Hood Support Gas Struts;GS Fender Stripes

[Chris Kennedy]

Hi!

I replaced the large, main hood support gas strut on my '89 Ebay rat awhile ago, and also just got the two smaller auxiliary support struts to complete the set, and also because it bugged me looking at the empty mounting pins for the smaller struts. Anyhow, from the Service Manual it appears that once you slip the smaller struts over the mounting pins, there should be some sort of a retainer to hold them on----can anyone confirm this and, if so, tell me where can I get these retainers? I bought a "mounting" kit from Corvette Central with the small struts that is a total add-on for later C4s, thinking I could just use it. That won't work, because the mounting pins for the '89 appear to be pressed in place, and the mounting kit is actually much different.

Also, I put on the GS Fender Stripes this morning. Looks great (silver stripes on dark gray, with black GS wheels), but what a PAIN!! It reminded me of putting the decals on airplane models when I was 10 years old (you know, those long decals that went over the windows---American Airlines!!).

Take care,

/s/ Chris Kennedy
Houston, Texas

 

[rrubel]

What I recall is that they're the same C-clips that hold the throttle cable onto the throttle body. You should be able to get them from GM if not any auto parts store.

IIRC, on my 86 there were 4 of them that snapped over the ends of the fixed studs on the hood and frame.
[RICHR]

 

[Chris Kennedy]

Many Thanks!!

/s/ Chris

 

[Chris Kennedy]

Hmmm....Well, after really looking at the four mounting posts, I noticed that they do not have a groove on them into which you could put a retainer clip. I found an actual picture of the set up, and it looks like there is a washer which you put on after you have placed the struts on the posts, and a clip of some sort which holds it all in place. Problem is, there's nothing for the clip to grip or slide into, and the posts don't appear damaged in any way. Weird.

/s/ Chris Kennedy

 

[Moonunit 451]

Is this what you're looking at? This is how I did it. Ken had some pics that were very helpful as well Try a search.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

Thanks---The pictures are a bit difficult to make out, but before I bother you with further questions I will study them more closely and do the search you suggest. The weird thing is that it appears that the four posts on which the struts should mount are all there and undamaged, yet there is nothing for any clips to latch onto to hold the strut firmly in place. Incidently, it looks like we both have the same taste in car accessories---I have the black ZR-1 wheels and silver Grand Sport stripes for my dark gray car, and you have black wheels and black stripes for your white one. Those two things REALLY make the early c4s look sharp and racy. I wish they made the fender stripes for the passenger side, too.

/s/ Chris Kennedy

 

[rrubel]

Boy, oh boy, did *I* mis-remember. Here's a pic of how they're attached on mine. They look like key-clips that snap around the posts where the grooves are. I'd say that your chevy dealer has them, and I think I've also seen them in the Help! section of my local parts store.

[RICHR]

 

[Chris Kennedy]

Boy, oh boy, did *I* mis-remember. Here's a pic of how they're attached on mine. They look like key-clips that snap around the posts where the grooves are. I'd say that your chevy dealer has them, and I think I've also seen them in the Help! section of my local parts store.

[RICHR]

Thanks! Yeah, that's like the picture I found, too. Now, what is REALLY interesting about my '89 is that the end of all four posts do NOT have a groove on them into which any sort of clip would attach. Also, they don't look damaged, the paint is not worn off etc. So, what I think may have happened is that in '89 GM did not machine the posts with the grooves. This may by why the catalogs all seem to omit the 89 model year from the years for which you can get the struts. You can buy an installation kit from Corvette Central from 1990 to 1996, which I did, but the problem is that the posts seem to be pressed fit in on the 89 so I can't use the kit. Pretty weird, huh? Anyway, if people have another explanation please let me know. Luckily, these things are pure fluff since my hood works fine with the new main (big) gas strut, so I might just return everything for a refund. Thanks again, everyone, for your help. I appreciate the time spent.

/s/ Chris Kennedy
Houston, Texas

 

[JonM]

84 to 96 are all the same...their is a hole the pin fits into. after the washer.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

84 to 96 are all the same...their is a hole the pin fits into. after the washer.

O.K.---I'll try looking again after work. Perhaps in my search for a groove I missed the hole (gosh---that sounds so, well....). Also, I may not have been looking at the correct angle. Thanks for the assistance, and I will report back.

/s/ Chris Kennedy
Houston, Texas

 

[tigmaned]

its to bad they didn't make the rod just about one inch longer and you could double the support rods on both ends for even better help!! hey i am in my 40's but still work out and man my hood is PITA to get locked open!! any body know how much the weight??? time for carbon fiber!!!!

