After suffering yet another numpty who can't read a fccuk-off great big orange and black sign on the the strut saying PUSH , my bonnet strut has finally given up. And this time it really is beyond repair.

I can't stomach paying the stupid price Fiat wants for a new one, so are their any bonnet struts that are a direct fit? Or just easy to fit? Preferably a gas strut, so that it doesn't break when people inevitably yank it down like a boot hatch

Seriously, I ought to just ban non-Coupe owners from touching my bonnet!

The later Coupe struts were made without the locking bit, so keep an eye out on here for secondhand ones.

I can't remember how much they are new now. I know mine cost me about £70 for a new pair a few years ago, but I think you can get them cheaper now.

The Fiat ones sometimes fail, so you'll be pressed to find any others that will take the weight of the Coupes bonnet, unless they are made for the Coupe.

All bonnet struts are dead easy to fit - will take you about 5 minutes.

In the meantime, just get yourself a nice broom handle

Just be careful buying second hand gas bonnet struts, they have a tendency for eating their owners alive!

they shine!

I've left a set of late type struts at Joe's off a 1999 70k km Plus yesterday. Check there.

Was just looking at a set of them yesterday on a mates blue gsi,stood out along with his chrome strutt brace

Will people please refrain from posting up pictures of shiny things i'm running out of money.

I'm sure they are not stainless. And feedback would maybe confirm.
But.. They shine.
Should I confirm that Jame5?

No! I don't want to know, la la la la not listening. There are no shiny replacements for my dull black bonnet struts, they are simply a figment of your imagination.

Ok. You will not have to look then.

Cheers for the replies guys.

Kayjey: Joe, Country Cruising? Will do.

dlongstaff: Good find

I just thought, The LHS strut is gas. Anything stopping me just getting one more gas strut to replace the [non] locking one on the other side? Or will the bonnet fall down and the Coupe eat me like it wants to?

Just do it, I'm sure you have a little bit of cash left from your 'winnings'

Well, these don't keep the bonnet up!
I am in contact with the seller after sending them back today.
They have been very responsive to this. I gave them the numbers which are 020N which they say theirs are filled to and will check when they get them back.

Well, I got a refund which was nice.
I had a lovely pic and everything.
They going to look into it, which hopefully they can resolve and let me know.

not aftermarket but some for sale -

http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1366741#Post1366741

Hi my struts failed so I ordered some of these, they would only hold bonnet to half way , I asked the question they said they had sent out a 240nm and a 400nm and they should both be 400nm, so sending replacement for 240nm
Ps what is the correct way that they should operate , I mean do you just release catch and they raise themself or do they need assistance

The 240 strut is actually 220nm

you need to pull the bonnet up and they should hold the weight of the bonnet once up .

Thanks for that

Received correct 400n strut today seem to work ok, the bonnet raises itself halfway up when released then assist rest of way, doesn't go to max height but high enough and very solid holding bonnet (they are new) needs a lot more pressure to shut than before

I'm sorry if the following has already been answered, but I didn't find it: What's the minimum strenght needed for the struts to raise the bonnet? Is 250N enough?

I'm afraid to leave my coupe in the hands of people who don't know how to operate its' first generation struts. I've seen people forcing (and damaging!) the struts, so I'm thinking in buying aftermarket, second generation ones, but... how strong must they be to hold open/ allow to confortably close the bonnet?

Thanks in advance.

Problem seem to be the aftermarket struts don't keep the same Nm all the way, not linear.. So at full length they cannot hold!?

Too true i brought some aftermarket struts and ended up at around 400-450nm and they dont hold the bonnet fully up and then become a bit harder to close, best to get the originals
I have actually just fitted 1 (aftermarket) and kept the other the original with the lock on so its not too bad but not what i hoped for

Reviving and old post since I have to use a broomstick now on my red lady. Aftermarket bonnut struts are 220N or 250N. Are there brands that function on my 20vt? I don’t have the push version, somebody replaced this before I bought my coupe.

The new Stabilus ones seem to be ridiculously hard to close despite being the same part number. Certainly feels more than 250N. So much so that they shifted the position of the hinges and made the trailing edge of my bonnet sit high.

I have since replaced with the locking ones. THESE are the ones i got and they have been working well.

I have the same. They work fine, unless someone tries to close them shut without unlocking first (happens more often than you'd think). So, I advise to put a dangling note on the strut, or educate your mechanic before giving the car. ;D

Thanks, and these locking struts can be ordered from the EU so a good option.

On my first coupe in the 90's the original locking ones were destroyed twice by a garage. Each time the garage claimed they were defect before.
Though the current gas struts are hardly any better, on my red coupe my estimate is they are 15 years old and now they aren't strong enough anymore.

I changed the left one for the pushing Lesjofors, still have the previous right Stabilus, and it works like a charm.

I included a picture of the locking Lesjofors, the non-locking right hand Lesjofors and original stabilus (in the middle)

Got mine on ebay - as good as the original.

A revived thread just at the right time. One of the last jobs to do now that the Couple has been repaired and ready for the road, was to replace the bonnet strut(s). They were replacements a few years ago, but never man enough for the job and have been using a nice long piece of wood since then!

The locking one should restore the sense of security for when it's open.

@paul: not sure if you are joking. To be sure, good to know. You can remove the strut by removing a clip on the balljoint part. Pry it open with a small screwdriver. At the stabilus the clip is dark metal, at the Lesjofors a silver metalic clip with a different construction.

Oh no, not joking! For the last 5 years it has had a pole as bonnet strut.... however, the car hasn't been on the road for 5 years, being stationary in the barn whilst waiting for repairs, so hasn't been a problem.

Looking forward to having a proper one now with the Lesjofors fitted!

Well, I have to say - I ordered one of the Lesjofors struts late on the 31st December and was pleasantly surprised when it was delivered yesterday morning.

Excellent service and excellent piece of kit too and already fitted! Very happy to be able to ditch my bonnet 'pole'.