You need to get the struts and four 6 mm threaded ball joints. Also, you will have to fabricate a mount to attach the struts to the hood. There is none available to buy.
It is not a quick bolt-on job.

 

That's a lot cheaper than the TEIN set, $113.00, but you don't have to cut anything out with the TEIN's.

 

Using the lifter part number from JC Whitney and 4 stainless steel brackets w/ 10mm ball studs ordered on line from TJTrailers.com, hood modification was completed in less than 30 minutes.

There were no fabrications required, it was all bolt on. The only thing I had to do was to increase the diameter of the existing holes in the ball stud bracket to accommodate the stock bolts from the hood and frame. I also chose to add a couple more self tapping screws for support. (this was mostly for the benefit of any service tech that might not be as careful and deliberate with my car as I am)


JC Whitney part # for Gas Filled Lifters manufactured by Strong Arm: ZX125893R
Cost $25.00 for 2 lifters

TJTrailers.com: Angle bracket w/10mm ball stud in stainless steel part # 49837.
The brackets are manufactured by AP Products and described as:
3/4" L Gas Prop Bracket (AP079-2)
Cost $9.40 for all 4 brackets

 

^^^ Thats pretty inexpensive. Cool too.

 

galleychief, could you measure the compressed length and the extended length of your gas props, maybe we could order the gas props from TJ Trailers also?

Thanks

TJTrailer Gas Props and brackets

 

Great approach, Galleychief!
...and the price is certainly right!

I measured my struts, they are 17 1/4", and about 10 1/2" commpressed.

Several of the trailer site's models are that size, the only difference being the #s of "push"...I would have to GUESS that the most delicate, lightest push model, the 35#, would be the one.

One more point - if you could find the 10mm threaded ball-stud for the fender, (it is a Ford part) you could eliminate that bottom bracket, it screws right into the fender bolt's place.

S

 

Stealth,

I actually ordered two straight ball posts from TJ trailer, hoping to do what you described. Problem is the bolts that hold the hood on have 10mm threads. The fender bolt is something closer to 4-6mm. Also, if you find and use a straight post, the lifter ends up being about 1.5 inches too short. It would still work but the hood would not open to the "standard" height.


Woody,

My lifters are the same measurements that Stealth gave. Difference between what TJ Trailers sells and the Strong Arm brand I purchased is the closing /opening pressure. Mine are 25 (lbs). I think the TJ Trailer ones are 35 and should work just fine! One stop shopping, even better
GC

 

Check out McMaster-Carr, then search "gas springs". Tells you everything you need to now to size the right spring.

They have the gas springs 17 1/4" x 10 1/2" for $19.51,

Search "threaded ball stud" and then click "(Continued on following page)" at the bottom of the frame, and they have 10mm threaded ball stud part that eliminates the bracket on the fender for $1.96 each, and the brackets needed on the hood hinge $4.48 each.

$19.51 + $1.96 + $4.48 = $25.95 x 2 = $51.90

 

galleychief,

Did you have any problems with the gas props hitting the plastic windshield tray when you close the hood? My gasprop seems to be binding there.

 

Yeah, I trimmed off about half an inch of the plastic tray and attached gasket on both sides.

 

Has everyone had to trim theirs? If not, what did you do different?

 

I took a piece of steel (1/8" x 1 1/5" X 9") and drilled out some holes so I didn't have to cut out the plastic tray.

 

Hmmm, not bad. that long peice insn't too flexible???

 

No it doesn't twist if that is what you are asking. There is more metal in the fabricated flat piece than is in the entire hood hinge itself. It does flex up and touches the hood, but that is like an 1/8 of an inch.

 

Just finished this mod following woddysjh's advice. I chose to use aluminum 1/8" x 1" and only tied it off to the first bolt on the hinge so I used a much shorter piece. One thing I didn't notice until now (but found out the hard way). You need to use the center hole of the bracket for mounting to the fender.

Also, the flex is not noticable if you mount the hood bracket just past the little metal protrusion (look at the extra hole in the pic...).

Great mod everyone!! One other note, JC Whitney now sells the gas springs individually, not as a pair so the cost is a bit more, but still less than the kits.

I am going to have the parts painted to match when I mount the MS spoiler. My wife is hounding me about that now.

FoxyRoxy's mechanic...

 

One follow-up note: DON'T USE ALUMINUM!!! Lynn and I were at VIR this past weekend and after the first session we had extreemly soft aluminum (so soft it just folded over...). I had to remove them at the track.

 

Yeah your right, I could have made my metal pieces shorter and then there would be less flex. Maybe some lonely saturday I will remake them.

 

wow this looks like an awesome mod, i think i wanna do it!

 

sorry to revive an old thread, but if anyones interested in cheap hood struts..here ya go.. ebay link to the struts you can use, and the brackets to bolt on. Total I just paid, $40 shipped

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RR-GL...spagenameZWD1V --- STRUTS

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-3...sid=p1638.m118--BRACKETS

 

Stealth,

Can you tell me what thread size is the fender bolt? will 5/16"-18 fit?

 

hey, just to give you a heads up on this thread, dont bother trying the bronco rear window struts like were suggested. I went through the whole process just to find out that both of them just barely WONT hold the hood up.

 

shakeyourbrakes,

Thank you for the heads up, where did you find the ball studs?
If not bronco window lift, what would you recommend?
do you know how many lb of force is there from each bronco lift?

 

no idea what would work. They were long enough, that wasnt the problem..somewhere in this thread theres the length, but they were just barely too light. The ball connectors I got off ebay from a company, theyre called
3/4" L Gas Prop Brackets.
heres a old link
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-3...sid=p1638.m118

cant help ya with the struts, sorry. It was actually a really tricky and frustrating project I thought as far as having to cut the platic shroud on top and drilling holes in the hood. In the end I spent around 45 or 50, and I have a few holes to show for it.. you can get a kit made for it for around a hundred i think, probably worth it.

 

http://www.autopartsbylou.com/lift-s...Window%20Glass

According to the site above, they carry the StrongArm type (generally found in Autozone or other auto part store), bronco lift are 30 lb each side.

 

http://www.truckoutfittersplus.com/s...ps_toppers.htm