Hood strut conversion

[Travis QX4]

Has anyone added hydraulic struts to their hood and ditched the prop rod? If so, what parts/kit did you use?

[Mike W.]

There was someone who was talking about it not too long ago but I don't think it went anywhere. One of the problems is making sure the anchor points are strong enough since it wasn't designed for it. I will allow I'm looking at it again as it's really a sore spot for me, #1 it's embarrassingly low end like you'd see on a bottom feeder Corolla, #2 it's a nuance to putz with it every time you open the hood, #3 while Nissan thought it a good idea to have an unreasonably low max lift angle on the hood the bloody prop rod doesn't even get as far as that stop. I'm 5-9 and my head barely clears the open hood.

Like a lot of things in life it would be a balance, strong enough to hold it open, but not so strong that you would induce extra load, like if you for instance used the tailgate struts. Length would have to be pretty much spot on as well as reinforced mounting points. Overall a small engineering job. But I'm still thinking about it...

[mdmellott]

I found a conversion kit for the R51, '05-'10 Pathfinders but can't yet find anything for our R50 models. I'll keep looking for an already engineered bolt on solution for my '02. I've always wanted to do this but I don't want to spend the effort and money to design it if I don't have to. Here's the R51 bolt on solution at Offroad Gorilla. http://www.offroadgorilla.com/shop/niss ... eliminator
Redline Tuning has a kit for the R51 models as well.
https://www.redlinetuning.com/SearchRes ... =16&page=1

[Thommykent]

Just installed the Off Road Gorillas kit on my R51. It works flawlessly, 15 minute install. Used to cost $80 now it`s $52. Well worth it! Red Line requires drilling holes and riveting, Gorillas doesn`t

[Mike W.]

Maybe I'm overestimating the strength required of things. One complication I believe is the relay box on the drivers side is pretty close, I'm not sure a strut would clear, although it might be able to be moved. Hard to tell in the pictures but the Gorilla one looks like a fatter cylinder which may present problems. Even at $70 for the Redline one it's not bad considering it's new struts and mounts. Compact would be a key to a smooth install.

And here I thought I was the only one who thinks little of the mickey mouse prop rod.

[Thommykent]

Gorilla changed the diameter of the strut, it`s not fat anymore, been slimmed way down. As you can see the Gorilla bolts into the hood hinge plates, obviously a strong spot and it locates the struts out of the way.

[Mike W.]

Hmm, interesting. Any chance I could get you to do me a big favor and measure the compressed and extended lengths as best you could? Maybe even aprox diameter as long as you're there? I would really, really like to do this upgrade.

[Travis QX4]

I found a conversion kit for the R51, '05-'10 Pathfinders but can't yet find anything for our R50 models. I'll keep looking for an already engineered bolt on solution for my '02. I've always wanted to do this but I don't want to spend the effort and money to design it if I don't have to. Here's the R51 bolt on solution at Offroad Gorilla. http://www.offroadgorilla.com/shop/niss ... eliminator
Redline Tuning has a kit for the R51 models as well.
https://www.redlinetuning.com/SearchRes ... =16&page=1

Thanks for the info. I’ll look into the Offroad Gorilla kit.

[mdmellott]

I emailed Offroad Gorilla about fitment into a R50 model. They replied back and said; "Unfortunately, these will likely not fit your vehicle." I asked why, in response, but have not heard back from them yet. I know details matter. The fit-up in the R51 shown in the video looks like it might be identical to the R50 but there is no way to be sure of dimensional details. One thing I do see as a possible problem is that the R50 hoods are longer and heavier than the hoods on the R51 models. That might be too much of a moment arm for the struts to handle the lift even if they do fit-up the same as on the R51 models. If anyone here is bold enough to buy a set of Gorilla lifters for their R50, please tell us all how that works out.

[mdmellott]

Still no word back from Offroad Gorilla but I did find a show stopper for using their kit on a R50. The hood mounting brackets in the kit have one of the two bolt holes in an offset bend of the bracket to match the offset of the mounting holes of the R51 hood. The R50 hood mounting holes are on the same plane (no offset) so these mounting brackets won't fit on the R50 models.

[Thommykent]

Just get a hammer and smash the offset flat. It`s just mild steel. 3 hits is all it would take. If the R50 hood is heavier you`ll need stronger pressure struts as the ones Gorilla uses for the R51 are just strong enough for the that hood.

