by Chirag Asaravala
Introduction
It is amazing how sometimes an auto manufacturer can neglect
the seemingly smallest of details, which if otherwise
corrected or updated,
Out: Prop rods |
could change the perception
of the entire vehicle. The hood prop-rod on 80's and up
Mustangs is one such example. We're certain the prop-rod
dates back to the first chapter of automotive history.
After all it is merely a stick used to hold up a body
panel - probably not an engineering success displayed
proudly on the walls at MIT. Since then several, more
elegant, variations of suspending a vehicles hood have
been developed. Most domestic Fords of the 60's and 70's
used hinge springs which not only kept the hood up, but
also lifted the hood without requiring much human effort.
More recently, but by no means rare, are the gas-charged
struts used to lift everything from hoods to trunks and
tail gate windows. It seems virtually all vehicles made
since the mid 80's use struts in some form or another.
However they are not always used to raise the hood.
While the lay person has probably never given a passing
thought about their hood suspension mechanism, for those
of us who spend more time under the hood then behind it
we can appreciate the subtle advantages a properly raised
hood has to offer. For one, prop-rods are an inconvenience.
They get in the way during major under-hood operations.
Furthermore they limit the angle of the hood.
Needless to say we're perplexed at why Ford went back
into the scrap pile and pulled out prop-rods for use on
even the newest Mustang. This is especially confusing
since the trunks on these cars are lifted with struts.
Fortunately where Ford falls short the aftermarket companies
make up for and then some. Redline Tuning spotted this
design flaw in the Mustang as well as many other vehicles
from Ford and others. They crafted up a variety of strut
conversion kits which are a must have for convenience
and for coolness factor. At around $60 the complete retrofit
kit includes a pair of high-quality gas-charged struts,
application specific mounting brackets, and hardware.
You'll need to have a rivet gun, drill and drill bits
to get the job done.
We ordered up a kit for our newly acquired 2001 Mustang
GT Project car (more on this project to come.) Following
Redline's detailed instruction sheet we had our hood struting
in style in under an hour. The hood latching and release
mechanism is not affected by this modification, neither
is how the hood closes or clearance to the fender panels.
Compared to stock, the hood opens several inches higher
and of course there is no prop-rod in the way while you
work on the engine. 
The lower 90° bracket
must mount 1" from the fender in order for
the strut to collapse properly. |
On '99-'04 Mustangs the bracket
located about 3 3/4" from the fender bolt reference.
Mark the hole locations with a pen. |
Drill the first hole (closest
to the firewall) using an 11/64" bit. Note
on '99-'04 Mustangs you are drilling through two
overlapping panels. |
It's a good idea to touch
up the bare metal hole with paint to prevent rust. |
Use a supplied self tapping
screw to secure the bracket, ball stud facing outward.
Avoid over tightening and stripping the hole. If
this does occur, remove the bracket and use a ball
peen hammer to lightly hammer around the hole. This
will reduce the diameter and allow the screw to
grab. |
With the bracket secured
with one screw, drill the second hole. Because this
hole is through a single panel use a 5/32"
bit. On other model year Mustangs this may procedure
may vary, refer to the included instruction sheet. |
Once all the brackets are
mounted snap the struts to the ball studs on the
upper brackets. |
Then lift the hood off the
prop rod and connect the struts to the studs on
the lower brackets. |
Attach
the supplied locking clips to each ball stud connection.
The clips must first be inserted into the small
holes in each strut end. |
The
stock hood prop can be discarded by simply removing
the bolt and hold down. |
In the closed position the struts fold away neatly
without impacting the hood or fenders. |
After
the first 30 degrees or so the struts take over
and lift the hood effortlessly. The hood is held
higher than with a prop-rod, offering more room
to work. |
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In
This Article:
We eliminate the hood prop-rod on our 2001
GT Mustang with modern gas charged struts. |
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The QuickLIFT™ kit from Redline Tuning consists
of high quality struts, application specific brackets,
and fastening hardware. Simple yet ingenious. Installation
took under an hour on our 2001 Mustang. |
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Position the upper bracket (ball stud facing outward)
and mark the holes. On '99-'04 Mustangs the bracket
will mount just above the crease in the hood frame. |
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Drill one of the two holes with
a 3/16" bit. Use care not to punch through the
hood, especially on a fiberglass hood. |
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Installation does require a rivet
gun. Secure the bracket with a 3/16" rivet (supplied.)
Then drill and rivet the top hole. Repeat for the other
side. |
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Contact:
Redline
Tuning Products |
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