Do you care if a vehicle's hood has a prop rod?
- Thread starter John105
- Start date
I dont care
This ^^^
Struts or springs, all the way. I will concede that prop rods have the one advantage of simplicity. But I hate them in all other ways. First and foremost, I despise how flimsy prop rods are. I find myself actually uncomfortable with trusting one to support the hood while I'm working under it. Second, the prop rod gets in the way while working under the hood. It seems like I have to work around it. What a pita. Third, I hate the cheap plastic clip that retains, or is supposed to, retain the prop rod while it is stowed. Although it has never happened to me, I have seen broken prop rod clips under many, many hoods. Ok, sure. You can replace them. But no one does. At least, from what I've seen. Lastly, prop rods seem to have a direct correlation with cheap, flimsy hoods. The hoods that are so flimsy that you are worried that if, while working on a car outdoors, a breeze could catch the hood, lift it off the prop rod, and bend the hood.
Oh! One last thing. I hate all the little scratch marks in the paint around the hole in the hood, where the prop rod rests. Yea, I know. It is a petty little thing. But for even those of us that try hard to be careful in placing the prop rod right in the hole, eventually there are scratch marks. And shop mechanics are rarely as OCD as I am, about getting the prop rod in the hole without scratching the paint.
Hoods with struts or springs usually stay open much higher than prop rods, getting the hood more out of the way. I'm 6'3", and it pisses me off when I hit my head on a hood!
. I've never seen prop rod hood that opens, and stays opened, to almost vertical. Many premium cars with springs or struts, have hoods that will open up to almost vertical. All hoods should do that.So, yea. Give me springs or struts every time. I will gladly replace them every 10 years, to keep them working well, so I don't have to deal with all the hassle that goes hand in hand with prop rods.
But that's just my opinion. YMMV.
I didn't know that some Hondas have a near vertical hood, with a prop rod.
In November I replaced the struts on my wife's Outback, with genuine Subaru struts. The front struts were $19.32 each, and the rear struts were $23.25 each.
Bud_One
Site Donor 2025
Nope , I don't care either way.
Prop rod or struts does not equate to quality nor being of quality , IMHO.
2010 Lexus LF-A uses a prop rod .
While a 2013 Hyundai Sonata uses hood struts...
Prop rod or struts does not equate to quality nor being of quality , IMHO.
2010 Lexus LF-A uses a prop rod .
While a 2013 Hyundai Sonata uses hood struts...
Have you ever noticed that most shops will put their own prop rod under the hood while working on a customers car? That tells me something.
I don't have a preference but my 2019 Toyota has an ultralight aluminum hood, and I think anything other than a prop rod might be difficult because its so flimsy or at minimum require more bracing. You could call this "cheap" if you want - but I think the other way - why not save weight / fuel on a lightweight hood - it doesn't do anything but cover the engine.
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- Sep 30, 2020
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First time I saw a prop rod was in the 80's on a Japanese car.
I thought they looked flimsy and cheap. My dad's old Volvo wagon's all had coil springs which seemed far superior to me.
Not only for durability, but for easy under hood access.
Fast forward a few decades and I really don't mind either setup.
Both have proven to be equally durable and provide all the access I need to perform any/all maintenance items.
I thought they looked flimsy and cheap. My dad's old Volvo wagon's all had coil springs which seemed far superior to me.
Not only for durability, but for easy under hood access.
Fast forward a few decades and I really don't mind either setup.
Both have proven to be equally durable and provide all the access I need to perform any/all maintenance items.
Rods usually stay put. Struts get weak and let the hood fall on you.
I never understood why gas struts are used. My old 03 and 05 gmc trucks have those lovely coil spring hood hinges and they're incredible and i love them. they just never fail. I'll never forget the confusion and disappointment i felt when i popped the hood on my 2021 escalade for the first time and saw those disgusting miserable gas struts. If something is gonna have gas struts it better have something of a prop rod for when it will fail.
The real question is why don't hoods open forward anymore?
Same on my Xterra...
Hood latches have become more reliable and have had a secondary safety catch for decades. Servicing the engine only from both sides is an inconvenience unless you are Gumby. The front of the engine is difficult to work on with a front-hinged hood.
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BMW used to claim that forward opening hoods were safer. Supposedly the hood was less likely to penetrate the passenger compartment in a crash.
I think I told this story before but I was at my local mall years ago and this sweet old lady had car problems. Her car, think it was a MGM wouldn't start so I went over to help/comfort her. Security from the mall came over, too. She said she called her husband and he was on the way. A few minutes later the husband shows up and exits his car with a jump box and broom stick.Broom handles work great.
I like gas struts. My 2009 Flex still has the originals, and yes they are not as strong as when new, but doesn't slink down. Yet.
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