Hood Lift Replacement Tutorial

[landar]

Just replaced the hood lifts on my 98 LS400. I went with "StrongArm" aftermarket lifts($64 at Advance) as I am too cheap to buy the OEM ($180 pair).

I really like to use OEM but....when it comes to non-critical components, I can be bought Surprisingly, these StrongArms are made in the USA.

So, I got out the digital camera and made a tutorial for those interested. I know, its a fairly simple job but sometimes you need some encouragement

and the devil is often in the details.

I can highly recommend the StrongArms. Very simple to install. No bent hood. The hood does not fall on my head anymore! (hey wait...that could explain alot!) :P

Anyway, the tutorial resides on my Flickr account. Just click on this link--> http://www.flickr.com/photos/landar/sets/72157622809519310/

[1990LS400]

Randy, clearly you need one of the special Lexus hood supports like I have. ;)

It's nice to hear that there are some decent aftermarket hood struts available. I've read several horror stories about bent hoods from using hood struts from Mighty Lift.

I paid $122.02 for a set of OEM hood struts from Sewell Lexus online for my 00 LS but that was back in December 2005.

[landar]

Randy, clearly you need one of the special Lexus hood supports like I have. ;)

It's nice to hear that there are some decent aftermarket hood struts available. I've read several horror stories about bent hoods from using hood struts from Mighty Lift.

I paid $122.02 for a set of OEM hood struts from Sewell Lexus online for my 00 LS but that was back in December 2005.

Did you get that "special" support at the Lexus dealer...OEM? Did not know they came in green

For $61 each, I would have been more tempted to stay with Toyota. The interesting thing is that the StrongArms have a "lifetime" warranty. Dont they know how long

Lex owners keep their vehicles? I must say (as someone else also noted), I do not think I could ever own another primary vehicle besides a Lexus. Dang, stuck with quiet, smooth, durable, reliable luxury! The sacrifices I must make. ;)

[eatingupblacktop]

Randy, clearly you need one of the special Lexus hood supports like I have. ;)

It's nice to hear that there are some decent aftermarket hood struts available. I've read several horror stories about bent hoods from using hood struts from Mighty Lift.

I paid $122.02 for a set of OEM hood struts from Sewell Lexus online for my 00 LS but that was back in December 2005.

Did you get that "special" support at the Lexus dealer...OEM? Did not know they came in green

For $61 each, I would have been more tempted to stay with Toyota. The interesting thing is that the StrongArms have a "lifetime" warranty. Dont they know how long

Lex owners keep their vehicles? I must say (as someone else also noted), I do not think I could ever own another primary vehicle besides a Lexus. Dang, stuck with quiet, smooth, durable, reliable luxury! The sacrifices I must make. ;)

Those special supports are very usefull for the interm. Mine was disguised as an umbrella that I kept in the car just in case I needed to open the hood on the road.

Gotta say, as much as I love my LS, I'm getting a little restless driving it. I'm always staying as far away from traffic as possible because I don't know when some idiot in his banged up pos is going to slam into me. You can see me coming from a mile away, I'm always at the end of the line of traffic in the slow lane several car lengths behind the car in front. As someone who has spent time on the track, it's really painfull to drive like this. If someone smacks into me, my mint LS would be a write off and I could never find a replacement in the same condition. Almost makes me want to park it.

What I need is something I can let loose in without worrying about who's on the road. Something that can take on anyone wanting to play chicken or cutting me off trying to grab an exit off the freeway from the passing lane.:chairshot: Like an old rusted beat up ford 350 dually. Ok you hammerheads, com'n git some! For now I just go to the gym, put on some gloves and beat the !Removed! out of the heavy bag until my knuckles tell me to stop. There, that feels better ... alrighty, now I can drive home like a little old lady.

[tackered]

Gotta say, as much as I love my LS, I'm getting a little restless driving it. I'm always staying as far away from traffic as possible because I don't know when some idiot in his banged up pos is going to slam into me. You can see me coming from a mile away, I'm always at the end of the line of traffic in the slow lane several car lengths behind the car in front. As someone who has spent time on the track, it's really painfull to drive like this. If someone smacks into me, my mint LS would be a write off and I could never find a replacement in the same condition. Almost makes me want to park it.

What I need is something I can let loose in without worrying about who's on the road. Something that can take on anyone wanting to play chicken or cutting me off trying to grab an exit off the freeway from the passing lane.:chairshot: Like an old rusted beat up ford 350 dually. Ok you hammerheads, com'n git some! For now I just go to the gym, put on some gloves and beat the !Removed! out of the heavy bag until my knuckles tell me to stop. There, that feels better ... alrighty, now I can drive home like a little old lady.

I feel your pain, although the Lexus is a bit TOO quiet and smooth for my tastes. I was thinking of getting back into something with a standard transmission, to revive the fun aspect of driving. Crusing down the highway in quiet luxury is satisfying, but alas, it's not rubbing that spot. Given the current global warming, buying a motorcycle might just satisfy that urge.

On topic though, what is the recommended replacement for the hood struts for us Canadians? I'm not willing to pay $300 a pair for the hood struts locally, regardless of how nice the coffee is at Lexus of Edmonton (or my indie shop, for that matter).

[landar]

On topic though, what is the recommended replacement for the hood struts for us Canadians? I'm not willing to pay $300 a pair for the hood struts locally, regardless of how nice the coffee is at Lexus of Edmonton (or my indie shop, for that matter).

Not following you here. Recommended replacement time or make/model of struts? Recommendations vary by those you talk to and cost expectations.

Are Canadian Lexus hoods significantly different from those in the US?

