trying to learn...both all the wrong, then the right ways, before they get it figured out.

I do like to build some stuff on occasion thou on my regular rides still.

Greetings all! New, ole guy gettin in the way..
Ohh, & just Roast me now,
over buying a black bullitt, btw.
Lets get it over w/... <grin>
Thx for allowing/tolerating my introduction here.

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

Sponsored