Do you care if a vehicle's hood has a prop rod?
- Thread starter John105
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Indifferent. Can be nice, hood stays up, no rod to smack into. Haven't had a car with bad struts on the hood yet, maybe my Jetta had the hatch struts go, can't remember now, but that was the hatch, not the hood.
Will say, prop rod that lies down on the radiator support is better than one that tucks into the hood. Our Camry hybrid has the prop rod that swings down from the hood, and I feel like that is a flaw, like it might not get stowed away properly and smashed somehow, if I'm not careful.
Will say, prop rod that lies down on the radiator support is better than one that tucks into the hood. Our Camry hybrid has the prop rod that swings down from the hood, and I feel like that is a flaw, like it might not get stowed away properly and smashed somehow, if I'm not careful.
I find rods to be a PITA when working on the engine, regular struts are okay but the ones on MB cars are the best, push the button on the one on the drivers side and you can lift the hood full vertical. None beat the old MB hinges though.
I love me a cool set of tail lights… especially loved the ones on my Forte Koup which looked like thisVery interesting to see everyone's thoughts. It reminds me of 15+ years ago when I told a buddy that LED tail lamps are important to me, my next car must have them. He said, "How often do you drive behind your own car?" lol So in a similar fashion, I suppose, how often is your hood up, that you would see what keeps it up? Again, I love seeing a pair of struts. Today they are cheap thanks to online (again $8 to $18 or so), but if they cost $80 each, no thanks...
Only the Dakota has struts.. maybe springs never looked at them. 23 years old and originals so better not say anything. All the others have rods, don't really think about it.
Thing is, brake lights are for other people. That instant on nature, assuming they are paying attention (unlikely these days) means an extra fraction of a second. When driving into the sun at dawn or dusk, sometimes I wish DRL’s would have rear parking lamps on too… some semi bright LED’s would be nice here too.
Ironically, as much as i might LED taillights I have come to despise LED headlights, I’m always getting blinded while driving….
I can go either way, but I prefer struts because, as others have mentioned, they’re out of the way. If they fail and you’re too cheap to replace them, buy a cheap pair of harbor freight vice grips to keep in the car. When you need to work under the hood, just clamp it onto one of the struts and get to work. 
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I was about to say...as I type here in 2023....some of the coolest designs are by Korean mfgs--not only LED, but creative and aesthetically pleasing. I think Caddy and Audi may have been first on the scene. My Lexus does have LEDs, I got it used 10 y.o., and they are very unimaginative tails, but they are from 2004 (my car '06). I might be thinking of the Sorento that has cool tails for a current model...
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I just ordered a pair of Strongarm struts for the Lexus hood, under $9 each. I was making a big order at rockauto, and threw them in (I put as many things as I can think of into the order as long as the $12.99 shipping doesn't go up--if it does, I back that item out). I wanted Stabilus but they would have come from another location and add another $11.99 shipping or something like that....
I do like rock. My understanding is they don't have any parts nor own any parts. Proof? I placed an order Friday afternoon, and they are on a FedEx truck for delivery today. the wholesaler is in the Bronx, and I'm in phila. Rock appears to merely execute the order cutting out the middlemen...
I do like rock. My understanding is they don't have any parts nor own any parts. Proof? I placed an order Friday afternoon, and they are on a FedEx truck for delivery today. the wholesaler is in the Bronx, and I'm in phila. Rock appears to merely execute the order cutting out the middlemen...
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You know what is back-a**wards? I agree with what you say. Some cars now, I guess to be cool, have placed the turn signals at bumper height, not in the same cluster as the brake lights. They have also placed the headlights, below the DRLs. This to me doesn't make intuitive sense. A driver behind is expecting to see the turn signal up higher. I actually would not buy a car if they had either....
Six pages!? The least of things I worry about on a car. How about proper steering geometry and road feel? THAT appears to be missing today with ubiquitous garbage mac struts and rubbery suspension bushings.
But in checking underhood oil and fluids often, I do enjoy struts on pricier vehicles.
I think My wife's Crosstrek has an aluminum hood - it is light with a capital L - and uses a prop.
But in checking underhood oil and fluids often, I do enjoy struts on pricier vehicles.
I think My wife's Crosstrek has an aluminum hood - it is light with a capital L - and uses a prop.
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Having a 2007 BMW coupe, my car has the best steering I personally know. There was a malaise era for American cars, I would say 2010-2018 was just that for many German cars. It was unbelievable what happened with the F series BMW 3, pinkie light steering? Switching to sport meant simply an artificial feel that didn't cure its light feel. At the time, I got to drive the Porsche 991's at an event, and even those didn't have great steering, but supposedly were the best EPS at the time. But noone ever tried to claim it was superior to hydraulic assist of years past...
Yknow this got me thinking, and ironically my Ram has the best feeling steering of all the vehicles I’ve owned. It just feels good… plus if you’re out in snow or on gravel having some fun, as the rear end comes around it just wants to turn itself into the slide.
My 1994 Explorer has Eddie Bauer trim and has a prop rod. This truck has a Marti report, JBL stereo, sunroof, all that. It gets a whole lot more compliments than the other one, and is a more reliable vehicle but that may be due to having less than half as many miles.
My 1997 Explorer XLT was a pretty run of the mill corporate fleet truck with mid level options and has lift supports only, no prop. Works fine because I replaced them.
I don't really care because they are cheap for my application, but you always know a prop rod will work. And nobody has ever asked what holds the hood up on my Eddie Bauer.
My 1997 Explorer XLT was a pretty run of the mill corporate fleet truck with mid level options and has lift supports only, no prop. Works fine because I replaced them.
I don't really care because they are cheap for my application, but you always know a prop rod will work. And nobody has ever asked what holds the hood up on my Eddie Bauer.
AutoMechanic
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Prop rod because it’s more trustworthy than the struts. I once had hood struts on a Toyota give out when I was working under the hood. I got out of the way as I heard it give. Ever since then I’ve been a fan of prop rods more. The hood struts on our 2004 Camry always get held with vise grips as they are bad too. I need to get a hood prop for home but vise grips work haha. At least my flashlight survived that hood falling on it that time. I haven’t ever jumped back quicker than that and it went down hard too. That’s why prop rods are better though the hood struts is much easier to open cause you just open it and it does the rest. Now unless the car is super new I use a hood prop for any hood strut cars I just don’t trust them.
Gas strut operated trunk lids are know as "space saver" trunks. There are no torsion bars or hinges which ear up valuable trunk space. Space saver trunk hinges are a great feature.
I'm fine with either prop rods or gas struts for the hood. It's not really a big deal either way...
I'm fine with either prop rods or gas struts for the hood. It's not really a big deal either way...
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