Need Cheaper Hood Support Struts

[tansupplyman]

I need to replace the hood support struts and Lexus wants $70 each for them.

Has anyone here found a replacement other than 'Lexus'.

I have not been sucessful finding anything with that design end on them.

Tired of using my wooden stick.

I have not tried the salvage yards yet to get an OEM; regarding this, do later model ones fit the '93--know it is best to take the old one with me.

TKS.

[ToddLS400]

I believe the Camry uses the same struts? Look at the part # on the strut then call a Toyota dealership. Leave you info here on what you find.

[thewzdoc]

Toyota gave me the "Duh.....our...um...numbers don't match Lexus. Maybe you could come in and we could take a look."

They didn't have any direct replacements plus their struts were as much as the Lexus dealers anyway.

I have yet to find an OEM replacement from any source other than the dealer.

Someone please prove me wrong....without the need to hack and slash to get it to "fit". :chairshot:

[ToddLS400]

I was in Schucks yesterday and I ran across a bunch of hood and rear hatch strut replacements for other cars. I'm thinking if you take one of the struts out and bring it into the store and compare them by size you might get lucky and find a match? If you fine something that matches, please leave the brand and part # here so others can benefit. I need new struts on my hood too.

[tansupplyman]

basically same thing I found out a moment ago; any Toyota part will not fit--can order the Lexus part for $71.

back to square one--and continue to use prop--or go to a junk yard.

tks

wish they would have use some 'generic' parts--aways thought: a conspiracy!!!

[VBdenny]

I have a beautiful brass prop rod and $120. Personally, I feel that this should be a recall item anyway. It IS a real safety hazard. The first time I was looking under the hood, I was standing there gazing at the engine then.... WHUMP! The hood slammed down hard. Had I had my fat little head stuck in there, I would gotten slammed. I'll bet there are people out there who have been hit by them before. OSHA should force it just for the safety of auto technicians.

People laugh when they see my hood proped up with a brass rod. Makes people think a Lexus is cheap. They have only ever had one recall that I could find. The rear brake light something.

[ToddLS400]

You can also use a vice grip on one of the struts to prop it open. I would use a small rag where the vice grip locks on.

[obergc]

Somewhere in this forum there was a link to another site that had instructions for installing Mighty Lift hood struts from Autozone on a LS 400 hood. Autozone does have one, lifetime warranty that fits although you will not find it in their system as listed for a Lexus LS 400. Good information , I don't have the info on the site on this computer but if you do a search you should be able to find it in the archives. I have the autozone struts on my car, easy installation. You do have to do a bit of drilling on the old struts to get the fittings off the end but a piece of cake, really.

Curt

[tansupplyman]

now that sounds super,curt. will look; if anyone else finds out post!!!!!! yes it is the ends that is the problem.

tks

[VMF]

i saw em in the autozone for like 25$ each.

[obergc]

Here is the link that has the repair procedures. I did this repair on my LS 400 and the results are great. Good luck.

Curt

http://www.cureline.net/lex/howtos/howto_h...hood_shocks.htm

[tansupplyman]

tks curt---this is super.

[VBdenny]

I've Got Some Support!

Following the link provided by

obergc, and the information I found there within, I stopped by autozone today. To my surprize they had two of the Mighty Lift C95029 struts. snagged them and cruised on home.

Using a 12mm open end wrench, I diconnected the bottom of each hood shock first, which made it easier as you could align the thing so you can get the wrench in the top. They came off really easily, didn't even break a sweat. The next instructions were ... well interesting.

The instructions said to drill into the side of the ball on the old struts, the goal being to free the ball from the socket. Man, on the first one, I had a hard time getting the bit to start because it's round. Not !Removed! around, I grabbed a bleep file (can I say that here?) and flattened a section. Pinged it with a centerpunch, and I was off to the races. I felt it break through into the socket, so I stopped to do a look-see.

The directions said to push out this wire retaining ring . I stuck a scratch awl, thru the hole and tapped it outward. The wire stuck out a little, so I stuck a small flat head screwdriver between it and the socket and it easily pushed out enough to grab it with needle nose pliers. Exactly as the directions state. Only took me 30 minutes to do the job. 20 on the first, 10 on the second.

When you put them back on, you want to hook up the top first, The drivers side is easy. You'll notice that the swivel does go quite enough to allow the hood to open fully. Screw the thing in there then get someone to hold the hood so you can align the bottom bolt. On the passenger side, you have to make sure the bottom is aligned with it's hole because you can't swing it around like you can with the drivers side. I had to wrestle to get the top one in, but then it was cake.

My compliments to obergc on locating that excellent site. Has pictures and all.

Denny

[VBdenny]

Oh yeah. I paid $15.99 each. Heh!

