How to Replace Hood Struts? How I Saved $300?

Do you know how to deal with the front hood that keeps dropping and falling on you? Do you want to DIY yourself a Hood Gas Strut Replacement instead of paying the dealer $300 or even more? However, where can you buy the OEM part for Porsche or other brand cars at a lower cost?
To be honest, saving the dropping front hood should be quick and easy, we can do it on our own. In this ultimate tutorial, we will tell you how to deal with the front hood that keeps dropping in detail and attach a step-by-step DIY replacement tutorial, keeping more than $300 in your pocket.

Tools Preparation

Before getting started, you’ll need a few tools and supplies. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. New front hood struts (make sure you get the right ones for your make and model)
2. A short flathead screwdriver
3. Towel or masking tape
4. Two standard 5-gallon water bottles or PVC sticks or broomsticks (help hold the hood open while you work)
5. Eye protection

How to remove the old hood support struts?

Getting the old car hood struts off was a bit challenging, but once you find the secret to replacing, you can change both struts in 5 minutes since it should be the easiest DIY car project ever. Let’s go ahead to remove the hood shocks first.
Step 1: Protect the car’s thin aluminum hood. Use some masking tape or towel, and apply it to the underside areas of the hood and the inner fenders around the original strut’s ball and socket attachment points to avoid gouging the paint.
Step 2: Holding the front door and keeping it open. Ask a partner to help hold the hood open or use a tool like two standard 5-gallon water bottles, PVC sticks, or broomstick to hold the lid open.
Step 3: Pry off the retaining clips on each shock end and remove the old strut. We need a short screwdriver to loosen the metal clips at the end of each strut, one at a time. This is a little challenging task for the first time, it is recommended to put on eye protection and prevent flying right at your face due to excessive force. After taking protective measures, try to slip the short screwdriver slowly and carefully into the retaining clip of the old strut, then push away the clip, once you do that the old strut head can be removed without ease. Please kindly note that we just need to loosen the metal c-clip rather than remove the metal c-clip.

How to install the new hood strut?

Once you’ve removed the old hydraulic hood struts, it’s time to install the new ones. Compared to removing the old gas strut, the installation seems easier to complete. After removing the old gas struts, we should clean each ball attached to the car with a paper towel. Then, we can just snap on each end until a clicking sound occurs, DO NOT need to remove the clips on the new shocks to attach them. Besides, these come with new clips so you do not have to worry if you send a clip flying.

Extra 2 things we need to do after finishing

Once you’ve removed the old hood lift, we still need to remove all your tools from the under-hood area like your tape and PVC stick. And then, it’s important to test them to make sure they’re working properly. Close the hood and let it latch. Then, open it again and make sure it stays open without any issues. With this successful replacement, you will no longer have to hold the hood with your head to use the bonnet storage.

Questions you may also doubt

Q1: Why shorter screwdriver is more recommended?
A1: shorter screwdrivers are more nifty and you’re less likely to scratch your hood when removing the old strut clips.
Q2: Why do Apexstone hood shocks cost less?
A2: Apexstone gas springs are factory direct, we don’t have the Porsche logo/brand name on the struts and so we cost less. You can rest assured that our product fits perfectly to your project, works great, and is easy to install.
Q3: How to order the right replacement for your car hood or car trunk?
A3: You can directly place an order here for some Porsche models like the 2007 997, for other brand cars and models, you can refer here to find the right hood lift support replacement. Besides, providing the part number or specification like extended length, stroke, and force printed in the old strut, we can help you to customize a perfect lift support replacement.

Conclusion

Replacing the front hood shocks on your own can be a simple and rewarding DIY project. All of the above is how I save at least $300. By following these steps, you can save yourself a lot of money over paying the dealer to do the job for you. And once you’ve completed the project, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve taken care of an important maintenance task on your car. So why not give it a try? Replace the worn-out hood struts now and prevent our kids from getting their hands caught under the falling lid.

Discover High-Quality Lift Supports at Apexstone Gas Springs Shop

If you’re in need of dependable lift supports for your Jeep, Ford, Cadillac, Toyota, GMC, Chevrolet, or any other car model, it’s essential to choose a trustworthy source. Apexstone Gas Springs Shop offers a wide-ranging selection of high quality hood struts and rear glass lift supports compatible with a variety of vehicle models. You also have the option to customize specifications to meet your specific needs.

Don’t hesitate—place your order for hood or window shocks replacement today. Should you have any inquiries regarding trunk struts or require assistance in finding the perfect product for your vehicle, our responsive customer service team is here to assist you.