What is this and why?
These details will make the process of opening or closing the hood smoother. The mechanism is able to reliably hold the hood at any angle without the need to use a standard holder. These stops will help secure this body element in an open position.
There are several important benefits to installing hood shock absorbers. Thus, the part greatly facilitates the process of maintenance or repair. If you don’t particularly want to manually lift the heavy engine compartment lid, getting your clothes dirty, then these stops will be a good purchase.
Main qualities
Hood stops are characterized by three main properties, which determine their main advantages:
- Reliability. When creating them, only quality-tested materials are used, which is why we get shock absorbers that work reliably both in the north and in the south of Russia;
- Quality. The most important attention is paid to this, because all the elements and mechanisms that are located in the engine compartment are always susceptible to the aggressive effects of the various components present here: thermal loads, salt fog, humidity. That is why it is most important to purchase high-quality parts that have an anti-corrosion coating;
- Any driver who has installed such a part in his car knows firsthand what accessibility to the engine compartment means. At the same time, all repair work and inspection of parts can be carried out with maximum comfort for yourself.
This comfort is characterized by the following:
- The hood can be opened with one hand. You don't need to make a lot of effort for this. Now, even in the most extreme weather conditions, access to the engine compartment will open quickly;
- The lifting height of the hood lid remains comfortable;
- The hood stops ensure that the lid rises smoothly, after which it is securely fixed in this state;
- Installation is also very easy.
Ease of installation
The process may only require two wrenches. Installation of shock absorbers involves several basic steps:
- Install the brackets in their original place;
- Mount the shock absorbers themselves there;
- Fix.
And that's it... No more fasteners, threads and the like. This process will only take 10-15 minutes, but there will be so much benefit later.
Selection rules
The hood shock absorber is a part with a low level of complexity. And the requirements placed on her are not high. But there are still some selection criteria.
The first point is the frequency of use. Some drivers open the hood of their car very often, others less often. This factor plays an important role when selecting a shock absorber. This is where you need to think about durability.
Also, before purchasing, it would be useful to study the technical capabilities of a particular car. When choosing, you should check the length of the product when compressed and expanded - hoods differ from each other in length and weight. It is considered more effective to install shock absorbers on the hood in pairs. Many cars are equipped with vibration isolation. The weight of such hoods is greater than it might seem at first glance. Two racks will be able to distribute the load more evenly.
It is better to look at the required length in technical documents.
It should indicate everything about any mechanisms and parts that are used in this model. The same applies to the hood stop. The wrong choice can result in incorrect operation or breakdown.
To take or not to take?
The hood of most modern cars is held in the raised state by a steel stopper. This choice of material on budget cars is explained by the manufacturer’s desire to save money, on more expensive foreign cars - by rarely opening the hood.
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Russian car owners have to spend much more time in the engine compartment, the opening of which is greatly facilitated by hood stops - shock absorbers.
About the features of operation
When using these products in winter, it is not recommended to suddenly open the hood without making sure that the car has actually warmed up to operating temperatures. If the shock absorber is of a liquid type, it is necessary to open the hood as smoothly as possible.
This is necessary so that the liquid overflows as slowly as possible.
If the element mounted on the trunk is quite tight, then the hood shock absorber should be softer. This can be explained by the fact that during loading the trunk lid may accidentally close and cause serious harm to the car owner.
Step-by-step installation
During installation, an L-shaped bracket is attached to the inside surface of the hood, and an oblong nut is attached to the fender hole. One end of the shock absorber is attached to it, the second, after a 90-degree turn, is connected to the bracket. It is advisable to treat the fastening points with an anti-corrosion agent - bitumen mastic, for example, since the engine compartment is often exposed to moisture.
The second Camry hood shock absorber is installed in a similar way, but at the request of the car owner - for example, if the hood is too heavy. When opening the hood with one stop, a distortion may be noticeable, which does not affect the overall geometry of the body.
A small modification to the car will allow you to work more confidently and comfortably in the engine compartment.
Types of hood shock absorbers
Like any other parts and assemblies, these products are also classified. Thus, devices are divided according to the type of damping and the working substance inside the shock absorber. There are hydraulic and gas products.
So, the gas shock absorber for the hood is of high quality and service life. In general, they are the most durable. This device can easily last even longer than the car itself. In this case, there will not be even the slightest reason for repairs. Naturally, all this is available only with proper use. Another advantage of gas is that it is much less dependent on temperature changes. You have to pay for all this. The gas hood shock absorber is the most expensive of all.
Oil systems have the lowest price. However, their main disadvantage is the fear of frost.
