Hood hinge deflection and strut problems

[dummkopf]

I installed new hood struts on my car (boy that driver's side is a b***h!) and they won't hold the hood up. There seems to be some defection of the hood hinge too. They kind of "bend" with the load of the strut. Is this normal?

So I removed them (did I mention the driver's side is a b***h?) and tested them manually and one seemed to be stronger than the other. So I am ordering one more to try again. The vendor of the strut said my hood may have a bunch of body filler weighing it down, and said the long hood and short hood take the same strut when I questioned him about it... ??? The hood looks great on the bottom side. The car has very little corrosion and none on the hood. It does have several coats of paint though. These are Stabilus struts.

Thanks!

[Haasman]

Just did mine several weeks ago, and they hold my hood just fine. Curious whether some how a rear(?) got mixed up with fronts as the engine cover is very much lighter of course.

If the vendor is correct about massive amounts of body filler etc .... you could use a covered magnet (non-scratching) and check around your hood, but to me it seems unlikely.

[304065]

What is the production date of the struts? They just go bad over time. Vendor blaming your problems on bondo = get new vendor

[dummkopf]

I checked with a magnet and it seems OK. I'm going to give him one more chance to make it right. It would almost hold it up, so I am thinking one of them is weak and will send it back.

Is there a date code? I don't see anything obvious.

Anything on the hinge deflection? I should have attached my gopro to the hood and gotten a video I guess.

[dummkopf]

The hood dampers I bought were from Auto Atlanta... So I never resolved this problem, and I looked on Sierra Madre and see they have a 430N and a 450N... and another that is a 376N?

So 430s should do it?

[Phil Planck]

When I ordered from flaps, the front opening was called the trunk, and rear opening over engine was called the hood. The gas struts are different length front and rear.

[Ivan Fuller]

It happens - recent new one for Deck lid wouldnt hold it up.

[dummkopf]

When I ordered from flaps, the front opening was called the trunk, and rear opening over engine was called the trunk. The gas struts are different length front and rear.

Last one I bought it was called "rear deck lid shock".

It happens - recent new one for Deck lid wouldnt hold it up.

I just installed a new one for my deck lid from PartsKlassik and it is almost too strong. They only offer one hood strut while SMC has 4 available. http://www.sierramadrecollection.com...89-p19581.html