What is this tool?
 

Most everyone on here might use it....I just got it from Amazon today.
Another hint...I ordered two.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1744837003.jpg

Looks like someone is too fancy to use a small pair of vice grips like the rest of us with failing struts.

Well...that was fast. Correct..I've replaced front and back twice since I owned my 84, so now I'm going this route, until I sell it.

Btw....did you see it on the 'Shorts' thread? :D

I didn't see the shorts thread. Youtube shorts are a terrible time suck. I'll just watch one, next thing I know it's 30 minutes shot.

I've looked at those, as the 944 spec car's struts for both the hood and hatch are shot. But I think I'll stick with my old, worn out vise grips. I have one permanently set to fit the shaft.

It's a 911 gas hood strut lock.

gas hood??...you mean the front trunk?
My front and rear hood struts are worn out.

That is used by someone that is too weak to hold a strut in place while being removed or installed :(

^^^ I've done it twice before on the front and rear lids....it's not a fun job. No room (esp in the front) to get your hands in there.
(the struts don't even weigh a pound)


If I replace them, they'll last another 5-6 years, at most. I will prob sell the car about that time.

It's a blue tool.

Very nice too.

^^^ I agree....it looks a lot better than my fiberglass prop stick that I'm using now.:D

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1744843581.jpg

Love these !! Here is my mechanic advice for the day . Tighten it loosely , just barely enough to hold the hood up. Tie some long bright cord on to it , so you know it is on there, and make mental note .
My employee folded a hood at the end of the hood hinges, becacuse he forgot to remove it and was in a hurry and slammed the hood
I almost bent one up , because I closed the hood, and the clamp thingy was loose and let the hood slide down. I notice some resistance before I slammed the hood closed and saved my bacon, otherwise, Id have been buying a hood .
The snap on ones, come with a long red neon cord thingy .

^^^ Thanks...I never thought of what would happen if I forgot it was on there.
The bright cord on it sounds like the thing to do.

Little bit of a flex here, but I must have the perfect hands for 911 ownership because 2 things that were never an issue for me on my '88 were replacing the air filter and replacing the struts. (Those extra-long long nose pliers from HF were definitely an asset) but start to finish, it was about 15 minutes for all three. But I did feel bad (real bad :rolleyes:) for the guys with the whale tails because the extra weight of that hood requires 2 struts.


Little story, I had spring loaded gadget that I used to keep the trunk light switch closed when I was doing long - hour maintenance, like brakes or such. Like someone above mentioned, the idea of closing my hood on that little tool gave me a bad case of the willies so I had about 10 yards of yellow caution tape streaming off of it to remind me that forgetfulness would end up costing me real money.

^^^ I've never found the air filter to be a problem.
My Carrera has a duck tail and they put two struts on that. My SC had a whale tail with two also.(I sold it last summer)

It has been a while since i had my '86 cab, but it had a whale tail also, so two on the back and one on the front. I remember that job not being great.

The spring loaded air cleaner clips on my '78 Westy were a pain in the rear too.

In the period between when my struts stop working and I get off my aß and order new struts, I usually just use a stick.

I've got a purple anodized wooden 1x4 that does the same thing. :)

Mine is a fiberglass driveway marker cut down to the right length.;)

I use extendable shower curtain rods...if the struts are bad.

Fools! All of you.
It is imperative to use a 2x4 which will fall and dent your front cowling if the hood falls.

I just replace my struts with ease. Forget the retaining clip on the driver's side. The pin will not come out, and the clip is just overkill. The passenger side is easy.

The air filter is almost impossible with my large hands. I use a zip tie around the clamp, and I can grab the tail of the zip tie, and pull the clamp shut. I still cuss the engineers or designers that designed that pain my hands and forearm air filter.

I think the engineers design the air cleaners like that on purpose. Even the one on my 2015 Polaris Razr XP1000 is a nightmare on the bottom.

Well, my 86 El Camino has a simple wing nut right on top of the air filter. Super simple to remove or replace. And dang cheap.

Im pretty sure the wingnut is behind the steering wheel on your 86 El Camino. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/wat3.gif

I prop the hoods on my head now if the broomstick isn't handy ....

Thank you :)

please post the link for that.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0DKJBDZP1?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Hmm...not letting me for some reason.

Just go to Amazon and search 'hood prop'

Preferably a Hazet extendable curtain rod. In a pinch any wooden rod from Germany.

A 24mm socket and a breaker bar for me and that nut is loose.