In cold weather, opening the hood will be very difficult, and in summer there is a risk of injury, since the hydraulic fluid is compressed and cannot support the weight of the metal for too long.
There is also a distinction between gas and oil equipment. These devices have an optimal price and quality. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of the two types of products listed above. Despite this, a hood shock absorber of this design is widely used on expensive foreign cars and domestic cars.
Speaking of damping, in the case of oil models it is hydraulic. Hydraulic fluid slows down the movement of the rod, and it should only be directed downwards.
Installing a gas stop in the hood
In the article there are photos and instructions for installing the gas stop. I will also tell you about the nuances that I encountered. Before this I installed a Finval hood - don’t waste time and money on it, it sucks!
Instructions below, behind the photos. So, let's go.
The hardest part is the bottom plate.
First unscrew this screw on the hood.
The emphasis is set.
Everything is clear in the photo.
Now the nuances and instructions on how to install the gas stop
First I looked at the stop, applied it and roughly tried it on how it would stand. Then I placed it on the motor so that if something happened, I could grab it with one hand.
Next, we unscrew the star bolt so that the bottom screw does not fly off into the motor, insert our index finger and hold it firmly with our finger, remove the star bolt with our right hand, hold the screw from the bottom with our left hand, then again with our right hand we take the lower part of the stop lying nearby, behind the ear itself, insert it carefully and insert the star bolt into it, tighten it.
This way, the screw doesn’t fly away from the bottom into the engine compartment, and we don’t have to remove the headlight to screw it in later. Everything turns out much faster than you thought, the most difficult part to install is the bottom mount. The hood cover stands on a poker...)))
Next, we screw in the second bolt with a plate (eye), we also push it into the hole on the side where we held the screw with our index finger, it will turn out to be a little skewed, no big deal, the main thing for us is to tighten it, and then when we have tightened it, we boldly pull it towards ourselves, without fear again, the fact that it will fall into the engine compartment, and thereby align its ear itself from the inside.
We tighten everything tightly, but not too much, it can be torn off. The bottom is ready.
We remove the poker, remove the rubber band, hold the lid with our left hand, insert the top plate into the bolt from which we removed the screw with our right hand, tighten the screw, then tighten it with the second bolt, tighten it and you're done. It took 10 minutes to do everything.
Next, we spray all the moving parts of the hinge and the stop itself with VDashka, develop it, and it becomes easier when opening. He stood up like a native, without jambs. Zero cons.
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How to install shock absorbers on the hood?
There will be no difficulties with installing these stops. You may need some free time and some experience with power tools. So, for such tuning you should purchase a pair of gas stops. If this is a VAZ car, then you need to know that equipment from the 10 series is not suitable for older models - they warp the hood. Next, you need to prepare nuts and washers for the “13” key. You will need two keys “for 13”. An electric drill and an 8 mm drill will also come in handy. And finally, enamel and a little bitumen.
To install a hood shock absorber (including VAZ 2109), the first step is to lift the hood and prop it up with an annoying “poker”. Then, you need to make the markings for drilling holes as accurately, clearly and correctly as possible. This step requires maximum care.
The holes should be approximately 53 cm from the left and right edges, and there should be approximately 31 cm between the holes. This is an approximate value due to the fact that every hood is different.
Next, the stops are screwed in turn.
This project does not solve the problem of smooth and independent opening of the hood. It just holds the lid. To solve the problem of correct discovery, you will need to conduct several experiments.
There is an important point in this work - when working alone, it is recommended to first fix the stops on the hood and only then attach them to the body. This is one of the simplest and most affordable installation methods. There is no need to select or make adapters for shock absorbers: the hood stops are perfectly mounted under the seats of the struts in the engine compartment.
For classic VAZ models, it is recommended to use not two, but one shock absorber.
Some are even sure that two stops will tear off the trunk lid. On classic models, the emphasis is placed in the place of that same poker. But the hole in the engine compartment is drilled out a little, and then tightened with a “13” nut. After the installation is completed, you can enjoy a high-quality result.
What are the advantages of using a gas strut?
The hood gas stop provides:
- comfort of car operation;
- safety and convenience when working with the engine compartment;
- resistance to aggressive weather and climatic conditions and corrosion;
- reliable operation for 30 thousand cycles or more.
The service of installing car hood gas stops in St. Petersburg is becoming increasingly popular, which is explained not only by the listed advantages, but also by the relative cheapness of the device, especially taking into account its trouble-free service life. Today we can say with confidence that the future of moving car body elements lies in gas struts.
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