ok..uhm OUCH - friggin hood struts!!!!!
01-18-2006, 07:45 PM
#44
Originally Posted by internetautomar
unless you bought the car new, someone added that bar later on.
I've seen them in the store before, they're for people to cheap to buy hood struts
I've seen them in the store before, they're for people to cheap to buy hood struts
the bar is a short, thin yellow plastic one that comes attached to the second gen strut(has kind of a u at the end of it). when you need it you can twist it down into a type of notch on the cars body. I have seen it also on many other 2nd gens. wonder why they didn't continue that on later generations? 
01-18-2006, 11:14 PM
#45
it's called a cost reduction. manufacturers every so often will get their head engineers to literally walk down the assembly lines and pull stuff of the car they deem too expensive or not cost effective enough in its effect on quality or customer satisfaction. u figure u delete a $2 piece and about 5 minutes off of the assembly time of each car and them multiply that by however many hundreds of thousands of cars....voila! = more profit
01-21-2006, 08:31 AM
#46
anyone know if nissan ever used good old springs to prop up hoods?...i'm about ready to try to fit my bronco's hood springs to the max.....but considering the weight differential, that'll probably make the max's hood more like a trebuchet
01-22-2006, 08:07 AM
#49
Originally Posted by internetautomar
actually, the spring is there to hold the hood UP, you are fighting it most of the way up IIRC
uhm right...isn't that what we're talking about...getting a spring that could hold up the hood instead of support lifts? and since the springs are holding the hood up, wouldn't u be fighting the springs most of the way down?
01-22-2006, 08:59 AM
#50
The spring in question i believe, is the lever activated spiral spring that alot of chevy's have. Its a very nice setup and strong, and usually doesn't wear as much as gas powered stuff.
As far as holding the hood up vs keeping it closed, it depends on where this "spring" is mounted. Further back and it will try to keep the hood shut, just right and it will aide in opening the hood and won't be hard to close since the hoods weight would help the situation.
As far as holding the hood up vs keeping it closed, it depends on where this "spring" is mounted. Further back and it will try to keep the hood shut, just right and it will aide in opening the hood and won't be hard to close since the hoods weight would help the situation.
01-23-2006, 05:05 PM
#52
i got this little gadget from autozone that clips onto the hood strut and it has a piece that flips up uner the lip of the bottom of the latch and it holds them up it is the cooles thing i ever saw i left it on my black 3rd gen when i sold it other wise id take a pic of it so everyone can get one.
01-06-2007, 01:26 PM
#54
One time when I was changing headlight bulbs I rested the old bulb on the air intake box, standing up. Well, you can guess what happens from here... Hood closes on top of the bulb, but instead of the bulb breaking, the pointed tip of it actually puts a ding in the hood, leaving a tiny visible bump, complete with cracked paint, on the top of the hood. 
Amazingly the bulb didn't even break, it just flopped over.
So now I just use vice grips around the strut.
Amazingly the bulb didn't even break, it just flopped over.
So now I just use vice grips around the strut.
01-06-2007, 05:56 PM
#55
I miss my VE
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NY
Posts: 2,553
Originally Posted by jaguax
One time when I was changing headlight bulbs I rested the old bulb on the air intake box, standing up. Well, you can guess what happens from here... Hood closes on top of the bulb, but instead of the bulb breaking, the pointed tip of it actually puts a ding in the hood, leaving a tiny visible bump, complete with cracked paint, on the top of the hood.
Amazingly the bulb didn't even break, it just flopped over.
So now I just use vice grips around the strut.
Amazingly the bulb didn't even break, it just flopped over.
So now I just use vice grips around the strut.
Why not just replace the damn hood struts!?
01-06-2007, 08:41 PM
#56
wow this thread was bumped nearly 1 year later after its last post, cool. Anyway I was gonna ask you guys...
