New bonnet struts don't keep it up!

Hi again.

I bought a pair of bonnet struts from ebay;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Pair-MM-Bon...1512?#vi-ilComp
and have just fitted them, but they are not strong enough to keep the bonnet up any more than half way. The seller shows them as compatible and gives Fiat part number as #46304290 but I have just looked up struts in the FAQ and it advises part number as #46316600. My car is Y2000 20vt. Have I been sold the wrong item or could the mistake be mine?

Andrew

I have encountered many aftermarket bonnet struts before and just because they fit does not mean they will hold the bonnet up. Their gas pressure is either too low that the bonnet droops immediately or way too high to the point of not being able to shut your bonnet!

I just phoned my local Fiat dealer but the guy said he could not give part numbers out. I asked if he could check part number #46316600 which is the number given on the 'How To' section and he said nothing came up. Is there a web site where I can look up part numbers?

The guy is a tw@t then. Yes that is the correct part number for the later style without the manual stop, you need one each side. But they are no longer available (perhaps that's what he meant by "nothing comes up")

See if Countrycruising has any left, they are guaranteed to fit and work properly.

Thanks.

First I'll see if I can get anything out of the seller of the incorrect ones I've got. They sent me an apologetic email saying they want to put things right. If all I get is a refund then I'll try Joe.

I appreciate the part number confirmation, but is there a way to look up part numbers yourself?

That part number entered in ePer says:
ME24 - SHOCK ABSORBER PUSH ROD FOR REAR DOOR
and it comes up as one of the numbers for the bonnet struts.

You would be looking for the following OE numbers:
46304290 (DS)
46305241 (SN)

Lesjöfors 8026103 (right hand side)
Lesjöfors 8026101 (left hand side)

They should deliver about 250 N.

The 46304290 & 46305241 are the earlier type where one is a gas strut and the other is the manual click type, hence having different part numbers. The 46316600 is the later gas strut used in pairs. The change was on 15/04/98 according to Eper.

Alt Autos have the proper later type but they're about £100 for the pair.

BTW if anyone has a recommendation for a cheaper alternative for a pair of gas struts that actually hold the bonnet up properly I'd be interested too.

When I got this coupe it had the old click type strut on one side and it wasn't holding the bonnet up at all as the gas strut on other side had obviously failed completely. Ordered a pair of gas struts on ebay but they wouldn't hold the bonnet up, so ended up returning one and using the other one along with the manual click strut and that was OK, but still quite hard to pull the bonnet up. Not sure I want to blow over £100 just to make the bonnet a bit easier to open though, even if I am doing it at least twice a day.

FWIW I have tried all struts from SGS listed for the Fiat Coupe and none of them hold the bonnet up. They have kindly offered a full refund.

The original part (on my Coupe at least) is the Stabilus 9895KX (pair) marked 220N and dated 1998 so I am assuming they're the the original struts. You can get a pair of these new for about £75 if you look about, so still a cheaper option and what I will probably try next.

The ones I was sold are Magneti Marelli GS1043 F1=250N

So if these are 250N, how come they're not strong enough?

There is something magic about the original struts

I went aftermarket and at the correct rating dont work and any higher are difficult to shut as well as feeling like something will break!
Gone back to original push type

I've new stock of the OE late gas design arriving in November if needed, 10x sets I think from memory.

Apparently there's an extra mechanism inside the original Stabilus struts which isn't in any other type. So other struts of the same pressure rating won't hold the bonnet up and ones of a much higher pressure that can hold the bonnet up make it almost impossible to close.



Any idea of price for a pair?

Sod it, I just ordered a set of the orginal Stabilus struts from Germany. Will report the results once they're fitted.

I'll be going back to Kwik Fit for an aircon re-gas soon and I don't think I could stand to watch the guy forcing the bonnet down without releasing the catch like he did last time, haha.

