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DIY Hood Struts

altierior

altierior

NAXJA Forum User
Location
East Norriton, PA
savagef82 said:
I did a bit of googling and discovered the components of this kit are readily available on Amazon for an even lower price.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004713BR2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1YLSW7UF6UU3X

A pair of brackets is listed for $9 with free shipping, so that's $18 for all four brackets.

If my guess is correct, the struts from a jeep liberty hood look like they should work and you can get a set of those for less than $15

https://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Lift...8&qid=1464832796&sr=1-12&keywords=hood+struts

The only thing left to buy are the screws and you should find those at any hardware store.

The total for the struts and brackets I linked to is right around $35

The only thing left to figure out is the proper mounting positions of all the parts, but I think I can figure that out.

Hope this is helpful.
Click to expand...

Good information. Thank you. It's helpful information, except for me - I already bought my second set of RedLines. I wish I had thought to look for components like you did; I could have saved some money.
 
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Re: XJ Hood Strut Kit

savagef82 said:
That said, I did a bit of googling and discovered the components of this kit are readily available on Amazon for an even lower price.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004713BR2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1YLSW7UF6UU3X

A pair of brackets is listed for $9 with free shipping, so that's $18 for all four brackets.

If my guess is correct, the struts from a jeep liberty hood look like they should work and you can get a set of those for less than $15

https://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Lift...8&qid=1464832796&sr=1-12&keywords=hood+struts

The only thing left to buy are the screws and you should find those at any hardware store.

The total for the struts and brackets I linked to is right around $35

The only thing left to figure out is the proper mounting positions of all the parts, but I think I can figure that out.

Hope this is helpful.
Click to expand...

Having two sets of the RedLines (one installed and one soon to be), maybe I can help you and any other XJ people interested in doing this.

First, I will check the lengths on the struts I have here, and try to confirm if the Libby struts you linked to are the right size. I will also try to confirm the size of the brackets.

Secondly, The install is pretty straightforward, but there is a minor complication, which I can try to explain. Hopefully I can help someone avoid a lot of head-scratching.
 
Re: XJ Hood Strut Kit

I am measuring my struts, and your referenced Liberty strut has quite different specs.
savagef82 said:
If my guess is correct, the struts from a jeep liberty hood look like they should work and you can get a set of those for less than $15
https://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Lift...8&qid=1464832796&sr=1-12&keywords=hood+struts
Click to expand...

Amazon does not provide specs, but according to this site, the 4366 Jeep Liberty Hood Lift Support Strut's specifications are:
Extended Length - 17.25"
Compressed Length - 10.47"
Stroke - 6.78"

Whereas the Redline Jeep Cherokee Hood QuickLIFT struts I have here measure:
Extended Length - 20"
Compressed Length - 11.5"
Stroke - 9.25"

Using this Lift Supports Depot "Search by size" tool, the closest I can find is this list.

I don't know the force of the struts in the Redline kit, and I don't have time right now to research how to measure the force of struts. Of course force would be an important factor in choosing which struts to purchase. The 4366 Jeep Liberty Hood Lift Support Strut's spec is 74 pounds of force. So with the measurements I have, and assuming the Liberty hood struts have force within acceptable range of lifting an XJ hood, I narrow it down to this one.

The Libby struts may very well work as hood lifts for XJs, but they would have to be mounted differently from the Redlines because of the difference in length.
 
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Re: XJ Hood Strut Kit

savagef82 said:
The only thing left to buy are the screws and you should find those at any hardware store.
Click to expand...

The Redlines use rivets.
 
Re: XJ Hood Strut Kit

savagef82 said:
That said, I did a bit of googling and discovered the components of this kit are readily available on Amazon for an even lower price.

Hope this is helpful.
Click to expand...

It is very helpful and a good starting point. I sincerely apologize if it seems like I am trying to pick your post apart. I most ceratinly am not. You offered good information for anyone wanting to make their own hood lifts. I am simply offering additional information that I have researched using the Redine Tuning kit, which we know works for the application, as a point of reference.

Full disclosure: I have no affiliation with Redline, or Lift Supports Depot, or Amazon. I am just posting all this to offer information to the XJ community.

I do really like my Redlines, though.
 
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Re: XJ Hood Strut Kit

WARNING: An incorrect install of a do-it-yourself hood lift could result in personal injury. I do not know that any of the items referenced above are the correct components for a do-it-yourself hood lift. I am simply posting information about products that I have found that MIGHT make for a good do-it-yourself hood lift.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!
 
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When I did mine I used my old worn out hatch struts, bought a pair of 10mm ball mounts and away I went. Cost me all of $20 CDN after screws and such. If you factor in the new hatch struts I bought for the rear, they were $28 each.
Hood's been raising itself beautifully for the last 5 or so years now. Makes life way simpler at given the lifted height of the engine bay. May add a pull strap so the wife can close the hood ... But I could forsee that getting caught in the fan accidently one day.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
One old JY hatch strut, one old ball, 2 self tapping screws, and one nut. Didn't bother doing the driver's side.

$5.00. All done.

A8B1614F-569D-425F-BCA5-25754B384B80_zpss2tufgxx.jpg
 
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Even old worn out hatch struts have plenty of lift for the hood. Two birds, one stone. Old hatch struts to the hood and replaced the hatch struts with new. Win, Win.

f46df919a058665bcbdd982f6b4fc6e3.jpg


Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
Buying brackets on amazon isnt a DIY kit. a DIY kit is taking old worn out and weak hatch struts, making the "so simple you can hardly call them a bracket" brackets yourself, and bolting it up. You dont even need two.
 
I don't really see the point of adding struts. The stock prop rod is short and pretty far out of the way. It also holds the hood further up right. What I'm I missing?
 
I find it more convenient, just to stand at the front of the Jeep and let the strut do the work versus moving over to the side of the truck and doing it manually.

Sure, the strut option only saves me about 6 seconds in opening and closing the hood, but in my case it didn't cost a dime, so what the heck, why not...
 
Struts are cool until they start to fail. The number of times I was trying to do something simple and the hood slowly fell down. Sucks wantint to do something simple and failed struts cause problems. Be careful if ever jumping too, I haven't seen it happen but can imagine a hood slowly closing while jumper cables are hooked up not being fun.
 
Well, yeah, that goes without saying, but every Jeep I've ever owned, except the 3 XJs had hood struts and never had any issues.

It's a preference thing. Certainly not a performance mod...
 
Devilfrog said:
Even old worn out hatch struts have plenty of lift for the hood. Two birds, one stone. Old hatch struts to the hood and replaced the hatch struts with new. Win, Win.

f46df919a058665bcbdd982f6b4fc6e3.jpg


Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

How did you determine where to mount the struts?

I part out XJs and I've got lots of old struts and the pivot balls.
 
Zoom in on that last pic, then zoom in on the one I posted. No one right or wrong way. He mounted his pivot ball way up on the hood; I mounted mine on the inside of the fender. I mounted close to the hood hinge; he mounted close to the firewall.

I just held the hood with the factory arm and then decided from there where to mount knowing that at that height the strut would be at full extention.
 
You just have to worry about collapsed lengths with these. Really the easy way is to measure the distance between the mounts on the hatch and work off that.
As for why ... With around 6" lift on my XJ is simply is far more convenient.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
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