Which hood struts?

[Redline Tuning]

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http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16575

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[AdrianMAK]

Ill be using the MRTs. I like the no drill solution, even if it is a $20 part.

 

[tsunami]

You have to loosen both hood bolts to install the MRT struts. Make sure to mark the hood position to reposition the hood if it shifts. One forum member had the hood shift, took a while to reset the hood. Only one hood bolt needs to be removed with Redline, no possibility of the hood shifting; which is why I am going with Redline.

 

[Steve@BAS]

^^Yup, no movement with the Redline install! http://shop.bobsautosports.com/Redl...ter-2015-Mustang-redline-2015-hood-struts.htm Starting at $99.95 shipped and color matched options

 

[Endokendal]

Ordered MRT today from Lethal!

 

[Anthony]

Nope, unless you plan to show it with hood up at street fairs and intend to do chrome on other areas in the engine compartment.

Except they are not chrome. They are stainless.

 

[argile2000]

You have to loosen both hood bolts to install the MRT struts. Make sure to mark the hood position to reposition the hood if it shifts. One forum member had the hood shift, took a while to reset the hood. Only one hood bolt needs to be removed with Redline, no possibility of the hood shifting; which is why I am going with Redline.

I am leaning MRT so this is great info to have. Thank you for posting.

 

[Rich of So Cal]

Wake up thread!!

Ordered Redlines from JLT. Got the 3Xyellow painted ones coming.

 

[Redline Tuning]

Wake up thread!!

Ordered Redlines from JLT. Got the 3Xyellow painted ones coming.

Nice! JLT does a great job painting our QuickLIFT systems.

Be sure to post some pictures of them installed.:coolphotos:

 

[Strokerswild]

Another vote for the color-matched Redlines from JLT! :cheers:

 

[jbailer]

MRT - I bought a set of these and have them laying on my floor. This was the early version where you had to take both bolts off and it was a lot of fun getting the hood re-aligned. I heard there is a newer version where you don't have to take both bolts off. Still my problem with them was it raised the hood up slightly. I think theirs has too much pressure.

I bought the Steeda hood struts. After looking at all available, I liked their design the best. It is similar to Redline's but the plate that bolts to the hood is longer to reduce stress on the hood. Many have noticed the hood flex when closing right at the strut when using the Redline. I posted a pretty thorough review with pictures in a different thread.

 

[Todd15Fastback]

Steeda for me, too. I love their much larger hood mounting brackets vs. the competition. I also like the Steeda logo. Their hardware seems more stout too.

You can see in the picture how big their hood brackets are. Makes everything much more firm when opening and closing the hood.

 

[Nathanbrummer@SCS]

I agree with Todd. The extra surface area on the steeda kit seemed like good insurance.

 

[Rich of So Cal]

redline/JLT install review

Installed my hood struts today. Here's my review w/pics (I hope)
JLT:
Struts arrived when promised and were packed well. The paint on the tubes looks great. The paint on the hardware...fair. Hardware paint chipped some during installation. Not sure it was worth an extra $40. Probably could have done as good a job with a spray can, myself. BTW if you do paint your own, don't paint the ball ends on the hardware. That just makes snapping them on harder, and caused the ball to rotate coarsely. I'm sure it will self-correct as the paint wears off. Overall, I would give give JLT a thumbs up as retailers.

REDLINE: Three issues: 1st, the hole I had to cut in the battery cover was not big enough for the metal ball end to protrude through. I removed the cover twice to enlarge the hole, and still it had to be forced on, scraping some of the yellow paint off. When you make your hole, just go ahead and make it twice as long, with the extra overlapping hole toward the center of the bay. That should be big enough. But also, the end of the strut ball and socket rubs hard against the battery cover. In time I suppose it will wear a space there. The installation instructions were ok, except for one item (see below). It would be nice if they included replacement push pins. Mine seemed loose to begin with. This is poor design by Ford for something you will eventually have to open to get to your battery. They aren't designed for much reuse.

2d: Hood cable placement. [EDIT: actually it seems too loose and is on the wrong side to be the hood release. Maybe it's hooked to the collision sensor???] The instructions didn't tell me where to push the cable after I installed the passenger side hood hardware, so I let it go to the outside toward the fender. After I connected the spring tube I could see that was a mistake. Now it will be pushed into the side rubber seal each time I close the hood. I didn't want to disconnect the tube just to change that, as the sockets on the strut ends are a plastic composite that does't look like it would take too many reinstallation's. I read in another thread about someone having a Steeda strut fail, come loose and damage their hood during a closing!

3rd:!!! Some have mentioned a problem with struts causing the hood to push up out of alignement when the hood is closed. That didn't happen YET, but those springs are very strong. You cannot easily close them just with your body weight. I tried when I first opened the package. At first I thought they were frozen. After install they did not immediately compress easily. Although they loosened up somewhat, the front edge of the hood has to move 1 to 2 inches BEFORE the springs begin to compress. You can watch and see where the stress to the hood is...right at the end of the upper mounting hardware. Some have said they are going with other models because they have longer bracing hardware. I don't think that will do any good. The hood will just flex/bend at the point where the extra long hardware ends. The issue seems to be the aluminum hood, not the struts per se. I am going to watch it closely. If the tubes don't loosen up more when closing the hood, I will probably remove them and just use the stock rod. The convenience is not worth damaging my hood.

I'm sure this wasn't an issue when on previous models, as I assume they had steel sheet metal hoods.

BOTTOM LINE. Redlines are probably as good or better than any other strut brand, but it is questionable whether any of them should be used on an aluminum hood.

Hope this helps if you are considering buying a set of hood struts.

UPDATE These struts have held up well and I have not had any hood problems. They go up nicely and closing is as simple as lowering the hood to about a foot above closed, and letting it drop in place. AND they still look great. Glad I got them!

 

[roxoff11]

Besides the legal aspect on fitting struts and now must reconsider this option, I purchased the new MRT struts and attempted to fit them, no drilling at all and no need to worry about the battery cover. After fitting these struts the bonnet felt like it didn't want to close it was like the hood was springing back like something was stopping it, I didn't try closing the hood completely in case I caused damage. Noticed the hood brackets were moving, only held on with 1 bolt. purchased from North Coast Performance US, I don't recommend them at all, they were no help at all and didn't seem to care, disappointing, any experiences out there?
roxoff11

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