Hey guys...okay so I bought a IROC about 2 months ago...noticed the hood wouldnt stay up. So went to CamaroCentral.com and ordered hood struts...wellll me being me didnt realize they had sent me the wrong struts until I tried to take the old ones off and put 2 and 2 together. Anyways...the old hood struts I took off dont look old and have the little blue label on them that says made in the USA and what not...so obviously I'm getting an exchange from CamaroCentral bc they sent me the wrong ones...however 2 questions. Are these struts prone to not lasting long...especially if the hood is not getting exercised up and down...also I assume the new struts that are the high dollar all original one come with the little clips? Looks like they do from the pics...

 

Hood struts fail every few years. They're gas charged, and eventually the gas leaks out and they stop working. Buy a set at your local Advance Auto or whatever big chain store you have in town, and photocopy your receipt. File the copy of the receipt where you'll be able to find it in three years, and when they fail again take them back to the store and get a new set. Lifetime warranty.

There are a lot of brand names, but the majority of lift supports are made by the same company. Most are marked exactly the same, with the same part numbers. "High Dollar" you're just paying more for packaging.

 

I think the secret is exersizing them. Once a month raise and lower the hood a few times. Mine have been in the car since I bought it in '95 (changed at that time b/c the original wouldn't hold hood up), and still work like new because I do this. (That's right, 22 years old and they still work like new, Drew!) Make sure to do the same for the hatch also.


Also, b/c I use the A/C once a month, I still have original R-12 in her and she's COLD.

 

Or... You know... Just keep the receipt and replace them whenever you feel like it.

 

i used to have to hold my hood open with a stick. when i switched to a fiberglass hood they worked perfect. thought i was gonna have to buy some low tension ones, but worn out works perfect. lol

 

Hey thanks! Yes...well I called Camaro Central bc I seen 2 types of struts. The same part # but way different price...they said the only difference is the more expensive ones are made in the USA...or so they say...so for the sheer fact that I wanted to support small business I bought the much more expensive ones...they work great tho! Ahhhh

 

I'm stuck with the prop rod. I don't believe that my hood (at the hinge region) is strong enough to not crack if a hood strut was used on the hinge.

 

I've found that even high priced supports fail just like cheap ones. I tend towards the mid-priced ones.

You can always get a clamp if you really don't want to replace them:



It's always pretty windy where I live; I usually replace the supports after having the hood slam down on my head or having the hood slam closed and latching with my hand caught in the grille.

 

It's always pretty windy where I live; I usually replace the supports after having the hood slam down on my head or having the hood slam closed and latching with my hand caught in the grille.[/QUOTE]


I had that happen to my oldest son when he was about 8-10 years old. got both his hands caught in between the hood and fender! Luckily it was a fiberglass hood or he may have gotten hurt worse. when his hands got caught in there, the hood wouldnt release. wife started freaking out. i had to use a tire iron to pry the hood up. didnt cut him at all or break any bones. but he watches his hands carefully to this day.