Gas Struts for Hood - Anyone use em?

[vping]

Anybody use gas struts for the hoods on their MG's in lieu of the standard hood prop? I saw a picture of it once and was curious about how well they work or where they are available from.

 

[maya2blue]

I use them on my '78 Spitfire and love'em. See https://www.teglerizer.com/triumphstuff/gasstruts/index.html
for info on selection, installation, use, etc.... Harve

 

[Nunyas]

I just installed a set on my '76 B. I must say that I absolutely love them! They make access to the clutch reservoir much much easier (the hood opens much higher with them). Plus, (not that this'll happen much, if at all) I don't have to worry about unidentified garage employees bending the hood because of their lack of observation powers.

 

[rick_ingram]

Anybody use gas struts for the hoods on their MG's in lieu of the standard hood prop? I saw a picture of it once and was curious about how well they work or where they are available from.

I offer them through Pieces of Eight.

I recommend their use on STEEL bonnets only, not aluminum.

I also offer them for bootlids and GT hatches.

COntact me via PM and I can send you pricing information.

Pieces of Eight!
Struts for your M.G.

 

[jlaird]

Why there's Rick, just knew he would show up on this subject if we gave it a bit.

I have nothing that uses these but have heard nothing but good things over the past year or so.

 

[ICESWH]

Hey Rick,
When I installed the struts on my 80B bootlid, with the lid in the closed position, it actually lifted the front edge of the lid a good 1/8". Raised the lid off the surrounding area by the 1/8" I mean.

Is this common? Will this settle down as the struts wear in? I love the struts for the bonnet, but removed the ones for the boot after i noticed the problem.

Thanks in advance for the response.

 

[rick_ingram]

Hey Rick,
When I installed the struts on my 80B bootlid, with the lid in the closed position, it actually lifted the front edge of the lid a good 1/8". Raised the lid off the surrounding area by the 1/8" I mean.

Is this common? Will this settle down as the struts wear in? I love the struts for the bonnet, but removed the ones for the boot after i noticed the problem.

Thanks in advance for the response.

I've not experienced that problem with the installs on my two MGCs nor my MGB. Only other problem that I've learned of was on a 1980 MGB that had a pre-1972 bootlid on it...and the mounting position on the bootlid inhibits complete closure of the lid. This was fixed by moving the lower ball brackets down on the channel somewhat.

It sounds as though the lower brackets on one or both sides *may* be mounted too far up the channel on your MGB. The bootlid may also be somewhat out of true.

Please contact me off-list if you wish....we'll try to work something out.

 

[Nunyas]

Hey Rick,
When I installed the struts on my 80B bootlid, with the lid in the closed position, it actually lifted the front edge of the lid a good 1/8". Raised the lid off the surrounding area by the 1/8" I mean.

heh... Funny, I noticed the same thing after I installed new weather stripping for the boot lid, except it happened to the whole boot lid and not just the front portion. You can see how the boot lid sits higher than the surrounding body panels in my sig pic.

 

[ICESWH]

Thanks for the help Rick.

The weather stripping problem is a common one. The same thing happened to me.

One of the next rainy weekends I'll experiment with the mounting positions to see if it makes a difference for me. Thanks again.

 

[vping]

I'm trying to find out what make & model I need ot get. I can either pick them up online or in one of my catalogs at work. MSC or Grainger has to have them. We have a light table at work that our purchasing agent picked up for $80! 1 strut and it is not different thatn the pne in my pickup. I think she was robbed at $80 bucks.

 

[vping]

Oh and welcome to the Forum Tegler. Been waiting for an update on lil whitey for a few years now

 

[rick_ingram]

I'm trying to find out what make & model I need ot get. I can either pick them up online or in one of my catalogs at work. MSC or Grainger has to have them. We have a light table at work that our purchasing agent picked up for $80! 1 strut and it is not different thatn the pne in my pickup. I think she was robbed at $80 bucks.

And they're also available at Pieces of Eight....without having to do any homework.

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[tony barnhill]

I absolutely recommend them for steel hoods & GT hatches - especially GT hatches! Mine have never affected the fitment at all - must be something else.

 

[KLUTZ]

I got ours from Rick and I love them. No problem whatsoever and a breeze to install once you figure out not to follow the instructions. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Paul

 

[kcbugeye1275]

I've thought about these for my Bugeye, w/a rearmounted bonnet. one of my bodyshop friends said it might not be a good idea. I am afraid of all that weight over my head.

 

[rick_ingram]

I've thought about these for my Bugeye, w/a rearmounted bonnet. one of my bodyshop friends said it might not be a good idea. I am afraid of all that weight over my head.

How much does the bonnet assembly weigh on the Bugeye, and where is most of the weight centralized?

Look at all of the SUVs out on the market...they ALL use struts as lift mechanisms for their rear hatches...and I'll bet that those hatches, with glass, weigh more than the bonnet of your Bugeye!

Just food for thought.

 

[kcbugeye1275]

I can only guess, but I'd be suprised if it isn't about 200lb. with most of the weight in the nose. the attachment point is behind the wheel arch. Seems like alot of cantilevered weight.

 

[Guinn]

Rick's struts are really good. Easy to install and they do make work under the hood much easier. I did have to move the fixed end a bit farther down the fender than the instructions called for.

Guinn