Hood Struts
 

So for sometime have been toying with the idea of putting hood struts in.
Figure a DIY thing but have not ruled out just spending the money and buying a kit.

Reason is that I am putting an aux fuse box in the Jeep.
Thinking make a platform and put it over by the master cylinder in my '00.
Thing is I think I should do the hood struts first so I can work the platform around them.

So been looking at kits and DIY threads.
And here is something I notice when it comes to the kits.
So you have the Rugged Ridge ones.



https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...0904fb4852.png
Notice how the part of the strut attached to the hood folds down?
Instead of the strut running down the fender it remains more towards the firewall.
Most of the kits and DIY ones are like this:



The part attached to the hood folds forward running towards the front along the fender.

I like the way the Rugged Ridge ones fold instead.
Figure for starters no way would it interfere with my washer fill spout.
Also that since the strut is itself is more towards the firewall it would interfere less with the platform I want to put in for the aux fuse box.

I was wondering if you guys thought one way might be better then the other.
Also wish I could get the specs on the Rugged Ridge struts themselves.
Length, collapsed and extended, and the force pounds.
Cause I actually found a strut manufacturer that has a chart with all that:

https://www.rockauto.com/genImages/1...lSpecGuide.pdf

Thinking if I contact Rugged Ridge for the info I will not get a response but should try anyway.

Figure start this thread and see what you guys say.

Ralph, I got one from Quadratec about 14 years ago now I think. Still holds the hood up and no problems at all with it all that time. Struts still hold a charge too
It looks identical to the one you have listed from Amazon

Do you remember which ones?
Looks like I see 2 on their website now.
The Rugged Ridge and the Warrior kits.
Almost looks the Warrior might fold like the Rugged Ridge.

https://www.quadratec.com/products/13027_7001_07.htm

Oh and I forgot to mention one thing.
Thinking that someday hood pins might end up in the hood.
Leaning towards these:



But wondering if I could get rid of the springs in there now and have hood struts that would force the hood up.
Enough get my hand in there to release the safety catch.

That was a long time ago, so no I really don't remember the brand. But I really don't think they were from Warrior.

Redline's been selling lift strut kits for a while, maybe it was them ?

https://www.redlinetuning.com/Articles.asp?ID=252

Been poking around and looked at hood struts on a WJ.
Anybody happen to know if the weight of a WJ hood is close to the weight of an XJ hood?

get whatever brackets you like, DIY way cheaper.

Near as I can tell, about the same, but maybe a little heavier.

Cause I was thinking maybe I could scope out the hood struts on a WJ, see if the struts sit farther back in the engine
bay, like the Rugged Ridge ones, and then just buy the struts for a WJ getting the mounting points I need to make it work.

So far I've been OK with not having struts.... but I have a feeling I may be changing the heater core before next winter, so struts could help get the regular hood support out of the way on that passenger side... and keep the manual rod support for back up.

Wait, is there a lot of work to remove the core from the engine bay? Or is the majority of it all in the cab?

Either way, having struts wouldn't be terrible.

The only thing you can remove in the engine bay is the fan motor. The rest is all in the HVAC housing under the dash. Lots of work, unless you have an early XJ like I do :D