2017~2025: Hood Lift Struts Installed

[David Paul]

Because our CX-5 hoods are so heavy, I thought there was a definite purpose for these struts. They make the hood literally weightless when raising and keep the hood totally neutral when closing.

I put these on my 2016 MX-5 GT about 2 years ago and knew they were worth every penny. The hood on my MX-5 is aluminum and is very light compared to the CX-5 hood, never the less, it is so much easier to lift.

Of course, I kept the OEM prop rod installed just in case I have to raise the hood outside of my garage on a very windy day. The prop rod will give the hood extra stability in conjunction with the Hydraulic struts.

 

[yugrus]

Thank you for the idea! What struts and where did you get them?

 

[wrxray]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Found some on Amazon...might be worth picking these up!

 

[David Paul]

Thank you for the idea! What struts and where did you get them?

Since all hood struts are made in China, you can save more than 50% by purchasing directly from there.

The shipping time is only about 2 weeks. This is where I purchased mine.

Regardless as to where you purchase them from, they sure do make life a lot easier.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2XHood-Dam...265607?hash=item41dc24ae07:g:VNUAAOSw1GlaVbvv

 

[yugrus]

Thank you. A brief search for something that fits our '15 didn't bring much, but I'm sure I can use any hatch struts of proper length, with brackets. Even the ones for 17+ hoods that you use.

 

[ColtX-5]

You're kidding, right?! The hood is heavy? LMAO!

 

[yugrus]

You're kidding, right?! The hood is heavy? LMAO!

I'd say excessively heavy. Try aluminum ones that are installed on many cars. Heck, my Tahoe is a great example- feather light, with spring- loaded assisting mechanism.
I guess there was the reason Mazda choose to use steel, maybe as a part of the crash protection engineering. But yeah, it is heavy.

 

[CX-5um]

I'd say excessively heavy. Try aluminum ones that are installed on many cars. Heck, my Tahoe is a great example- feather light, with spring- loaded assisting mechanism.
I guess there was the reason Mazda choose to use steel, maybe as a part of the crash protection engineering. But yeah, it is heavy.

The Mazda6 hood seems even heavier. I had struts on a different car before and they are pretty cool to have....however was always paranoid they would fail and come down on me. If installed in the CX-5/Mazda6 It would be for convenience lifting but I'd still use the prop as a backup.

 

[7eregrine]

You're kidding, right?! The hood is heavy? LMAO!

I don't think it's all that heavy but I do miss having struts like this on literally every other car I've owned.
Except our current Volvo, strangely. I think this is a cool little mod I might look into.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

Yeah, my old '98 Jeep GC hood worked like this. I'd look into this mod too.

Gen2 hoods are heavier than Gen1 hoods aren't they?

 

[David Paul]

The Mazda6 hood seems even heavier. I had struts on a different car before and they are pretty cool to have....however was always paranoid they would fail and come down on me. If installed in the CX-5/Mazda6 It would be for convenience lifting but I'd still use the prop as a backup.

Yes, the OEM prop rod is good back up insurance and since it's already there, one might as well use it.

On my cars, I always use the prop rod along with the hydraulic lifts if I am going to leave the hood up for an extended period of time.

 

[7eregrine]

Proper struts on a hood should not need backup.

 

[wlong01]

Proper struts on a hood should not need backup.

You're kidding, right? They're like shocks, they don't last forever.
My Maxima hood struts failed one day when I was checking the oil. At least one did and the hood would not stay up after that.

I would never trust hood struts again, glad Mazda has the rod.

 

[David Paul]

glad Mazda has the rod.

I'm even "gladder" because I have both.

 

[7eregrine]

I've never had the good struts just give out. My last 4 cars have had them. There's, at least with my Saabs, always been fair warning if one was dying.

 

[Seminole]

My mother in law has a base Kia Soul with no options and it has gas struts...

 

[fdew]

here it is for 2013 - 16 CX-5 https://ebay.us/VbzGln

 

[David Paul]

I've never had the good struts just five out. My last 4 cars have had them. There's, at least with my Saabs, always been fair warning if one was dying.

Same here.

Years ago I bought a brand new Chrysler Lazer. It had struts for the back hatch, which was very heavy.

After a couple of years, during very cold weather in Colorado Springs, it slowly began to fail. When raised, it would begin to slowly drop. I suppose if I had let it go very long, eventually it would just drop like a rock instead of slowly falling. I simply bought new struts before it had a chance to put me or anyone else in danger. But, I did have a few weeks of warning before it slowly began to fail.

After market hood struts are just too inexpensive to not buy them. There is no excuse unless one is a body builder, wants to be a body builder or just too lazy to install them. I suspect the latter would be the major excuse.

I know for sure that if my wife had to open the hood of our CX-5 before I installed the struts, she wouldn't have been able to without the potential risk of injury.

 

[7eregrine]

I don't think my wife would even know what to do with the rod. LoL
(Yes, that sounds bad).
She'd probably tell me the hoods broke because it won't stay up.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Nice. I installed some of these on my '15 back in '14 shortly after I bought my CX-5.

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123842841-Anyone-have-aftermarket-struts-for-hood