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My new Strongarm hood lift supports arrived this morning. They were a perfect fit. Regarding removing the factory ones, I had just enough working room to get the tip of a small flat-blade screwdriver underneath the center of the lower metal retaining clip and pop them out just far enough to allow me to pull the ends of the factory lift supports off of each ball socket. Once the factory lift supports were removed, the new Strongarm lift supports simply snap into the locked position when the ends are pressed firmly down onto the ball sockets. Literally a five-minute job.
What an improvement. The new Strongarm lift supports easily keep the hood in the raised position now. And with their lifetime warranty, I do not expect to have to pay for any new sets in the future.
I will keep this company in mind when the time comes to replace the vehicle's liftgate supports. Their contact information is as follows:
Got some cheap Stabilus (PN: STABILUS 4B431885) ones from Rockauto for 10 bucks a pop that have been working flawless in -15C Canadian weather so far. Made in USA, opens the hood real smooth and just as high as OEM. Very impressed with these. Cheaper than any no-name China ones I could find and far cheaper than OEM. Can't beat that.
Got some cheap Stabilus (PN: STABILUS 4B431885) ones from Rockauto for 10 bucks a pop that have been working flawless in -15C Canadian weather so far. Made in USA, opens the hood real smooth and just as high as OEM. Very impressed with these. Cheaper than any no-name China ones I could find and far cheaper than OEM. Can't beat that.
Thanks for the info on the front hood struts. How is it that there are two different part numbers for the rear hatch, Left and Right ? one is about $3 more than the other ? I am a bit confused, as I was under the impression that both of them should be of the same length and lift !!
Brackets could possibly be rotated a different direction each side, but length and other things will be the same. Usually universal kits will have interchangeable brackets, the better ones I assume will have a ball mounted on a bracket designed for that side, at least that’s how it was on my Highlander.
Brackets could possibly be rotated a different direction each side, but length and other things will be the same. Usually universal kits will have interchangeable brackets, the better ones I assume will have a ball mounted on a bracket designed for that side, at least that’s how it was on my Highlander.
So its ok to buy them ? though they have different part numbers ?
That will be up to you to risk, as it seems like they do not have attached brackets so it shouldn’t matter. But you may not want to risk that for 3 dollars.
My new Strongarm hood lift supports arrived this morning. They were a perfect fit. Regarding removing the factory ones, I had just enough working room to get the tip of a small flat-blade screwdriver underneath the center of the lower metal retaining clip and pop them out just far enough to allow me to pull the ends of the factory lift supports off of each ball socket. Once the factory lift supports were removed, the new Strongarm lift supports simply snap into the locked position when the ends are pressed firmly down onto the ball sockets. Literally a five-minute job.
I can't even see the retaining clip let along that there is nearly enough room to pry the retaining clip off. Then, how do you get enough leverage to press in from the outside to "snap" the new ones in?
EDIT:
A quick Youtube search showed this. It's quite easy. You pry them off.
My wife's 2010 RX, owned since new. just under 100,000 KM (62,000 miles) hood struts started to fail this spring. Lexus Struts were about 150 cdn, after market ones were about $50. less. Went the OEM route .
Besides tires, brakes, batteries, wiper blades and fluids nothing else needed in 12 years. Simply a great vehicle. The techs at the shop want to buy it from her, and ask her every time when she is selling.
2013 RX. Just swapped out the struts with the ones from Amazon above. Nice and easy. Seem decent quality. Normally I'd go for OEMs, but $150 vs $35. FYI the local dealer wanted $345 parts and labor.
2013 RX. Just swapped out the struts with the ones from Amazon above. Nice and easy. Seem decent quality. Normally I'd go for OEMs, but $150 vs $35. FYI the local dealer wanted $345 parts and labor.
That's insane. It literally takes 5 minutes tops to change these out. I could change the pair 5X at $35 each before I got to $345.
10-23-19, 08:52 AM
