Gas hood struts not only look...
Gas hood struts not only look great, but help you while you work on your car and while you're at the local cruise night by eliminating the prop rod that inevitably gets hit or blown away by a gust of wind. And they just look great too!
If you've been around 1979-or-newer Mustangs for any amount of time you've had to work around the prop rod under your hood. It inevitably will be in your way when working on the engine. It's especially troublesome when installing headers or that supercharger. When you're at the local cruise night it also doesn't hold the hood securely during wind gusts, especially with lightweight fiberglass hoods. Or, there's that rare instance when some oblivious spectator hits it accidentally and destroys your paintjob and hood in the process as the rod pops out of place and the hood sandwiches it against your fender.
Classic Design Concepts' Hood Strut Kit (PN 0511-7012-05 for black and 0511-7012-35 in silver) is a great addition for your hood and engine compartment. Not just for the safety factors but also the great look for just $99 (plus shipping). Let's install one and see the results. You'll only need a 10mm socket and 30 minutes or less for this install. So skip lunch and add some styling and safety to your S197.
Classic Design Concepts' Hood...
Classic Design Concepts' Hood Strut kit for '05-'10 Mustangs includes the upper and lower mounting brackets and two gas struts. The brackets are marked for each side so there's no confusion during the installation. The gas struts can go on either side.
Start by removing the fender...
Start by removing the fender bolt just in front of the hood hinge with a 10mm socket.
Install the body bracket using...
Install the body bracket using the fender bolt you just removed. When properly installed, the ball stud should be positioned rearward from the fender bolt.
Remove the forward/upper bolt...
Remove the forward/upper bolt from the hood hinge using a 10mm socket. With a stock hood, there shouldn't be too much movement. Although not necessary for installation, enlisting a friend's help to hold the hood helps alleviate concern of any misalignment.
Next, loosen, but don't remove,...
Next, loosen, but don't remove, the rear hood hinge bolt. You only need to loosen it about 3/16 inch to allow for the hood bracket to slide between the bolt head and the hinge. The bracket doesn't go between the hood and the hinge. Be careful of the washer fluid hose when installing the passenger-side bracket. You may have to move it out of the way for the bracket to slide in. Once you have the bracket in place, install the front bolt to secure the bracket. At this point, tighten both hood hinge bolts.
With the gas cylinder body...
With the gas cylinder body above the rod, attach the gas strut by placing the socket over the ball mount and pressing firmly. You'll hear the reassuring click to know that it's in place. You may have to lift the hood up a bit to get both ends attached.
Here's the completed install...
Here's the completed install on the passenger side. Repeat the installation steps for the driver-side brackets and strut to complete the job. The stock hood prop rod can be removed completely from the car if you like by simply unbolting it from the radiator core support.
With both sides installed,...
With both sides installed, lower the hood gently to the latch. Make sure there are no alignment issues. If you have to force the hood closed, check for misalignment and correct. If you've removed only the bolts mentioned with a stock hood, there should be no alignment issues. Aftermarket hoods may need to be realigned for proper fit.