[Thommykent]

Hmm, interesting. Any chance I could get you to do me a big favor and measure the compressed and extended lengths as best you could? Maybe even aprox diameter as long as you're there? I would really, really like to do this upgrade.

You would be attaching to different spots than an R51 so the measurements would be useless. Lift your hood and take measurements, then find a specification chart from a strut manufacturer and see what fits your measurements. Finding the right pressure strut, will be trial and error

[Mike W.]

Hmm, interesting. Any chance I could get you to do me a big favor and measure the compressed and extended lengths as best you could? Maybe even aprox diameter as long as you're there? I would really, really like to do this upgrade.

You would be attaching to different spots than an R51

Yes, I know that.

Lift your hood and take measurements, then find a specification chart from a strut manufacturer and see what fits your measurements. Finding the right pressure strut, will be trial and error

Yes, but I was hoping for a starting point. Oh well, thanks anyway.

[Thommykent]

It`s a completely different hood, might as well open the hood to whatever other vehicle you or a neighbor own with struts and take measurements as a starting point. Same difference

[mdmellott]

I heard back from Offroad Gorilla. They offered to work out a possible solution and use my '02 Pathfinder as a test vehicle. They requested and I sent them pictures and measurement details of the fit-up features on the '02 and expressed comments to them from this post topic regarding hood weight, strut lifting capacity with smaller and larger diameters, mount locations and feather differences. Stay tuned. This may take awhile but Offroad Gorilla is willing to take a serious look at producing a hood strut lift solution for the R50 models like they have for the R51 models. I'll post comments again after they follow up.

Go to their website page http://www.offroadgorilla.com/contact and send them a message so they know there are other R50 owners interested in this. I told them so but it would be better motivation for them if they heard directly from individual owners.

[Mike W.]

Go to their website page http://www.offroadgorilla.com/contact and send them a message so they know there are other R50 owners interested in this. I told them so but it would be better motivation for them if they heard directly from individual owners.

Done.

[mdmellott]

This could take longer than I thought for Offroad Gorilla to produce a strut lift kit for the '96-'04 R50 models. They are sending me their R51 lift kit so I can modify it to fit my '02 and test out how well it works. I will then send the modified kit back to them along with revision notes and recommendations so they can see about making a production run of the kit for the '96-'04 models. I am hoping the upper bracket is the only part I will have to rework. If I find that the kit needs heavier lift capacity struts, I am told they will provide that in the production run of kits when they decide to make them. They will then send me the first R50 kit for the final fit-up and test. That'll be great if it works out. I'll keep you posted.

[mdmellott]

Reaching out here to the NICOclub community for a favor. I need to know what the overall length of the hood is for an R51 model of a '05 to '10 Pathfinder or QX4. I have the weight but I need to know the length in order to calculate the lift force needed for a gas strut to lift the hood at a point about 9" from the hinge, which is where the Offroad Gorilla upper strut mount lift point would be. Can someone out there please measure the overall length of your hood and let me know what that is by posting it here or through the personal message app on this forum?

[Mike W.]

No help on the R51 dimensions, but a request. The stock prop rod doesn't even go up to the full travel of the hinges to the stop. I did mention it in my email to them, but could you do your measurements to include the full travel to the stop?

Thanks!

[mdmellott]

Given the design of the Offroad Gorilla upper and lower strut mount bracket installed positions, the gas strut overall collapsed length cannot exceed roughly 9 or 10 inches. That in turn, limits the stroke length to about 4 or 5 inches which is not enough to open the hood to its full possible travel. By design for the R51 models, it will open the hood about 5 inches more than where the support rod normally holds it open and for the same limitation reasons cannot be made to open it to its full possible travel either. I'll know more when I get my hands on this kit. Offroad Gorilla shipped it to me today so I should have it in a week or so.