I was at the JY and there was this mint aztec red 91 se and the hood struts were PERFECT, it was a windy cold day and they were holding up like nothing so I figured I'd take em with since they would both run me 7 bucks. once I throw them on my car they wouldn't even hold the hood up for a second. Is this something common?
btw I've had my hood and g.fs hood (yes double the pleasure) fall on my head and beat the **** out of it, its ok I'm hard headed in many ways so it does nothing.
I was at the JY and there was this mint aztec red 91 se and the hood struts were PERFECT, it was a windy cold day and they were holding up like nothing so I figured I'd take em with since they would both run me 7 bucks. once I throw them on my car they wouldn't even hold the hood up for a second. Is this something common?
btw I've had my hood and g.fs hood (yes double the pleasure) fall on my head and beat the **** out of it, its ok I'm hard headed in many ways so it does nothing.
01-07-2007, 05:27 AM
#58
Originally Posted by ColombianMax
wow this thread was bumped nearly 1 year later after its last post, cool. Anyway I was gonna ask you guys...
I was at the JY and there was this mint aztec red 91 se and the hood struts were PERFECT, it was a windy cold day and they were holding up like nothing so I figured I'd take em with since they would both run me 7 bucks. once I throw them on my car they wouldn't even hold the hood up for a second. Is this something common?
btw I've had my hood and g.fs hood (yes double the pleasure) fall on my head and beat the **** out of it, its ok I'm hard headed in many ways so it does nothing.
I was at the JY and there was this mint aztec red 91 se and the hood struts were PERFECT, it was a windy cold day and they were holding up like nothing so I figured I'd take em with since they would both run me 7 bucks. once I throw them on my car they wouldn't even hold the hood up for a second. Is this something common?
btw I've had my hood and g.fs hood (yes double the pleasure) fall on my head and beat the **** out of it, its ok I'm hard headed in many ways so it does nothing.
A fool and his money are soon parted
01-07-2007, 11:44 AM
#60
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Washington
Posts: 563
hockey stick is doing the trick for me right now. Although I would like to get new ones. It just looks better and the convienance is nice as well. The money isn't really that bad if you consider how many years you'll probably get out of the new ones.
01-07-2007, 12:06 PM
#61
Originally Posted by bvtran
Anyone here know where can I get these bad boys cuz I'm tired of getting knocked out by damn the hood? A strong wind came by this morning and it almost knocked me out.
01-07-2007, 11:47 PM
#62
if it hasn't been mentioned already vice grips on the strut just below the "sleeve" works AWESOME!!!!!!!! and as far as converting to the standard pole i have had the wind some up from behind me lift the hood so it is no longer on the prop and come crashing down good thing i wasn't under it when it happened. also seen it pick it up and smash the windshield before too!!! at least with the struts it will stop it from hitting the windshield if wind catches it and if you have a huge gust pushing down the vice grips will slow it down giving you a chance to stop it from knocking you silly or breaking your multimeter like someone mentioned in a earlier post
01-09-2007, 12:47 AM
#63
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 26
I have a multi-purpose pinata stick I keep in my trunk that was worth every penny. It holds up the hood perfectly and is great at my kids parties. And thats not all it stows away discreetly in the trunk and is very low maintenance...
01-09-2007, 10:41 AM
#65
1. 
$10, and looks WAY better than any of the other methods above.. (click the pic)
2. At least it didn't slam shut on your hand.......
Several years ago, I was washing my car at about 3am (bored, couldn't sleep), and just got done hosing down the engine bay.. I went around the pass side and was hosing down the wheel when the hood slammed shut AND LATCHED on my hand when I was holding onto the fender right by the pass side headlight.
so it's 3am.. I'm in the back of a spray&wash on a low traffic street.. my car is eating my hand.. I can't reach anything to help pry up the hood or unlatch it... I'm wearing a t-shirt.... and it's only about 45 deg outside.
Karma's a *****, ain't it?
$10, and looks WAY better than any of the other methods above.. (click the pic)2. At least it didn't slam shut on your hand.......
