Hood Springs

Has anyone seen or installed hood springs on an XJ? The kind that hold up your hood without using the prop rod. Any ideas on what might work something off another vehicle or kits avaliable.
Thanks in advance, XJ Samo

Go-Jeep has a write up of his project. http://go.jeep-xj.info/Exterior.htm I have been looking at some GM cars with some nice struts and brackets similar to the ones XJ rear hatch has.

That one might work but I would prefer springs.

XJ Samo said:

That one might work but I would prefer springs.

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Then get some off of an old 70's car or truck, and fab away. The XJ hood isnt that heavy, compaired to ones that use springs.

Why would you perfer springs? Curious.

Not sure. Just seems less like a mercedes that way I guess.
I will probably go with the lift gate shock though.

XJ Samo said:

Not sure. Just seems less like a mercedes that way I guess.
I will probably go with the lift gate shock though.

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Nothing wrong with that. Easier mod with the struts, too, plus easily replaceable. Not that the springs will ever wear or break any time soon though. Simplicity when it comes to small things like this is always easier and better, IMO.

The struts are springs. Air springs instead of metal springs.

I think you'll find the problem with traditional "detroit iron" hood springs (which the folks from Stuttgart copied) is that they require an articulated hinge. The one-piece hinge on an XJ isn't very well suited to them.

You'll never get your Jeep hood to operate like a Merc., at least not like my old 240D. Not only are the hinges sprung nicely, but they have an extra latch on them which allows the hood to be raised to full vertical. Mercedes did this back in the 70's when their assembly line started putting the entire power train into finished bodies from above rather than below, but the result is a hood that's really out of the way.

I know about MB and the strut hood lift and the articulated hinges I wrenched on them at a dealership. What I was trying to say is that I would prefer not to emulate MB with the strut however it sound like that is the best idea.