Hood Struts - $40!

[ShadowsPapa]

No prop rod in the way to get tangled up on, and the struts help us old folks by opening those cast iron Mojave hoods for us.

Sponsored

 

[NC_Overland]

Kinda off topic, but it sounds like the redlines are a good brand? I don’t care about having one on mine (aluminum), but my girlfriend just bought a new 2025 Mazda CX-5 Turbo Premium and it doesn’t have hood struts and it’s an oddly heavy hood. It’s weird to me given that it has ventilated seats, heated rear seats, 360 camera, etc.

 

[Viper501]

They do seem to weigh as much as a cast iron. I got the Redlines shortly after my purchase. Have been fantastic.

 

[DanJT]

I too have $49 knock offs and they are still working great, and no they do not try to drop the hood on my noggin. As a matter of fact, I have to hold the hood because the struts are a little too strong, may be better for a Mojave.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

They do seem to weigh as much as a cast iron. I got the Redlines shortly after my purchase. Have been fantastic.

What's really goofy is that the longer you own one, the heaver hood gets. It's like they take on weight or something over time. Einstein had it all figured out about the conservation of mass and energy. As I lose energy, things gain mass.

 

[Blade1668]

Meh. I just open the hood and give it a good shove, it stops at the top windsheild / roof line and then I've got lots of access. No hood prop or cylinders in the way. Straight flat creases on the hood give it character.

But seriously now, I've just rested the hood on the windshield / roof for my TJ and YJ. I can't remember tryng it on my JT. I don't know if it will work on the JT.

Those new fangled hydro cylinder jobbers look pretty neat.

That is my YJ with a TJ grill I modded a few years ago. I changed the oil in it last year and my wife took it for a spin. My dumbass left the hood latches off and she took it on the hiway. Hood opened and she pulled over and called me a gave me a well-deserved earfull.

I checked out a car at the TMP in Germany that had faulty hood latch and folded it over the windshield on Autoban at speed.... Bad day lots of paperwork and a battle with the head of TMP until I got ahold of copy's of the service report on the vehicle being turned in to have the hood latch fixed. That year of VW's had faulty hood latch assembly too.
Smashed windshield and torn sheet metal damage on roof.

No prop rod in the way to get tangled up on, and the struts help us old folks by opening those cast iron Mojave hoods for us.

I've used the hood prop rod as a handle to lay hood back on windshield on my Gladiator and Wrangler.

 

[Vtur]

Same, I'm only 5'11 and mine has a 6.5 inch lift with 42s. I have to pull the hood strut down when I pop the hood and use that to raise the hood. Any time I work on the engine I have to have a stand or I am on the tires cause I can't reach anything in the engine bay. Just passing on my experience but I hope they continue to work for you. They really only become an issue if you are trying to access the back of the engine bay.

I'm even shorter than you but on 37s and use this exact technique to pop my hood lol.

Edit: I think Jeep did had short people in mind when deciding whether to mount the strut to the hood or radiator support like most vehicles.

 

[AOGAudiman]

I have had a knockoff set installed since November 2024. Zero issues at all. They are still very powerful and I don't anticipate any issues. All these knockoff sets look to be identical with the brackets and struts. I paid $45 (brand is "WnSEu" )and am very happy with the results.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have had a knockoff set installed since November 2024. Zero issues at all. They are still very powerful and I don't anticipate any issues. All these knockoff sets look to be identical with the brackets and struts. I paid $45 (brand is "WnSEu" )and am very happy with the results.

There are a couple of "brands" on Amazon that use very different brackets - it would be interesting to see those up close and how they attach to the vehicle.

These - are different on the lower end -

Most of them are likely coming from the same Chinese factory regardless of brand.
Even the quick release on the bottom end has been copied exactly on some of the other brands.

But will they be like the Chinese $350 steel bumper vs. MOPAR in finish and hardware? (no complaints on the steel bumper I had on my Overland once I sprang for blasting and powder coating and pretty much all new hardware)

That's why I'd be interested in seeing these in detail after 2+ years. Mine have been in use since 2021 or so - and they look brand new, including the bolts used to attach to the hood.

Just wondering how the finishes and hardware will hold up, the struts over time and so on.
Do they use the same cylinders across all Gladiators and JLUs - or are these for the lighter hoods, and maybe don't do so well on Mojave? If they use the same cylinders on all - then the hood will fly open on a Sport instead of going up nice and smooth.
Just wondering about some of the details - I'm into details.

There's a big price variations across the different sellers and the $39.95 price is supposedly temporary - then it shoots up, so buy now if interested!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I checked out a car at the TMP in Germany that had faulty hood latch and folded it over the windshield on Autoban at speed.... Bad day lots of paperwork and a battle with the head of TMP until I got ahold of copy's of the service report on the vehicle being turned in to have the hood latch fixed. That year of VW's had faulty hood latch assembly too.
Smashed windshield and torn sheet metal damage on roof.


I've used the hood prop rod as a handle to lay hood back on windshield on my Gladiator and Wrangler.

Yes, that's what I do, too. The rod is still there to use as a tool for laying it back.
I drop the prop, disconnect the cylinders, then use the prop to lay the hood back (after putting a blanket up on the top edge)

 

[shawnebell]

I just open my hood old school style...

I do mine old man style ... I have the mechanic do it.

 

[MaximusTX]

Yes, that's what I do, too. The rod is still there to use as a tool for laying it back.
I drop the prop, disconnect the cylinders, then use the prop to lay the hood back (after putting a blanket up on the top edge)

It looks like Redline ones that you have, have the quick release on them. The cheap knockoffs do not have them or at least the Hooke Road ones that I got don't which made it a pain to take on and off and the clip that holds them on would just get bent out of shape. I think if I had these ones I would have left them on. I may get these ones in the future as I did like them. They just became a hassle to mess with.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

It looks like Redline ones that you have, have the quick release on them. The cheap knockoffs do not have them or at least the Hooke Road ones that I got don't which made it a pain to take on and off and the clip that holds them on would just get bent out of shape. I think if I had these ones I would have left them on. I may get these ones in the future as I did like them. They just became a hassle to mess with.

Yes, the Redline Tuning struts do have that quick (and easy) release, and it's handy when doing things like installing wiring harnesses and relays and control boxes for snow plows LOL

I'd certainly not want struts that didn't have that feature

 

[DanJT]

These are from "RERPRO", they look like Redline and attach in the same manner. Ordered them in November of last year and trust are still as strong as when I installed them.

 

[Gvsukids]

I've ordered these and will wait and see how they work.

Sponsored