Several years ago, I was washing my car at about 3am (bored, couldn't sleep), and just got done hosing down the engine bay.. I went around the pass side and was hosing down the wheel when the hood slammed shut AND LATCHED on my hand when I was holding onto the fender right by the pass side headlight.
so it's 3am.. I'm in the back of a spray&wash on a low traffic street.. my car is eating my hand.. I can't reach anything to help pry up the hood or unlatch it... I'm wearing a t-shirt.... and it's only about 45 deg outside.
Karma's a *****, ain't it?
01-09-2007, 11:09 AM
#66
OMG! 
Did you use some sentence enhancers? 
2. At least it didn't slam shut on your hand.......
Several years ago, I was washing my car at about 3am (bored, couldn't sleep), and just got done hosing down the engine bay.. I went around the pass side and was hosing down the wheel when the hood slammed shut AND LATCHED on my hand when I was holding onto the fender right by the pass side headlight.
so it's 3am.. I'm in the back of a spray&wash on a low traffic street.. my car is eating my hand.. I can't reach anything to help pry up the hood or unlatch it... I'm wearing a t-shirt.... and it's only about 45 deg outside.
Karma's a *****, ain't it?
Did you use some sentence enhancers?
Originally Posted by Matt93SE
2. At least it didn't slam shut on your hand.......
Several years ago, I was washing my car at about 3am (bored, couldn't sleep), and just got done hosing down the engine bay.. I went around the pass side and was hosing down the wheel when the hood slammed shut AND LATCHED on my hand when I was holding onto the fender right by the pass side headlight.
so it's 3am.. I'm in the back of a spray&wash on a low traffic street.. my car is eating my hand.. I can't reach anything to help pry up the hood or unlatch it... I'm wearing a t-shirt.... and it's only about 45 deg outside.
Karma's a *****, ain't it?
01-09-2007, 11:50 AM
#67
Fortunately, someone eventually heard me cursing from the gas station a couple lots down (about 150ft away), and came to see the problem... when they got done laughing at me, they opened the hood for me.
01-10-2007, 12:08 AM
#71
Originally Posted by Matt93SE
1. $10, and looks WAY better than any of the other methods above.. (click the pic):
$10, and looks WAY better than any of the other methods above.. (click the pic):
Originally Posted by Matt93SE
After several years of wrenching and cutting my hands on lots of random things, I've learned to become ambidextrous to take care of the 'important' things. 
01-10-2007, 05:21 PM
#73
that's brilliant, Matt!!! that thing looks just like a pipe cutter.... I'll head over to home depot and get myself a cheapo $5 junk.... damn, how do I remove the blade? ...that's the only obstacle. argh.... damn hood!!
01-10-2007, 07:46 PM
#74
Originally Posted by bvtran
that's brilliant, Matt!!! that thing looks just like a pipe cutter.... I'll head over to home depot and get myself a cheapo $5 junk.... damn, how do I remove the blade? ...that's the only obstacle. argh.... damn hood!!
01-10-2007, 11:10 PM
#75
Originally Posted by Matt93SE
Tell me you don't do it too.......... 
01-11-2007, 09:24 AM
#77
Originally Posted by Loco7
never said i didn't just don't know if I'd consider that one of the "more important thing" category. but that's another story for another forum. lets just say i have the gift of gab & a way with the ladies when needed
01-11-2007, 11:46 PM
#79
Originally Posted by Matt93SE
Wait till you get married.
10-21-2007, 02:52 PM
#80
This thread is old and Wayne might lock it for bring it back to life but I just bought myself both hood struts and OMG! I cant believe I spent 5300 bucks and never took the time to get these lil guys! 28 bucks each from advance with work discount of course, lifetime warranty (which means I gotta change em every 2 years)
Checked with dealer and they were $225 a pop. I'm such a cheap ***.but I'm glad I spent the money on em.
Checked with dealer and they were $225 a pop. I'm such a cheap ***.but I'm glad I spent the money on em.