[Gutterpunk]

great functional mod.

How much sound are you dampening with that hood liner? I wonder if such a thing would work on the firewall too (if one could stand the agony of cutting around all that ****.)

[joel hj60]

Originally Posted by joel hj60

What is the length of the struts fully extended then fully retracted?

bump

[Spook50]

Originally Posted by Gutterpunk

great functional mod.

How much sound are you dampening with that hood liner? I wonder if such a thing would work on the firewall too (if one could stand the agony of cutting around all that ****.)

Very unlikely it'd work on the firewall. If you've got those holes in your inner fender walls, I'd recommend using those. The struts are 17" fully extended and 11" compressed.

As for the hood liner, it worked alright. After my truck was vandalized (coulda killed the little fucker) last year and I had to get a completely new hood, I redid the foam trick and instead of just slapping the new hoodliner in place, I cut out portions of it to perfectly fit the recessed areas on the underside of the hood, and put Dynamat Xtreme (the foil-lined stuff) along the stiffeners. Looks much better now, and works FAR better. This method shields heat so well that if there's snow & ice on my hood, it's STILL there after a 4.5-hour drive to Seattle to see my folks. Heat does NOT escape from this hood. It quiets it down a great deal too. I'll snap a pic or two this weekend of how it's done now and post 'em up.

Also, concerning heat being reflected back down to the engine, my temp gauge has actually red lower on average since using a reflective hoodliner. I'm not really sure why, but that's what it do...

[bkfj40]

spook50 - your PM box is full...can you pm the part numbers for the australian fj60 sliding rear number weatherstripping?

thanks!

bk

[MauiVince]

Great mod idea!!! Thanx for sharing!!!

[gaylon]

This is a great modification. Did it today - quick pretty easy (muscling the end of the shock down not so easy). Thanks for the idea.

[Spook50]

Originally Posted by gaylon

This is a great modification. Did it today - quick pretty easy (muscling the end of the shock down not so easy). Thanks for the idea.

Glad to hear you liked it. They still work like a champ for me. And now that my hood is holding a few extra pounds from the Dynamat stuck to it, the 120lbs (now that they're broken in a bit) are a perfect match for it.

Easily the best "cheap" mod I've ever done.

[Sixty's Guy]

I did this mod too, but used the same struts as the rear hatch.

[gaylon]

I used 90 lbs. shocks, still more than enough lifting force. Thanks again.

[cruiserpants]

That is friggin’ clever, creative, resourceful and ingenious!

...now do mine.

[Spook50]

Originally Posted by cruiserpants

That is friggin’ clever, creative, resourceful and ingenious!

...now do mine.

'Taint hard to do. Took me about a half hour from start to finish.

[ntsqd]

FWIW the rough eqivalent McMaster-Carr part number looks to be 4138T56; these come with the ball sockets and studs already installed. As of this writing (9/2/08) they are $13.13 each.
Specs:
Extended (Max) Length: 17.13"
Compressed (Min) Length: 10.83"
Available Force rates: 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, & 120 lbs. (Specify at order)

HTH......

[Tapage]

Originally Posted by ntsqd

FWIW the rough eqivalent McMaster-Carr part number looks to be 4138T56; these come with the ball sockets and studs already installed. As of this writing (9/2/08) they are $13.13 each.
Specs:
Extended (Max) Length: 17.13"
Compressed (Min) Length: 10.83"
Available Force rates: 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, & 120 lbs. (Specify at order)

HTH......

Where you bought and which you choose .. ?

[ntsqd]

From mcmaster.com, based on the comments above I've ordered the 90 lbs force versions.

[Mace]

I'd do 120. Then you could launch feral cats off the hood with a vengence..

[Tapage]

Originally Posted by ntsqd

From mcmaster.com, based on the comments above I've ordered the 90 lbs force versions.

Thanks .. you thought the 90 are enought ?

[ntsqd]

Originally Posted by Tapage

Thanks .. you thought the 90 are enought ?

Originally Posted by Dynosoar

I got mine all done a few weeks ago. If I were to redo it in the future I think a 70-80lbs sping would be plenty, the current stuts really lift the hood quick (it would lift a small child no problem),

Note: on the passenger side I just retaped the hole that was right where spook fit his and just threded the bottom ball in place.

Dynosoar

I did, but Mace's talk of launching cats made me switch them to 120's. If it's too much I'll just move the lower mount. If it's way too much then it's his fault and I'll have to order some lighter versions.

[FZJ80ismybaby]

see, i have the problem as having an fj62, with those cheap little coil things to hold up the hood, i dont know about you other guys, but after about 20 years or so, they dont work as well as they used to...can it be done on the 62, probably have to make some holes...

