Hood Struts - Best Price?

[82DMC12]

Group,

I need a pair of hood struts. Lexus wants $180 for them. Surely there is a cross reference or a cheaper way to get them?

Andy

[lex]

I tried looking for an alternative place for mine but couldn't find any so I ended up buying a pair from lexus. It was 69.99 each. But after replacing one I found out that the other was still good, so I returned the other. You may only need one too.

[blake918]

I bought my hood struts from Lexus of New Orleans for only $56.00 a piece(it sounds like I got a deal). Andy is that $180.00 for labor too? It only takes about 15 minutes to change them; there are only 2 screws per side to get them out-it's soo easy!

[amf1932]

Here is a previous thread dealing with the installation of the struts:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...=ST&f=7&t=1564&

[Ronald]

I need to replace the hood struts on my 1993 ES 300 as well. I called the dealer and was given the price of $82.40 per strut. OUCH! I thought he misunderstood me and thought that was the price of the cartridge in the front suspension. Expensive, since I have seen aftermarket versions for BMW's for around $27.00 each.

I haven't had much luck for locating aftermarket versions for the ES. I'll see what I can find on the web.

If anybody has any luck in the aftermarket, please let me know.

[steviej]

unfortunately Mightly-Lift and Strong-Arm don't list the ES in their catalogs for aftermarket struts.

Again, this is a part that may also be found at Toyota for less. I wouldn't be surprised if the same strut(s) are shared with the Camry. Give them a call.

But once again, the Lexus part guy has us by the back pocket.

sj

[SKperformance]

the camry ones are the same

i already put tehm in

unfortuantly i had to cut the upper bearing off to get the new ones on

problem was i replaced one and it was bad

so i decided to replace the other one as well that i though was also bad

i was wrong it was fine and the new used one i put in wa bad

so i now have to get a drivers side one

again

[Ronald]

The Camry hood struts fit?? I wish I had known that. Lexus told me the parts were not interchangeable! I paid those guys $189 to replace them while I needed some belts replaced. Yikes!

[SKperformance]

yes they are exactly the same

[blake918]

There is a Lexus parts site that a club member told me about http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/ind...m?siteid=213808. They have just about every Lexus part you can think of(literally). For the first gen(ES3) they have the hood struts for $48 a side and $65 per side for gen 2 which is incredibly cheap for genuine Lexus parts ;) probably even cheaper than Camry 1's.

[bkrueger]

A few more details to what SKPerformance offered- the Sachs Stabilus "Lift-O-Mat" hood struts are part number SG329004, for the Camry, $24.99 each at Pep Boys. The strut comes packaged with pin and circlip that replaces the rivet in the original lower body bracket- and a new upper ball stud that's 1/2", not 12mm hex. Weird.

You drill out the original rivet on the lower body bracket (mark center with a punch- wander off and you risk egging the hole out). I used a 1/4" drill, and drove the ball stud out with a punch, to ensure I didn't enlarge the hole. The instructions say open up to 5/16", but it already is.

The bottom of the strut is a swivel pin on the replacement, not a ball; insert the pin where the old ball stud was, slide the strut on, a washer, and the circlip, and reinstall. The other end has a spring clip that you open with a small screwdriver; slip the joint over the new ball stud (umm, while pushing the hood up with your shoulder to match the length), and release the spring clip.

Works like a champ. It's Miller time.