 

[Chris Kennedy]

its to bad they didn't make the rod just about one inch longer and you could double the support rods on both ends for even better help!! hey i am in my 40's but still work out and man my hood is PITA to get locked open!! any body know how much the weight??? time for carbon fiber!!!!

Some of the earlier C4s did not have any gas struts to help lift the hood. For these cars, I think the aftermarket makes a conversion kit which allows you to use the big gas strut (I have the big strut, but these two smaller ones are helper struts). Check your car to see if you've got the big gas strut, but that it may have gone "dead". If it is dead, simply replace it---there's a huge difference and the hood becomes very easy to lift. Otherwise, you can convert to the single gas strut by buying one of the conversion kits. I think Corvette Central offers it.

Cheers,

/s/ Chris

 

[rrubel]

its to bad they didn't make the rod just about one inch longer and you could double the support rods on both ends for even better help!! hey i am in my 40's but still work out and man my hood is PITA to get locked open!! any body know how much the weight??? time for carbon fiber!!!!

If your 86 is stock, then your little struts (like Chris is replacing) are shot. Mine were, and the hood was almost impossible for me to open solo (and FORGET IT when up on ramps!). Got the struts from one of the online parts stores for about $10 each and it made a WORLD of difference. One-handed now...

What Moonunit was showing is another option, which I also did - that's to convert the passenger-side scissors prop (which breaks, falls, etc) to a later-model gas strut on the driver's side. If you get an 87-89 or so one from a junkyard, then it's a direct bolt-on (the hood already has the holes, and you re-use bolts on the frame). Mine is from the LT-1 cars, and it's a better strut but requires some mild trimming of the lower support to get it to fit around the inner fender brace. Got mine for about $80 from vette2vette.com, I think.
[RICHR]

 

[tigmaned]

yeah i think that will be my next thing on my list!! first is geting th abs system working again and fixing my digital dash so i can get a MD inspcetion.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

Hey, some good news, here! I found the mounting holes on the small gas strut posts. It was what I expected after looking at the photo---I was looking for a groove on the posts, and not a hole for a clip to go through, AND the angle of the hole through the post made it very difficult to see. Finally, I think my car never had these little struts, so the paint wasn't worn where they would rub so that made it more difficult to locate the holes. Bottom line: I have the types of clips and washers I think are needed (it's called a hitch clip, I think), but will check to see if there is some special GM approved clips. Once again, me and my '89 EBay rat thank everyone for their time and patience in responding, sending pictures etc.

/s/ Chris Kennedy

Houston, Texas

 

[Moonunit 451]

Wow! Did I ever misunderstand this question :crazy

Boy, oh boy, did *I* mis-remember. Here's a pic of how they're attached on mine. They look like key-clips that snap around the posts where the grooves are. I'd say that your chevy dealer has them, and I think I've also seen them in the Help! section of my local parts store.

[RICHR]

 

[rrubel]

Wow! Did I ever misunderstand this question :crazy

Hey, don't feel bad - the pix you posted were useful in continuing the conversation.
[RICHR]

 

[Chris Kennedy]

Hey, don't feel bad - the pix you posted were useful in continuing the conversation.
[RICHR]

I second that---I was the one who originally asked the question, and it was your answer and the answers of others that caused me to continue on until the solution was found!

/s/ Chris Kennedy

 

[Chris Kennedy]

INSTALLED!

I just put in the support struts this morning! What I ended up doing is using the beefiest hitch pins I could put in the post holes, and bent the ends around and clipped off the excess. I felt these pins would be better and stronger than cotter pins (as cotter pins are made of a softer metal), and wanted to really anchor them in there. Also, I unbolted the bracket from the main gas strut to the hood (which was easy), so I could lift the hood the extra little bit to slide the smaller struts onto the pins, then lowered the hood just slightly to bolt everything back together. Anyhow, everything works perfectly, and it is amazing how much lift the extra two small struts give. As the hood goes beyond about 45 degrees up you have to hold it to prevent it from popping up. I suspect this is the first time this car has had these smaller struts installed, so it is a happy '89 Ebay rat!

Thanks, everyone, for your help.

/s/ Chris Kennedy
Houston, Texas

 

[rrubel]

wanted to really anchor them in there. Also, I unbolted the bracket from the main gas strut to the hood (which was easy), so I could lift the hood the extra little bit to slide the smaller struts onto the pins, then lowered the hood just slightly to bolt everything back together.

Congrats! I think the unbolting of the prop rod is the only possible way to get the small struts on. Before I thought of doing that, I was trying to compress them with c-clamps, vise-grips, anything I could. Those suckers are STRONG! And as you said, it's nothing short of miraculous how easily the hood opens now.
[RICHR]