Hood Struts?

[Jehu]

Any better deal for Hood Struts (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-PAIR-of-Hood-Strut-for-E34-525i-530i-535i-540i-M5_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33590QQihZ005QQitemZ 150122627575QQrdZ1QQtcZphoto)

[swenpro]

Looks like normal price to me

[e34musician]

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=pvbu4h45t3mp5j55d1yveiqo&makeid=800003@BMW&modelid=1012273@530I&year=1994&cid=hood@hood&gid=1404@Shock/Strut,%20%20Hood

Not cheaper, but if you buy other stuff upto $50, there is no shipping charge. grap some oil filters, microfilter... or something


Any better deal for Hood Struts (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-PAIR-of-Hood-Strut-for-E34-525i-530i-535i-540i-M5_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33590QQihZ005QQitemZ 150122627575QQrdZ1QQtcZphoto)

[Jehu]

Should i get retaining clips too or can i get them off without mutialting them?

[BuckNaked]

How old are the original clips? I would pay the 2 bucks and get the new ones.
Pretty much $30 all day long.

[txp135]

It's pretty easy to take out and put in, about 2 min each side if you know what you're doing. Just go out and try to remove one before you order.

[shogun]

The retaining clips come with the new strut, see pic on Autohaus. No need to order.
And then you still have the ones from the old ones as spare.
I order the struts from Meyle and they are also with clips attached.
Never have seen a new strut without a new clip, at least not the usually known brands.

[Jeff in MN]

but they have a lot of choice for other items like brake pads and plugs.

[shogun]

$ 14,52 each at rockauto does not beat Autohaus Arizona's $13.53

But you are right, it is worthwhile to compare with rockauto, some items they have really cheap, for example they have a lot of reman items like brake booster units etc.

But my main U.S. supplier is Autohaus Arizona, very satisfied with prices and service.
The rest I buy from my sources in Germany cheaper, such as Meyle parts, Hella regulators, etc.

[Jehu]

While you're here I thought i'd ask about my flakey locking system. I know there are DIY write ups but i wanted to ask that If the symptom is the front passenger lock kicks back when using the remote or locking from trunk but locks when i lock from that front passenger lock manually do i need to replace the actuator or will some graphite in the mechanism do it? It seems to operate on very warm days fine so i know it can work it seems when its cooler the lock sticks and i need to lock manually.

[stargazer_61]

I just picked up a pair from gabe527 on the bay for $29 shipped, with the clips. Went on easy. Be sure that you clean the groove on the mounting post so the clip has someplace to bite in to. Fast delivery from FLA.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-Pair-New-BMW-E34-Hood-Struts-Shocks-525-530-535-540_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33646QQihZ012QQitem Z220109980245

[John B.]

While you're here I thought i'd ask about my flakey locking system. I know there are DIY write ups but i wanted to ask that If the symptom is the front passenger lock kicks back when using the remote or locking from trunk but locks when i lock from that front passenger lock manually do i need to replace the actuator or will some graphite in the mechanism do it? It seems to operate on very warm days fine so i know it can work it seems when its cooler the lock sticks and i need to lock manually.

My 95 Touring had the same problem on the same door. Worked fine on warm days but stuck when it was cold out. Turned out the vapor seal covering the inside the door was glued to the lock rod. After cleaning off the glue & correctly attaching the vapor seal "behind" the rod the lock worked fine all the time.

[Jehu]

My 95 Touring had the same problem on the same door. Worked fine on warm days but stuck when it was cold out. Turned out the vapor seal covering the inside the door was glued to the lock rod. After cleaning off the glue & correctly attaching the vapor seal "behind" the rod the lock worked fine all the time.

Is that a sheet of polyurehane between the door liner and the metal that covers the openeing in the sheetmetal?

[gale]

E-mail the seller and see if he'll give you the next 4 digits after the 11-digit part number which is imprinted on the strut. It is the force rating, for example, 380N = 380 Newtons which is the rating for your 540i as listed after the part number on realoem under "supplement"

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HE53&mospid=47410&btnr=41_0467&hg=41&fg=35

I bought a pair from gabe527 on ebay for 21.99 + 7 s/h. The ones he sent are 280N. They work fine when new and adequately keep the hood open, but I'm not expecting them to last as long.

[Tiger]

Agreed with Autohausaz.com... I don't know what brand is the one on ebay... and I have bought a pair from autohausaz... fit perfectly and no problem with the clip that came with Meistersatz shocks. Snapped right in.

[Claude]

Any better deal for Hood Struts (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-PAIR-of-Hood-Strut-for-E34-525i-530i-535i-540i-M5_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33590QQihZ005QQitemZ 150122627575QQrdZ1QQtcZphoto)

My experience is the following:
Purchased from the same seller on eBay last summer (2006) a set of trunk strut (MEYLE made in Germany) and a set of hood strut (MEISTERSATZ), the trunk ones still work very well, but the hood ones didn't pass the winter they are both completly shot inside gaz probably leaks out during low temperature days of the last winter... can't explane otherwise So i put and X on the MEISTERSATZ. The problem is that seller didn't always mention what trade mark they sell, you discover when you receive :(

[John B.]

Is that a sheet of polyurehane between the door liner and the metal that covers the openeing in the sheetmetal?

Thats it. With lots of thick, gloppy glue.

[stargazer_61]

The ones from gabe are MEISTERSATZ 380N. Hopefully they'll last.

[gale]

gabe527 sent me Meistersatz 280's, guess I should have asked him to exchange them for 380's. The 280's work fine, just don't know for how long.

[BigKriss]

It's funny how this thread pops up. I put some front hood struts on a while ago (over 6 months ago - they are 380N, i just checked), but one of the clips broke and it was always coming loose so about 3 days ago I go and take a clip off the boot shock. They were a bitch to remove, so I take the clip off and the ****ing boot falls on my legs as I'm 3/4 of the way lying in the boot. No-one here ever wants a unassisted boot falling on their legs. It ****ed me up a bit, but I'm just complaining in cyberworld (to myself).