[GulfShoresFJ60]

Originally Posted by FZJ80ismybaby

see, i have the problem as having an fj62, with those cheap little coil things to hold up the hood, i dont know about you other guys, but after about 20 years or so, they dont work as well as they used to...can it be done on the 62, probably have to make some holes...

The vehicle in the first post is a 62. He must have just removed those if they are only helper springs that are separate from the main hinges.

[Spook50]

Originally Posted by GulfShoresFJ60

The vehicle in the first post is a 62. He must have just removed those if they are only helper springs that are separate from the main hinges.

Aye. I removed the springs (they're only there to assist with raising the hood, not to hold it up. That's why the prop is there on the front) and ground off the rivet that holds the hinge to the brackets (the ones that bold to the hood itself) so that I could attach the shock struts.

[FZJ80ismybaby]

cool, i didnt see your signature....blonde moment, thanks, i gotta do this, that stupid thing that hold it up in the front keep falling off :/

[euclid]

90 lbs is pleanty imo.

[ntsqd]

Now that I have 120's laying on the living room floor I think that I agree, 90's might have been fine. I have some concerns about getting the 70's Chevy truck hood syndrome. I'll put them in & report back.

[Mace]

Originally Posted by ntsqd

Now that I have 120's laying on the living room floor I think that I agree, 90's might have been fine. I have some concerns about getting the 70's Chevy truck hood syndrome. I'll put them in & report back.

lol

Did you really get the 120's???

[ntsqd]

You promised me cat mortars. I'm not too interesting flinging cats, but gray tree squirrels..........

Think I can build an assisted spud trebuchet with them?

[Dynosoar]

120's will push the hood into the wiper arms when the hood is raised. 90 are plenty I would even consider 60's. 90's are redundant as one side will hold the hood up with 60's you do need both in good working order.


Dynosoar

[Mace]

Originally Posted by ntsqd

You promised me cat mortars. I'm not too interesting flinging cats, but gray tree squirrels..........

Think I can build an assisted spud trebuchet with them?

With your skills..

I pretty much guaronteeeeee it

[Spook50]

Originally Posted by Dynosoar

120's will push the hood into the wiper arms when the hood is raised. 90 are plenty I would even consider 60's. 90's are redundant as one side will hold the hood up with 60's you do need both in good working order.


Dynosoar

It will with the plastic covers on the wiper pivots. Remove the covers and the struts will hold the hood at the limits for the hinges, without touching the wipers. My 120 lb. struts have a lot less force now that they're broken in than they did when new. Now it's a perfect balance for the weight of the hood (keeping in mind I have Dynamat Xtreme and Hoodliner on it, so that adds to the weight a good amount).

[3pits]

I am planning on doing this conversion tomorrow or monday I and thinking of putting a piece of hose or trim like from the door surround (ushaped) on the top of the hinge, that should hold the hood down a 1/4" so it wont touch my already brokend plastic covers,,,ill post if it goes well

[3pits]

ok I did my hood shock conversion and had some pointers,

on the passenger side, I removed the washer resevoir to get to the nut

on the drivers side I used a manget to hold the washer and the nut to get it started

I would consider going with the 15.23" total extended shocks 4138t55 in McMastercarr.com as just when I compressed my shocks during the install I broke another plastic wiper cover, I forgot to put the spacer on the hinge,,, anyone got an extra they want to mail me?

I went back and re-did mine, I did not like it resting on the windshield wiper. I used the hole on the passenger side as a guide for where I drilled the drivers side. There is a raised panel about 1.75 inches ahead of the hole noted in the first post. I believe I measured from the front bib something like 19.75 inches back and 1.75 inches down and drilled a hole, again the same distance as the passenger side hole with nut. On the passenger side there was a hole with a nut welded to the back of it, I probably should have drilled and tapped it for the 5/16th stud end I had on my shock, instead I drilled it then had to painfully and blindly dremel the rest of the nut off with my hand/arm backwards inside the fender/skirt area,,, trying not to cut any of the many wires I have routed inside there. Definatly a painful and not very fun way of spening a half an hour,, anyway it worked, it is about 1.5 inches more open than stock, but about 2 inches lower than the first mounting point. It does seem to not sling open as hard, and you have to open the hood more before the shocks take over the opening effect, but that has to do with the new geometry of moving the lower pivot point forward.

As another note, the 80 shock is mounted differently then the way this mod is done, not saying either is better, just different. I am very happy with this mod, thanks for the notes and info for me to get it done. I looked like a fool out there opening and closing and opening and closing my hood sunday,,,it is just neat!!

Also, I did not have to wrestle with compressing the shock to mount it on the ball joint.