[mdmellott]

I received the Offroad Gorilla kit designed for the R51 models and modified the upper brackets to make it fit my '02. However, there were too many changes that would have to be made for it to function well and even then the kit design would not work out well over time with use. The upper bracket was an easy modification to make. The lower bracket would need a total redesign to conform with features on the R50 that are not present on the R51 models. I installed the kit on my '02 but I know the lower bracket would eventually come loose because they cannot fit flush in the mounting area like they do on the R51 models. A slightly shorter strut piston stroke length and an increased lift force would be needed in a new design and that would have been an easy accommodation to make. However, I saw a slight upward rise of the hood at the hinges when the hood was closed. The hinges were being flexed by the force of the struts. A stronger lift force strut would make that flexing even worse and potentially damaging. I sent the kit back to Offroad Gorilla with even more detail, pictures and a video and basically told them thanks but its not worth the risk or effort to retrofit this design for the R50 models.

[Mike W.]

I guess I'm stuck engineering my own. Which will surely take far more time than any sane person would spend on it.

Regardless, thanks for the efforts even if it didn't work out this time.

[Thommykent]

I would look at redline for examples. They also make one for the R51 that uses a different angle than Offroad Gorilla which would put less pressure on the hood. It requires pop riveting which is no big deal.
https://www.redlinetuning.com/Articles.asp?ID=252

[mdmellott]

I would look at redline for examples. They also make one for the R51 that uses a different angle than Offroad Gorilla which would put less pressure on the hood. It requires pop riveting which is no big deal.
https://www.redlinetuning.com/Articles.asp?ID=252

I thought about it but I would probably still have the same issue with a low rated lift capacity strut trying to open my heavy hood. Even if I was able to get a sample kit for R&D like OG did for me, I would have to permanently attach the upper brackets and hope it works out. Maybe I'll send Redline Tuning a message to see what they are willing to do.

[Mike W.]

Hmmm, just ran across this today. 2 months out delivery time, but still. I wonder. Anyone used Aliexpress? Might be 'shopped, but sure looks like a QX4 in the last photo. Price seems to vary by color, black which is what I'd use anyway. Modest shipping charge. Hmm...

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001417762676.html

[mdmellott]

The images at aliexpress gave me a good laugh. The one you pointed out looks like an R50 Pathfinder or QX4 but it has a standard hood prop rod holding open the hood and no gas struts installed. The selection of gas struts shown do not indicate any sort of mounting hardware. There is another make/model selection for a Kia which shows mounting hardware and the struts installed but one strut is installed backwards and both struts would get crushed by a cross-bar spanning the width of the engine bay as soon as the hood is closed. Same thing with a Chevy Trailblazer picture shown with struts installed but no way to close the hood without crushing the struts across several engine parts. It looks like this site/supplier is just for show but a bad showing at that. I would stay away from purchasing anything from them. I am sure this supplier in China would gladly take your money but I doubt you would get a refund if things did not fit. At least they show you straight up that nothing they are selling fits anything they are selling the struts to supposedly fit.

[Mike W.]

The 5th or last picture is the one that seems to show the struts installed, although yes, the first one does show a prop rod. Go to the one with a white truck, not the red one. Everything else you said may be correct, I don't know.

That stinkin' prop rod really bugs me and I'm trying to figure out a way to do struts without reinventing the wheel.

[mdmellott]

The 5th or last picture is the one that seems to show the struts installed, ...

That is definitely a QX4. The gas struts installed look much like the R51 model struts Off Road Gorilla gave me to experiment with. That didn't work out so well but cost me nothing but time.
This is a promising find I may just purchase myself. I did an image search on that picture and found that they lifted it from SokieTech. Even better, I found the item for sale at Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sokietech-Spring ... 00OTCNQI8/ It costs a bit more but delivery is only a week or two and I know Amazon will refund my purchase if it does not work.

[Mike W.]

By all means, keep us posted. I'm a couple of weeks away from home and being able to order myself. Do note though that while thru Amazon, they aren't from Amazon and while they do have returns, it's not the usual free returns.

[mdmellott]

By all means, keep us posted. I'm a couple of weeks away from home and being able to order myself. Do note though that while thru Amazon, they aren't from Amazon and while they do have returns, it's not the usual free returns.

Tag... You're it... No tag backs. I did my bit with Off Road Gorilla R51 Pathfinder hood struts, struck out, and I am no longer too compelled to update my hood with gas/spring struts. Interested but not motivated. These are clearly marketed toward QX4 owners. It's been over a year since this thread first posted and you expressed your interest. I look forward to reading about any updates you have on how well your purchase and installation goes, once you have the time to deal with it.