[ToddLS400]

Oh yeah.  I paid $15.99 each.  Heh!

Nice...I have to do that too.... How long did it take you to drill the ball joints out of the original struts? So you put those ball joints in the opening of the Mighty Lift struts? I haven't studied the pictures on that site yet.

[tansupplyman]

you-all need to back up on the URL for Obergt's site.

will post under new topic.

[VBdenny]

The actually drilling part only takes about 20 seconds if you use a good bit. On the first one it took a little longer because I was trying to figure it out. The rest went quickly.once I knew where to drill and why. You have to drill enough to be able to poke the retaining ring out. Now my hood almost opens itself.

[VBdenny]

I hues I couldn't say that there when I gave the proper and accepted name of a particular file. I guess not all the mods know that much about tools huh.

[tansupplyman]

Since I started the topic, I suppose I can finish it !!!!

Well, tks to everyone--I got the $15.99 struts today and installed------no more prop!!!!! bye--prop--I haven't enjoyed you for the past year or so !!!!

Didn't use a drill--just a grinder--you have to get the 'ball' out of the Lexus strut then put on the aftermarket ones.

Also, tks to the VA. Beach Flash and the links that had the pixs; tks to whoever tried this and shared.

No tks to Lexus for fixing the ball to the part and not the car---then charging $70.00 each for the 'special' part---BULL s---!!!

[tansupplyman]

Forgot--if you are real cheap, try just one new strut--that is really all I needed--but I bought 2, the hood opens by itself with 2 new ones !!!!!!!!!

[pishta]

I looked into doing my 2 bad ones. I took one out and it was completely flat. I could play it like a trombone...the other was still a little firm, but in no shape to hold up the hood. I saw one that had the same ends on it at autozone, didnt know the maker, but looking at the price, I knew it was the Lexus one, it was 41 bucks a piece compared to the 11-18 for the others...I took it out and noted the strength of the gas pressure. I could not compress that piston even with my weight on it! Maybe all 140 lbs, but as much as I could put on it without putting a hole in my hand. Are they really that pressurized??? When I took the flat one off, It expanded a little more than the hood would allow it to (maybe because the other one was still attached) but do you have to compress the bugger to line up the bolts? that would be a major undertaking with these bad boys! Looking to keep the broomstick if it is a hassle! and how about those 25 buck Auto-Mart brands on ebay? Thanks.

[yidaitianjiaous]

check my post days ago, hope it wil help

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=40826

[pishta]

Here is the link that has the repair procedures. I did this repair on my LS 400 and the results are great. Good luck.

Curt

http://www.cureline.net/lex/howtos/howto_h...hood_shocks.htm

Well, they are not $15 a set anymore as implied, but are 19.99 a piece and are still not the correct ones. I dont get the instructions on what to do when you get the ball joints out. Do you stick them into the new ones? They look like bolt holes to me. not sockets.

[rehr0001]

Here is the link that has the repair procedures. I did this repair on my LS 400 and the results are great. Good luck.

Curt

http://www.cureline.net/lex/howtos/howto_h...hood_shocks.htm

Well, they are not $15 a set anymore as implied, but are 19.99 a piece and are still not the correct ones. I dont get the instructions on what to do when you get the ball joints out. Do you stick them into the new ones? They look like bolt holes to me. not sockets.

If you want to do it easy, go to

http://www.autopartsbylou.com/index.php

and pick your model year. I just bought some of these off of ebay and they come with the ball (so you don't have to worry about drilling and reusing the original ball. They are 19.50 each and it is simple to do.

1. Use a 12mm open end wrench to remove the old supports.

2. Screw in the new ball w/washer (included in the support package from liftsupportsdepot.com) by hand into the original holes and tighten w/ wrench

3. Snap on new lift support to the ball at top and bottom

4. Repeat on other side

15 minutes and you're done

[flogdpup]

I also did the cureline.com Mighty Lift swap on my 1994 LS400 and I agree with VBDenny that it saves a lot of money over the OEM struts. It is a simple procedure especially after doing the first strut, the second one is much easier.

On my wife's 1997 LS400 however I decided to buy a set of replacement struts for sale on Ebay. I believe they were about $40 +shipping. I know, it sounded a little too good to be true to me as well. I took the risk though and couldn't be happier. They were a direct replacement with no drilling or messing. The struts actually seem stronger than the Mighty Lifts that I bought for my 94 LS.

One gripe I have with my Mighty Lift replacements is that they don't raise the hood as high as the OEM struts. I figured this out when I compared the hood height with my 97 LS before it's struts died. The Ebay struts maintained the OEM hood height when raised, which saves my lower back and the back of my head when I'm working on the motor.

Which ever method you use, you'll come out on top in your pocketbook by bypassing the Lexus OEM hood struts.