Hood strut kit installed pics - dialup warning!

Dorsai · Mar 24, 2006

Installed the kit from MRT-Direct after work today. Decent kit, the only thing it is missing in my opinion is slightly longer bolts to mount the fender pieces due to spacers being under the fender clips. Great kit all around, much more room to work under the hood with this install. The struts hold the hood from the half way open point and will push it all the way open on thier own just past half way open. They have good holding power, it takes a good pull to bring the hood down

Ernad · Mar 24, 2006

Yes sir, they rock!

DTNODYA · Mar 24, 2006

They look good! I have been wanting some of these for like 4 years. lol. I was wondering if you know the legnth of the struts? I am wondering if they are the same as the trunk uses. They look like it. I was thinking of fabricating some brackets and buying some trunk struts (or something) but I have no idea if that will work. If you know the leghth of them please post it.

96BlueStangGT · Mar 24, 2006

Looks good, I know i like mine. I got the Redline ones though.

Dorsai · Mar 24, 2006

DTNODYA said:
If you know the leghth of them please post it.

The struts used in this kit are shorter than the trunk struts used by Ford. The trunk struts are 19" pivot center to pivot center, where the hood kit uses 13" struts pivot center to pivot center.

FivePointStang · Mar 24, 2006

Looks great... but Im left with what might be a stupid question.

Is it hard to shut your hood? Reason I ask is because my stock hood seems to really need some oomph behind in when shutting. I usually just bring it up to almost chest height and have to drop it to get it shut right.

With these, I assume you have to push them down. Leaving the hood nasty from where your hands have been?

stangGT97 · Mar 24, 2006

FivePointStang said:
Looks great... but Im left with what might be a stupid question.

Is it hard to shut your hood? Reason I ask is because my stock hood seems to really need some oomph behind in when shutting. I usually just bring it up to almost chest height and have to drop it to get it shut right.

With these, I assume you have to push them down. Leaving the hood nasty from where your hands have been?

you probably need to grease your hood latch. spray some white lithium grease on the latch and work the latch manualy with your hand to work the grease in... you'll find that your hood with shut much more easily if you do this every few months

FivePointStang · Mar 24, 2006

stangGT97 said:
you probably need to grease your hood latch. spray some white lithium grease on the latch and work the latch manualy with your hand to work the grease in... you'll find that your hood with shut much more easily if you do this every few months

Thanks for the tip, Ill try that out.

Ernad · Mar 24, 2006

FivePointStang said:
Looks great... but Im left with what might be a stupid question.

Is it hard to shut your hood? Reason I ask is because my stock hood seems to really need some oomph behind in when shutting. I usually just bring it up to almost chest height and have to drop it to get it shut right.

With these, I assume you have to push them down. Leaving the hood nasty from where your hands have been?

Clean your hands!

All you do is pull the hood down a bit and it comes into a neutral zone in which you just 'drop' it as usual.

DTNODYA · Mar 24, 2006

Dorsai said:
The struts used in this kit are shorter than the trunk struts used by Ford. The trunk struts are 19" pivot center to pivot center, where the hood kit uses 13" struts pivot center to pivot center.

Ok, thx for the info. So I guess I will be looking for some 13" struts PC to PC. That is when the arm is fully extended I take it .. Are they larger in diameter than the stock trunkers? I am a cheap ass

Dorsai · Mar 25, 2006

FivePointStang said:
Looks great... but Im left with what might be a stupid question.

Is it hard to shut your hood? Reason I ask is because my stock hood seems to really need some oomph behind in when shutting. I usually just bring it up to almost chest height and have to drop it to get it shut right.

With these, I assume you have to push them down. Leaving the hood nasty from where your hands have been?

Your not touching the hood any more with this kit than when raising and lowering to use the factory prop rod. Like other said, wash your hands. The struts only hold the weight of the hood from about the half way open point, less than that and it is basicaly in free fall when you close it so no you do not need to push down on the hood to close it.

Dorsai · Mar 25, 2006

DTNODYA said:
Ok, thx for the info. So I guess I will be looking for some 13" struts PC to PC. That is when the arm is fully extended I take it .. Are they larger in diameter than the stock trunkers? I am a cheap ass

They are slightly smaller in diameter than the truck struts, but I doubt the trunk ones would rub. The problem is what are you going to use to hold the strut ends? This kit comes with some stiff braces that bolt into place and distribute the wieght of the hood across the length of the brace.

04GT · Mar 25, 2006

I got a set of the redlinetuning ones for xmas and I love em.

topless98gt · Mar 25, 2006

How hard was the install? Also, how much do hood struts usually run? I might look into getting a set of these.

Dorsai · Mar 26, 2006

The install on this kit was pretty easy, it's is a bolt on item. Although as I posted above I feel the kit needs longer bolts for the fender mount. With some patience it went on anyway. No drilling or rivits like the other kits. This kit was about 125 shipped.

DTNODYA · Mar 26, 2006

I will probably end up buying a set. I can't stand the hood prop.

Ernad · Mar 26, 2006

yeah, it's $125 or so

the install shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. although, I did have a problem with the stock fender bolts and so I went to the closet Ford shop and got two new ones. but it's really worth it if you do any engine work or even if you like to show your car.

Dorsai · Mar 30, 2006

Yes indeed, access to the air filter is much better without the prop rod in the way. I would assume it will be much easier working on the engine in general though at this point I havent had to do much.

Stangsgrl · Mar 30, 2006

FivePointStang said:
Looks great... but Im left with what might be a stupid question.

Is it hard to shut your hood? Reason I ask is because my stock hood seems to really need some oomph behind in when shutting. I usually just bring it up to almost chest height and have to drop it to get it shut right.

With these, I assume you have to push them down. Leaving the hood nasty from where your hands have been?

that's why I love the clear paint protection I don't really care much that i touch the hood now haha. Plus though I just use the hood latch hole in the hood to pull it down.

I'm goin to try that grease thing though...i don't really "slam" the hood down, but i still feel like i have to shut it harder than i'd like!!

Hood strut kit installed pics - dialup warning!

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