Bonnet 'Gas Strut' Stays

[Andy]

I see from folks engine bay pictures that it's still the manual bonnet stay I'll miss the gas strut on the golf when it goes.

On eBay there appears to be loads of them for various SEAT models but none for the 5F.

If anybody comes across any or if I've missed them, a heads up would be appreciated

Sounds like a terryt mod lol

 

[roger7248]

Be careful, it looks like most of those are for OEM replacements.
I've replaced manual lifting on both front and back of my MR2 and brackets had to be made (not by me!) to enable the top of the strut to attach to the hinge.

 

[Andy]

Cheers Rog.

I was only having a quick swatch, thinking ahead.

A gas/hydraulic bonnet stay should be standard imo, the manual hood is so yesterday Never used to give it a thought till I bought a Mk5 Golf, simplicity, even the missus could raise the hood without the usual 'what hole does this go in again'?

Penny pinching likely but their missing a trick not having it as a FF option, could be a good earner, I'd have that box ticked every time.

 

[chrisRibiza]

Anyone managed to get gas struts for the bonnet on their mk3 yet?

 

[Rob2k68]

You can easily put the stay in the wrong hole too it also fits in the forward 'spiral' hole for a bump stop that's not used. Guess this is one way of saving £££'s from the retail price. Wouldn't recommend trying a retro fit as cars that have them have a reinforcement panel welded, bonded or riveted to the inner panel to spread the load.

 

[dw911]

Anyone managed to get gas struts for the bonnet on their mk3 yet?

Not yet, but been thinking about it & looking into it, there's a lot in the mk2 section of the forum about fitting to a mk2, same basic principle on what ever car
So will probably use some of the info from there and so I can avoid any pitfalls (metal bending/reinforcing as others mentioned) that the first ones to do it came across
Than fit some to mine
I'll post up when I get round to doing it

 

[Fred99]

Out of interest, just how often do Leon users have to open their bonnet?

It seems to me to be a very poor investment to have to install an expensive aftermarket solution to solve such a simple problem.

Now, if it was a lack of a gas strut on the boot that would be different.

Yes, of course it is penny pinching, but would you want to see the price of a new car increasing just because they can't be bothered to try and cut costs on what could be described as non essentials.

 

[simonali]

A very good point!

 

[AndrewJB]

I fitted gas struts on my MK2.

It is possible to fit to MK3 just need to get round to making a kit for it now.

 

[chrisRibiza]

It seems to me to be a very poor investment to have to install an expensive aftermarket solution to solve such a simple problem.

.

A kit for the mk2 is about £16 so not exactly expensive in my eyes. It's more of a convenience than a necessity.

 

[mattc69]

Has anybody had a go at this ??

 

[JMAC]

Mattc69, did you used to have a kit car with M3 running gear?

 

[100andthirty]

Perhaps I'm unambitious, but having had both gas struts (Alhambras and a Superb) and stays (mk1 Leon and Ibiza) I'm completely agnostic about bonnet stays. Surely one only opens the bonnet every couple of months anyway!

 

[chrisRibiza]

I gave up looking and just decided against it as there's no easy option.

 

[Seastormer]

Perhaps I'm unambitious, but having had both gas struts (Alhambras and a Superb) and stays (mk1 Leon and Ibiza) I'm completely agnostic about bonnet stays. Surely one only opens the bonnet every couple of months anyway!

I open my bonnet a bit more than that but don't find the stay a problem. Maybe all the years of minis and metros that had to have some under bonnet attention daily has primed me for life.

 

[andrewpain]

once evry few weeks to top up washer bottle and check oil does me....
don't miss all the older cars with "character" that you couldn't rely on.
any new car today you assume you can just jump in and drive 400 miles.
wasn't like that when some of us started driving.
especially early minis in the rain......pass the WD40 someone?

 

[Seastormer]

once evry few weeks to top up washer bottle and check oil does me....
don't miss all the older cars with "character" that you couldn't rely on.
any new car today you assume you can just jump in and drive 400 miles.
wasn't like that when some of us started driving.
especially early minis in the rain......pass the WD40 someone?

Yeh, I remember modding my Mini with the rubber octopus looking thing that went over the distibutor to stop rain getting into it (it faced right into the grill) great design and forethought were not in abundance in those happy days.

 

[JamieLittwin]

Anybody given this a go?

 

[nljungstrand]

There is a kit for Skoda Octavia III, http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/OCTAVIA-III/Octavia-III-hood-power-damper-set-KI-R

Don´t know if this might fit?

 

[turak]

olx.ua/obyavlenie/amortizatory-kapota-seat-leon-3-2012-komplekt-dlya-ustanovki-IDj3xpv.html
Without drilling. Only two brackets, two springs, two balls M6 and two M8.