I just purchased a pair of replacement struts for my 91 XJS V12 convertible hood (bonnet.) I have not installed them yet, as it's still winter. I noticed I cannot compress them with my hands! Is this normal for new gas struts to be this stiff? I'm not Superman, but not weak either. Just wondering before I install them.

 

VERY MUCH SO.

Unless you a SUPER strong.

They have some serious PSI pressures, coz that bonnet, tailgate etc is HEAVY/

 

I recently installed new ones on the hatch of my big Jeep. Old ones got too weak to support the heavy hatch. Not good with my head under it whole loading or unloading.

When I removed them, they seemed to still be quite strong!!! I could not collapse them!!

I installed the new ones, one at a time with the hatch open and supported for my safety.
It went well. Good "excuse" to add a small rack of smaller size Torx sockets for my 1/4" drive tools. A drill driver and a long extension feel like a pro at work!!!

So, Jag bonnet open, Outta work just fine!!!

Carl

 

Remember, you have a 5 foot lever working against the strut when you close the bonnet, and the bonnet itself weighs maybe 45 lbs. So just pressing the strut closed with your bere hands is not going to happen - for most of us, anyway!

 

Just wanted to chime in with the results of a quick experiment I did.
I replaced my boot struts a while back, and have the originals lying by my desk inside. Just tried to compress them. I can get them down to a couple of inches before fully retracted, but no more. So yes, there's a fair bit of power even in nearly 30-year-old struts that were replaced because at least one wasn't strong enough to keep the boot lid up. New bonnet ones? Maybe if your name was Bruce Banner and you were feeling angry....

 

You can get longer struts which will hold the bonnet up higher. Give me a day or so and I'll dig up a part number and send a few pics.

Cheers,

John
1987 XJ-S V12

 

longer struts
Here is a photo of my bonnet using NAPA part number 819-6532 struts.

I can't recall how far it opened with the original struts (replaced them about 5 years ago) but I do remember it was a considerable improvement.

Thanks,

John
1987 XJ-S V12

 

My struts are 25 years old and show no signs of failure, but the trunk struts fail prior to 22 years.

 

I replaced both struts, took about 10 minutes each side. You guys were correct...New struts are stiff and cannot be compressed by hand to test. Once installed, the fulcrum action while closing the hood does compress them. I also noticed that once closed, my hood/bonnet lines up better with even gaps. One strut was found to have lost all its gas pressure!