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I'm just posting this in case it helps someone in the future. Disclaimer: I'm a newb
Had to replace my 05 RL hood lift supports, I noticed having troubles keeping it up for months but waiting until it fully failed to replace it. When looking at OEM replacement parts for it, I think it was $120 for each side (grand total $240).
I saw others mention you can just get universal hood lift support kits. But that wasn't as easy as I thought. Hopefully I didn't do things the hard way. Please leave comments below if you find easier instructions/hardware.
Purchased hardware:
$6 for TWO (2) Mighty Lift ML3000 Stud Kits. Each kit has two ball studs, you'll need four total. ($2.99 for each kit at local autozone)
$22 ECCPP Lift Support Front Hood Struts Gas Springs for Hyundai Sonata 2011-2014 Compatible with 6489 Strut Set of 2 (
Use an adjustable wrench to remove the old lift supports
Install the ball studs with the washer
The lift support with the angled socket should be attached to the ball stud on the hood
I don't know if I really had to remove the metal band from each of the four sockets on the lift supports. So I suggest trying to shove the ball stud into the sockets first. If you can't get it in that way, then loosen the metal band using a flathead screwdriver. DO NOT remove the metal band unless you feel you really have to. Putting them back in is not easy.
If the 6489 Strut Set above isn't available:
the measurement for the compressed OEM support is 9" and the uncompressed was 15.5". The 6489 Strut Set was listed as stroke length 9.63" and extended length 15.13" (at the time I assumed "stroke length" meant compressed length, but i'm actually not sure if that's really it. But oh well, my hood closes and opens fine with it)
due to the angle of the ball stud on the hood, I believe you'll still want an angled socket on one of the hood lift supports. I haven't tried a lift support that is straight on both sockets.
If the Mighty Lift ML3000 isn't available:
You'll want 10mm Ball Studs for the 6489 Strut Set BUT you'll need threading that'll fit this RL KB2. I DO NOT have the exact thread size as I couldn't find it listed anywhere related to the Mighty Lift ML3000 such as mightliftsupports.com, google, amazon, etc
5/16-18 x 1/2" threading DID NOT fit my 05 RL - either the advertised thread on the product is wrong, they shipped me the wrong part or more likely that 5/16-18 is not the correct threading for a Acura RL KB2
I don't know if the pressure/force of these 6489 Strut Set will be too strong in the long run. If anyone wants to leave a message in the future asking if the supports have yet to put a hole in my hood, feel free. I'll update y'all then.
awesome! oh but this is the lift support strut. replacement stud kit is still necessary?
this is funny, when i googled "TUFF SUPPORT 618461", the second link is "Hood Strut - 2005-2009 Acura RL - Stabilus W0133-4699934" which has a strut and two studs: https://www.partsgeek.com/wjmgh7x-ac...ood-strut.html - why didn't i see this while googling "acura rl 05 hood lift support" and "acura rl kb2 hood lift support"
my 05 RL had "Showa" struts that had non-removable studs. to re-use the studs you'd have to cut away the socket, that's probably not something most owners would want to do. see pictures below.
those pictures technically came from this forum https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/...-have-a-c-clip the 2006 Honda Odyssey has one side just the non-removable stud and the other a stud with bracket, while on my 05 RL it was just the non-removable at both ends.
I'm in the process of replacing the hood lifts for my 2006 RL. The 1st set I ordered (Stabilus) were too long (the cylinder was longer than the original OEM and would not have fit into the cutout in the engine bay). Those came with replacement ball studs but since I did not use the lifts, I do not know if they fit.
I then ordered the TuffSupport 618461 which appears to be the correct size, but the OEM lifts do seem to require removal of the ball stud because there is no clip holding the lift to the stud. The Acura OEM replacements come with replacement ball studs, but they don't seem to have a separate part number that I can discern from the various Acura OEM parts stores online.
So, I'm on the hunt for replacement ball studs so I can install the TuffSupports.
The TuffSupport 618461 were the correct length, but they did not work because the end socket that mounts to the hood is not angled (see photo). This prevents the clip from snapping onto the receiver ball. The ball studs I used were Stabilus Lift Support Hardware SG900001 (from autozone).
Have you tried just getting the end pieces? They aren't terribly expensive. lift support ball sockets
I bought the TuffSupports not realizing that the OEM struts only come off with their ball socket studs. I then purchased the only 2 sets of socket studs in town (2 separate stores).
I then fully removed one OEM stud assembly by wrenching off the ball socket studs under hood, and at the base of the windshield.
I then installed the new socket studs, first snapping the cylinder end in place at the base of the windshield, and then trying to snap the rod end onto the new socket stud under the hood. And that's where it became clear that without the angle, the replacement hood support would not attach. It also did not work if I first snapped the rod end onto the hood because then the cylinder end would not come close to the socket stud at the base of the windshield.
So, yeah, it's all got to go back... Amazon sells hood lift clamps that attach to the strut rod to keep the hood open (these are scary to me), or there's an adjustable prop rod (I've seen repair shops use a prop rod even with strong supports).
I think I understand the question now! Which is can the socket end of the old OEM lift be removed and screwed onto the replacement strut?
That's a good question, but it looks like the OEMs are press-fitted onto the shaft and them dipped in a rubber-like coating, so they don't screw off to put onto the aftermarket lift. Good idea, though!
I think I understand the question now! Which is can the socket end of the old OEM lift be removed and screwed onto the replacement strut?
That's a good question, but it looks like the OEMs are press-fitted onto the shaft and them dipped in a rubber-like coating, so they don't screw off to put onto the aftermarket lift. Good idea, though!
I've never seen a press fit of the end piece but I've only replaced them on a 2013 Honda Accord and multiple times on my 2000 Porsche Boxster. And a few times on the lift mechanism on a hot tub. In all cases the end pieces were simply threaded onto the cylinder end.
