Hood strut // rear hatch strut issues.

[Supreme Pizza]

 

   2008 'Burban.

 

    So my hood strut sucks.

 

    It opens very well, and stays up perfectly.

 

    But you cant slam the hood closed, or even close it quickly.

 

     If I were to grab the hood, and shut it quickly, it would either damage the hood strut, or bend the hood in half.

 

     I have to pull down on the hood with a fair amount of pressure, until its all the way at the bottom but then you cant close the hood (it makes the normal hissing sound all the way down). You have to pick it back up again, about 6 inches, and then force it closed quickly to get it to latch. It totally sucks. Its like the strut works too well. I would much prefer the older design that utilized two heave duty springs, or even a hood prop. I'm thinking about replacing the strut, but if they all perform the same, then there would be no point. Does anyone else have this issue? Is the strut adjustable or something?

 

 

     For the rear hatch, the strut performance is marginal. When you open it and lift it up, it doesn't open all the way unless you push up on the door/hatch to get it to go all the way open. When you go to close it, you have to hold onto it until its mostly closed, and then you can let go. If you just push it to the half way closed point and then let go - SLAM.

 

     So the hood strut works too good, and the rear hatch struts kinda suck.

 

     How does you struts perform? Same performance? Better? worse?

 

     Any thoughts on this?

[Sharpz]

just a thought, but perhaps you dont have the right struts for your suv. 

[richard wysong]

same thought

[BlaineBug]

Tailgate struts need replacement and maybe you have a tailgate strut incorrectly utilized for your hood.  Tailgates weigh a lot more than the aluminum hood.

[richard wysong]

sounds like the front 1s may have been replaced with the wrong ones and the rears may just be worn out. its not an aluminum hood by any chance?

[Supreme Pizza]

I bought the vehicle used, so I have no history on the struts at all.

 

I agree that the hood one might not be the correct part.

 

As for the rear struts, ya - maybe they are just worn out.

 

I guess I could replace them all and go from there.

 

I'm not sure if the hood is aluminum or not.

 

 

Has anyone had these symptoms before?

 

Did replacing the struts help?

 

 

[richard wysong]

if the hoods aluminum its possible the struts are for a steel hood. they are probably identical except for the lift rating

[Supreme Pizza]

4 minutes ago, richard wysong said:

if the hoods aluminum its possible the struts are for a steel hood. they are probably identical except for the lift rating

 

 

 

   How do you identify the aluminum hood VS steel?

[BlaineBug]

1 minute ago, Supreme Pizza said:

 

 

 

   How do you identify the aluminum hood VS steel?

Try a magnet and see if it sticks.

[Supreme Pizza]

Just now, BlaineBug said:

Try a magnet and see if it sticks.

 

 

Good idea. I will try that.

[Supreme Pizza]

4 minutes ago, BlaineBug said:

Try a magnet and see if it sticks.

 

 

Magnet sticks.

[kickass audio]

I had a similar experience with my moms old car. We replaced the blown shock on the hood and the leaking shock on the trunk of her car. The hood was fine but the trunk would launch itself open and you had to fight to shut it. She wound up getting rid of the car but even after a year of using the shocks it was super hard to close the trunk. I bought cheap shocks for it off amazon so that's probably why they were not the greatest to use.

 

Is the strut on your truck a single strut or is it a pair? If it's a pair, try taking one off and see how it holds the hood.

[BlaineBug]

32 minutes ago, Supreme Pizza said:

 

 

Magnet sticks.

Hood must be steel then.  Does it stick to both sides?  I can't imagine they'd have two different metals bonded together.  Not that it matters.  Maybe that strut is just bad as well or is designed for something much heavier.  Maybe you can see if there are any markings or numbers on it for identification?

[Supreme Pizza]

5 minutes ago, BlaineBug said:

Hood must be steel then.  Does it stick to both sides?  I can't imagine they'd have two different metals bonded together.  Not that it matters.  Maybe that strut is just bad as well or is designed for something much heavier.  Maybe you can see if there are any markings or numbers on it for identification?

 

 

   I will try to find a part number and report back.

[BlaineBug]

5 minutes ago, Supreme Pizza said:

 

 

   I will try to find a part number and report back.

No problem.  Or you can always replace the strut and see what happens, if it doesn't help then return it......whatever you want to do!  Normally they aren't more than $10-$20.  I haven't checked prices lately.