Hood shocks don't hold hood up

[Dennis Kirban]

We sell both hood shocks for steel and the fiberglass hoods they are one of our best sellers we get them from the manufacturer spring lift company. Age and cold weather seems to effect them.

Trick is be careful when you undo the 4 unqiue bolts as they are only used on the hood shocks.
Always replace them in pairs also.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[HighMileage]

After replacing my hood supports,I caught myself trying to close the hood by forcing down on one corner. That doesn't seem like it's the right thing to do.

Every time now,I grab it in the center outside edge,and slowly lower it to the halfway point. There is no hood flex when doing this. Plus,I'm very mindful of the hood bending. It is not bending at all. Just don't quickly force the supports.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Age and cold weather seems to effect them.

Interesting you said that...last night we had a warm up to 50 degrees and all the sudden the hood shocks seemed to work well w/o the hood falling down.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

Interesting you said that...last night we had a warm up to 50 degrees and all the sudden the hood shocks seemed to work well w/o the hood falling down.

The same principle applies to our age and bones!

However, from a cautionary stand point once you realize the hood shocks are weak I would never trust them while having my head under the hood!

Same goes with any other piston gas filled hood shock design on hatch roofs or tailgate hatches. They are quite heavy when not held in place!

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[chrisgarrett]

Interesting you said that...last night we had a warm up to 50 degrees and all the sudden the hood shocks seemed to work well w/o the hood falling down.

A gas will expand when the weather is warm, and contract in cold weather. When the gas in the shock contracts, it does not have the volume to hold the pressure of the weight of the hood.

 

[usetaboost]

What a nice in depth discussion about hood shocks

 

[Dennis Kirban]

A gas will expand when the weather is warm, and contract in cold weather. When the gas in the shock contracts, it does not have the volume to hold the pressure of the weight of the hood.

Someone did a lot better in chemistry class than I ever did....had to go to summer school for that course in order to proceed to the next grade.

I knew their was a technical reason for it reacting that way.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[Dennis Kirban]

On a side note concerning this topic we make chrome plated sleeves to go over the cylinder part. It is the same length as the ones we make for the C5 Corvette (1997-2004) I am sure the pressures in the shocks would be different since the Corvette has a glass hood.

In the Corvette world at least one possibly two companies actually chrome plate the gas hood shocks. Not sure if that is a good move or not since when they go bad you end up throwing away an expensive pair of gas hood shocks.

Call it progress but the gas hood shock system (method) works great and is a lot lighter method than the old spring set up found in the a body examples. Of course Ford in the Mustang since the Fox body has taken the rather cheap route and relies on a single metal hood prop rod. We use to buy hundreds of them from Ford and chrome plate them.

They were so cheap. Now a company gets them made overseas already plated and we sell them.

Rule of thumb piston end goes up piston. I am told to keep moisture from laying in the piston.
How true that is who knows since I have had vehicles that have rear hatches reversed.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

The ones we buy are from the original OEM supplier.

 

[03FatBoy]

I bought a set from AutoZone (I usually stay away from those places) and they have worked fine for 3 years. They were identical in appearance to the factory parts.
they also have a lifetime guarantee...

 

[fubar2.5]

We sell both hood shocks for steel and the fiberglass hoods they are one of our best sellers we get them from the manufacturer spring lift company. Age and cold weather seems to effect them.

Trick is be careful when you undo the 4 unqiue bolts as they are only used on the hood shocks.
Always replace them in pairs also.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

I was told/subscribe to NEVER replace hood shocks in pairs.2 new ones are too stiff and no need to.When oil starts leaking or too weak replace that 1.JMO.
That goes for any application where 2 are used.
IFyou must replace 2 replace the weaker 1 then use it for a month or 2 then replace the other.

 

[novaderrik]

I was told/subscribe to NEVER replace hood shocks in pairs.2 new ones are too stiff and no need to.When oil starts leaking or too weak replace that 1.JMO.
That goes for any application where 2 are used.
IFyou must replace 2 replace the weaker 1 then use it for a month or 2 then replace the other.

when they built the cars, each car got a matching set of brand new hood struts and i don't think they bent too many hoods at the factory or on the dealer lot..

 

[fubar2.5]

double post sorry

 

[fubar2.5]

when they built the cars, each car got a matching set of brand new hood struts and i don't think they bent too many hoods at the factory or on the dealer lot..

True- Maybe the aftermarket shocks are stiffer.???
Why would you replace a perfectly good one tho.

 

[daily driver]

If the struts are correct for the Regal then two new ones will be fine, just remember to slowly pull the hood down initially to allow the gas time to move within the piston system, especially in hot weather since the pressure of the gas is higher then as compared to cold weather. Molecular activity slows as heat is lost and thus the gas pressure is decreased even though the volume within the strut has not changed. Thats also why people warm their NOS tanks.