Off Ebay, from Poland. Was $54.xx shipped.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

Thanks! Looks a lot like the second link. Worth a shot at <$40 and I can always measure/spec the shocks if they need replacing.

 

Update after 6 months. Still working great. So nice to one handed open the hood.

 

something wrong with the free prop rod?

 

In some respects, yes. As a mechanic, I wish the prop rod was never invented, they get in the way when working under the hood for most things outside of basic maintenance.

 

If you, as a mechanic, cant work around a prop rod, you are a terrible mechanic. Take the hood off if you have to. Those gas struts wear out and cost money to replace. And when they get weak, the hood will fall on you. If you paid $31k for a 6, you have bigger issues to deal with then worrying about a prop rod.

 

You claim mechanic to be terrible if the hood falls on them, but then suggests to remove the hood? You sir are full of it.

And who said that I paid $31k for my 6? I said my 6 was $31k. I paid $14k with 46k miles. And yes, my 6 original sell price was 31k as it has all of the options; MRCC, lane departure, the works. Excuse me if your 6 sport new was $21k.

And if replacing $10 hood struts are an issue for you, then you have other problems. My 07 Yukon is 12 years old and has 156,xxx miles on the original hood struts. And never once has it fell on me.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

Why on Earth would you use wood to prop open a hood when a small pair of vice grips clamped on the hood strut locks it down? Who's the terrible mechanic now if you can't figure out that little tidbit? As for taking off the hood, no thanks. I'd rather not scratch up someone's hood when there is never a need to remove it for anything.

 

Really? Piece of wood, vice grips....does it matter? No. You can use probably 100 different things to hold a hold up, point is you dont have that problem with a prop rod (unless your an idiot and dont prop it correctly resulting in the hood falling on your head).

I never suggested you remove the hood for simple tasks, that would be...well, about as stupid as your comments. Im saying if your doing major work (about the only time prop rod should be a true pain and in the way) just remove the hood, which you would be wise to do in the same scenario with struts as well.

 

C'mon. You guys should quit now...

 

It's the word "terrible"...

I myself find it somehow offensive although not directed towards me.

Well, I'm not a mechanic so I should not be affected.

 

Someone definitely has some unresolved issues if a topic on prop rods can upset them so much, LOL!

 

I guess I have some issues then!

[emoji3]

 

We already knew that, LOL!!!



I was just gobsmacked when I come back to multi paragraph responses in regards to a topic like this. The internet is getting overfull of people who are overly sensitive to issues that are inane at best. Buddy pretty much took it as a personal attack that we don't agree with him. I could give a care less what he thinks but we are all entitled to our own opinion. Just wish he would allow other people to have their own.....

 

Welcome to the Interwebs! Where we make mountains out of molehills... [emoji12]

 

Thank you for the welcome. [emoji3]

I'm actually surprised, being relatively new to the online world. I see a lot of YouTube comments that bothers me. I mean, I couldn't imagine those guys to be old. And at the same time, I couldn't imagine them to be young who do not know how to respect.

I really like this forum, compared to our local forum where the moderator is the number one violator of the forum rules and had almost no contribution to car topics.

 

Hmm, 2 guys are driving down the highway and both cars start to overheat and steam is pouring out from under the hood. They pull over to check things out.

Bob and Frank get out of their vehicles and both get the spare towels that they keep in their trunks.

Bob has to open his hood, find the prop rod that is 5000° at this point from the fluid spewing everywhere, and then set the hood down on the prop before he is even able to put his towel over the hose that had popped of because he didn't tighten it properly during a routine monthly check. He now has slight steam burns, his shirt is soaked and his eyes are running because of all the steam. He decides to sit and let the car cool off.

Frank slowly opens his hood with 1 hand and towel at the ready with the other. He flings the hood open and grabs the towel with both hands and quickly covers the slipped hose. With his hood being supported by ther struts, he runs to the trunk to grab his screwdriver and another rag. He grabs the hot ass hose with the rag and slides it back in place and tightens it down before he looses much more coolant.

Frank is now back on the road to the next gas station to let things cool down and to top off the coolant.

Bob is still stuck on the side of the road waiting for his car to cool off and his brother Edd to come with some coolant to fill it up.

In other words, I like hood struts personally.:grin2:

 

I think we caught buddy on an off day, it simply makes no sense to get upset over this topic on any level. I certainly have gone off on people for things that were best left alone. It's the internet. Since you can't show intent or emotion with words typed on a screen, we tend to let our emotions drive what we type.


Otherwise, trolls be trolls, LOL!!! I sure have done my fair share of trolling in my day and I'm 51.

 

Just got the them (link below) delivered today from ebay/China and installed in <20 mins (12 & 14mm nuts). Works great but the first few open/closes were tight and they popped off the lower ball joints. I rotated the lower ball joint bracket to be more perpendicular to the strut path and carefully open/closed it a bunch of times to loosen up the gas. Works great now (day 1). I left the old rod on just in case they pop off again.

Once opened ~8", they will lift the hood up about 1" higher than the rod. When closing, they will lose pressure at around 1 ft closed and you can gently let it drop to close. I wouldn't let go of the hood till it's almost closed. It's not like my Dad's 1975 Ford that could be slammed.

I only did this for a bit of vanity as my wife's Kia has these on her hood and I didn't want my Mazda to seem inferior to a Kia. I must say, it is nice to have a clear open bay. No debate with folks who like the stock rod.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Mazda-6....c100227.m3827

 

Hood Struts for My 6

I have been away from the site for awhile, but I saw the discussion about the hood struts. I found mine at Redline Tuning and have had them now for two years and no problems. They currently are going for $89.95 a set. Yes you have to do some drilling, and believe me, I am pretty cautious about drilling holes in any of my cars, but the directions were good to follow and I had no problems with the install. They also make the for the 3. I have a 14 GT and I think the hood rod is a cheap way to go for what you are paying, that it like the tiny light they use for the trunk, both minor things, but if Mazda wants to go upscale, these are things that matter. Have a great day everyone.

 

Alibaba $20

 

My personal opinion...Hood struts are the way to go.
The prop rod is all black just like the trim. If it's dark or you aren't a car enthusiast you might not be able to locate it quickly.
The proper rod gets hot, nearly burned my hand one time because I didn't pick it up in the right place. Could have easily dropped the hood on my hand.
With so many having hood struts, some people might lift it up thinking it will stay.
In an era of every car having auto windows, doors that unlock without getting our your keys, trunks opening automatically, we have to get out a metal rod under the hood and put it in a hole in the hood.

I have owned multiple cars with both options and the hood struts were the best by far.

I never once had hood struts wear out. On my car with 180k miles the TRUNK struts wore out. Guess what... they wouldn't raise on their own, but once raised, they wouldn't fall on their own. Also, the idea behind two is by chance in 180,000 miles if there is a catastrophic failure at the time you are under the hood, it will still be held up by the other one.

Those are my personal opinions, feel free to bash, I won't waste my time responding....based on the way this thread has gone, I'll let you think you 'won' an argument if anyone needs a morale boost.

 

There are no winners or losers here. Just smart people and dumb people, who add a part to their car that will fail, and remove a part that will not.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

wow, @mach1219 seems like strong feelings for such a trivial topic, IMO there is no need to be uncivil and call people dumb.
For my part, I've been thinking of adding gas strut purely for aesthetics/convenience, but was planning to leave the prop rod there just in case (as you pointed out, it will not fail .