- Thread starter
- #81
I found mine at a local mom & pop hardware store that has all sorts of obscure odd n' ends. Pretty cool place to stop if you're looking for something that Home Depot or Lowes isn't likely to have.
Hood shock conversion writeup (with pics) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Spook50
- Start date
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I found mine at a local mom & pop hardware store that has all sorts of obscure odd n' ends. Pretty cool place to stop if you're looking for something that Home Depot or Lowes isn't likely to have.
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Add me to the list.
- Thread starter
- #85
4.5 years later and both the 90lb struts for my lift gate and the 120lb struts on my hood (all from Reid Supply) can no longer hold their respective parts up in cold weather. Warm there's no real issue, but it's still apparent that they've gotten "tired". Decent enough longevity given their prices at $15 a pop. Come spring I'll be replacing the struts. Should be easy since the male mounts are already in place 
Thats about the timing / life I get with my tailgate lift units on the euro unit. But there way more than 15.00 a pop. Plus if your not watching in the winter season ,the cold snakes can pull the tailgate down on you @ the worst time. As soon as they show signs of lazy , Im into a 2 hr wrestle and some coin.
VT
VT
Installed this mod but still have an issue. When I pull the cable, the hood won't pop up so you can walk around and open it. I need to have 2 people to open the hood. One to pull the cable and the other to pull up a little on the hood.
What am I missing here? I removed the stock lifting springs.
What am I missing here? I removed the stock lifting springs.
- Thread starter
- #89
Most likely the case. Mine doesn't pop up either anymore (well, since I first put on the struts. That wasn't caused by the wear on them), since the overcenter of the struts keeps downward pressure on it. I do still hear a definite click/clang and the cable portion of the latch is released when I go around the front.
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ntsqd
technerd
Maybe he just needs the cat-launcher struts?
Finnyfam60
Driving miss daisy
I installed my cat launchers today!! Love them. I used the threaded holes just below the holes that spook used. Drilled them out to 5/16ths and the hood just clears the pass wiper arm by a couple thousands
I'm sure people might have already mentioned/figured out, but in case it helps someone, I used from local ace hardware: 8x 8mm flat washers (no need for large ones because this fender area is reinforced) 4x nylock nuts (5/16 -18), and same part numbers from Reid as spook. I love em!Driver side (remove vsv and relocate and use its hole)
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Pass side
View attachment 574790
Very small clearance at full open
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Larger view
View attachment 574793
While in there 93yota replaced my air cleaner broken plastic wing nuts with some generic metal ones for me!
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And I did some vacuum lines:
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Nice work.
Have any more Blue Moon?
Have any more Blue Moon?
I have done this as well. I used the 120's and understand why people would have gone with less pressure. I ended up having to drill a mounting hole as close to the firewall as I could on the hood, otherwise the length of the outer tube was too long and the hood fell about 5 inches short of closing.
Great suggestion for a quick and easy project. Thanks for providing all the part numbers.
Great suggestion for a quick and easy project. Thanks for providing all the part numbers.
Ok. 7 pages of greatness. I read them all. Nice work and a cool party trick. But while reading I can't help but ask, what is so wrong with the original design and the prop rod? What is the overall purpose of this mod other than "it's cool"?
Enlighten a noob please...
Enlighten a noob please...
the prop rod is kind of a hassle and soesnt lift the hood as far as the arms cam. I have stock hood shocks and I had to pull my entire hood to get to the distributor the other day on my chevy engine. its just easier and convenient
- Thread starter
- #98
The 120s will break in and fade over time. I have the extra weight of sound deadener and a Dynamat hoodliner on my hood, so the 120s for the first couple years were a perfect balance for me. In warm weather they'll still hold it up, but when it's about 40-ish or below they won't at all now.
Bringing this thread back...
Installed my struts today as per the initial instructions and parts in this thread... Really sweet EXCEPT that I'm having a bit of a problem as the rear edge of the hood is now binding up on the cowl just before the hood is fully closed. The hinge is adjusted to put the hood as far forward as possible. Has anyone else had this problem? I'm thinking I maybe the strut is bottoming out and that I might need to move the mount point a bit... I'll measure the other side to see if it is the same....
Installed my struts today as per the initial instructions and parts in this thread... Really sweet EXCEPT that I'm having a bit of a problem as the rear edge of the hood is now binding up on the cowl just before the hood is fully closed. The hinge is adjusted to put the hood as far forward as possible. Has anyone else had this problem? I'm thinking I maybe the strut is bottoming out and that I might need to move the mount point a bit... I'll measure the other side to see if it is the same....
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Mark, Mine hit the wiper arm cover but not the cowl. I drilled a new hole about 3/4" from the suggested spot and problem solved for me. I used the McMaster-Carr version of the GAS-124.
GL
J