[laney94]

Randy, clearly you need one of the special Lexus hood supports like I have. ;)

It's nice to hear that there are some decent aftermarket hood struts available. I've read several horror stories about bent hoods from using hood struts from Mighty Lift.

I paid $122.02 for a set of OEM hood struts from Sewell Lexus online for my 00 LS but that was back in December 2005.

Hey, I have one of those. Mine must be aftermarket - doesn't say LEXUS anywhere on it! Guess it is time to shell out the $s for some new struts though. But the 'lifetime warranty' is for those you buy after the original ones fail. I probably won't keep my '94 another 16 years!

[tackered]

On topic though, what is the recommended replacement for the hood struts for us Canadians? I'm not willing to pay $300 a pair for the hood struts locally, regardless of how nice the coffee is at Lexus of Edmonton (or my indie shop, for that matter).

Not following you here. Recommended replacement time or make/model of struts? Recommendations vary by those you talk to and cost expectations.

Are Canadian Lexus hoods significantly different from those in the US?

The hoods are not signifigantly different. The hood struts, however, seem to be made of gold. At $150CAD each, I was asking if there were any suitable alternatives, be it from Toyota, or aftermarket. If in fact there are no feasible alternatives, I will of course bite the bullet and buy them here. However, as was mentioned by another before me, while I like to replace as many of the parts with genuine Lexus parts, hood struts are not one of the things that I feel are neccessary.

[landar]

The hoods are not signifigantly different. The hood struts, however, seem to be made of gold. At $150CAD each, I was asking if there were any suitable alternatives, be it from Toyota, or aftermarket. If in fact there are no feasible alternatives, I will of course bite the bullet and buy them here. However, as was mentioned by another before me, while I like to replace as many of the parts with genuine Lexus parts, hood struts are not one of the things that I feel are neccessary.

From what I can see, you have a few choices... Lexus OEM (you *should* be able to purchase at around $180 USD/pair), StrongArm ($64 USD/pair) or MightLifts ($50 USD/pair).

I am with you on the geniune Lexus (er, Toyota) parts but hood struts were one area I was willing to compromise. So far the StrongArms are doing fine. If you can order them or get them locally, go for it.

[91LS]

I paid $42 not oem and it took me maybe 20-25 minutes. Its not a critical part so why buy oem?

[AzHotLS]

I too, had one of those "special Lexus hood supports" that came with my 95. I promptly replaced them with Mighty Lifts from AutoZone, part number C95029.

I don't know who makes the Mighty Lifts, but they look awfully close to the StrongArms.

Here's a thread with a link to another tutorial:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=56409

It's nice to hear that there are some decent aftermarket hood struts available. I've read several horror stories about bent hoods from using hood struts from Mighty Lift.

I think it's a Gen 1 problem. As they did cause the hood on my 90 to bow a little, but not on my 95.

I'm still waiting for someone to find replacement struts for the trunk lid on a Gen 2:

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls400/4143...s-problems.html

[tackered]

I paid $42 not oem and it took me maybe 20-25 minutes. Its not a critical part so why buy oem?

Because, as mentioned above, there is a possibility that the non-OEM parts might be too far out of spec to use as OEM replacements without me worrying every time someone opens the hood of my car. Read above about the possibility of bowing or bent hoods, and when you consider the cost to fix a hood that has been bent in half, I'd rather spend the extra $150 on OEM struts.

However, the reason I asked for opinions from people who have used the alternatives was to deterime whether or not it would be safe to do so. Thusfar the concesus is that the StrongArms are safe® to use than the Mightylift struts, so I may give them a try.

[sk1951]

I have the weird one...96 es300. It has a bracket tack weld onto the driver side hood strut for an elec connection. They are over $100 each. After reading all the posts here I decided to go with the cheapest I could find. I noticed the pictures at many of the sites and the ones at ebay looked the same. So what the...you know... If they work great if they don't...well...I'll get them to work. They are $22. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LEXUS-ES300...sQ5fAccessories

But these are the other sites I found (did not post the $100 struts):

http://www.amazon.com/Lexus-ES300-Support-...k/dp/B000PTOMLO

http://www.autopartsbylou.com/lift-support...mp;x=14&y=3

http://www.1aauto.com/search?words=hood+struts+lexus+es300

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/search/?...7071+4294967194

http://www.am-autoparts.com/AM/Hood-Hatch-...YahooShoppingSF

http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1996/lexu...hood_strut.html

Some good info here also:

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls400/169018-hood-strut.html

[landar]

I have the weird one...96 es300. It has a bracket tack weld onto the driver side hood strut for an elec connection. They are over $100 each. After reading all the posts here I decided to go with the cheapest I could find. I noticed the pictures at many of the sites and the ones at ebay looked the same. So what the...you know... If they work great if they don't...well...I'll get them to work. They are $22.

Were you looking for the ES300 forum?

[sk1951]

I have the weird one...96 es300. It has a bracket tack weld onto the driver side hood strut for an elec connection. They are over $100 each. After reading all the posts here I decided to go with the cheapest I could find. I noticed the pictures at many of the sites and the ones at ebay looked the same. So what the...you know... If they work great if they don't...well...I'll get them to work. They are $22.

Were you looking for the ES300 forum?

Yes. I went to the forum>es300 92-96>searched there and I am here. What did I do wrong?

[sk1951]

Randy, clearly you need one of the special Lexus hood supports like I have. ;)

It's nice to hear that there are some decent aftermarket hood struts available. I've read several horror stories about bent hoods from using hood struts from Mighty Lift.

I paid $122.02 for a set of OEM hood struts from Sewell Lexus online for my 00 LS but that was back in December 2005.

Retired my golf club support! I found the strongarm to be a perfect replacment at $22 a pair.