If only the garages that break the old style strut would admit it and pay for replacements, I would not have had to buy so many over the last 20½ years

Hi Guys,

I bought a set from SGS Engineering last March, and the first set were pressurised to 220N and the bonnet just kept falling shut. So I complained and they repressurised them to 470N and the bonnet now holds perfectly.

The trouble is, SGS are insisting that I have modified my bonnet and it is now heavier than standard. I have told them I haven't, and Roger at Poweritalia has also told them too, but they won't hear it!

They don't seem to want to just change their specification to 470N, in order to sell more of them! Which is a real shame because these are brilliant and do the job and at £14 per strut it is a very good price. Even if they put the price to £20 per strut to compensate for the extra pressure required, this would still be a great option!

But hey ho...they obviously don't need the extra sales it could generate!

Thank you,
Dan

So the later ones don't have the red plastic locking bit on one side? I always liked that as it does keep the bonnet up when working underneath and you don't have to fear the bonnet suddenly dropping on your head...

It only needs a couple of "force closure" attempts to break the early type however, and then they are just as likely to let the bonnet drop suddenly on your head...

Correct

hmmm a lighter fibre glass bonnet sounds like a good idea

Late gas struts don't work well with the fibreglass bonnets, the strut ram pressure is too much and they flex/bend the edge of the bonnet so the early lock design works better.

Hi Joe. Yes please. I'm getting a refund so I'd like a set. I still also want my rear suspension doing - perhaps November/December?

Andrew

I've still got you pencilled in for the rear end, how's the respray work been, all ok?

As for the bonnet struts I'll either email or pm you on here when they've arrived.

Got the pair of Stabilus 9895KX struts from Germany and have just fitted them.

Bonnet now very easy to pull up and it stays up perfectly at any height. But, it's now very difficult to close.

It comes down the first foot easily but then becomes harder and harder to push any further, until it's only about a foot from being totally closed and then you hear the pressure release and it drops easily. You really need to get some weight over it with both hands to have any chance of dropping it from about mid height.

My first coupe had the original twin gas struts and it was nothing like this trying to close it. It went up the same but you only had to pull it down about a foot for the pressure to release and then it came down easily, with this one it's almost completely closed before you hear the pressure release so really not sure what to make of it.

Bonnet is a lot easier to close today so strange as it sounds just leaving it closed with the struts compressed for a few days has somehow adjusted things.

So, a recommendation for the Stabilus 9895KX after all. £81 delivered for a pair from here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-ORIGINAL-ST...KX/162635198113

I did wonder about that - had similar on a hatchback once, can't remember which tbh. Must look at the ones on our Range Rover too as it's an uncharacteristic slam upon lowering!

I got a full refund including postage for the struts and did not have to return them. Excelent service. I have just ordered the correct ones from the link GrahamL gives above. It seems strange but the same seller has them listed in pounds sterling here;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Genuine-Stabilus-Gas-Springs-Lift-O-Mat-Bonnet-FIAT-COUPE-175-9895kx/152747327327?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649
and it is more expensive £88.67 than the listing Graham gives which is listed in Euros EUR91.00

So the two I have are the part #46305241 which need to be paired with #46304290 with the locking red clip. If anyone wants one of these I will gladly sell them.

Being a tight git I spotted that too and ordered the cheaper one in euros. You know what they say about copper wire being invented by two scotsmen fighting over a penny.

It'll be interesting to hear what you think once they're fitted and then again a few days later.

Got my pair of Stabilus fitted. Same experience as GrahamL so OK. Were £75 delivered.

Indeed bodyshop broke/bent mine...I now have the later struts.

I only have one strut on mine from new (1997 20v) with the locking mechanism. Are they still available or has everything gone over to double struts now?

Even from new there should be a second strut on the left (as you look from the front with the bonnet open) without any locking mechanism. Normally the strut on the right gets broken when the bonnet is forced shut without releasing the "lock" (at least that's what happened twice on mine done by incompetent garages) so many people replace both early struts with a pair of the later non-locking struts.

I just bought a pair recently, work great. After pressing the release button they will over the bonnet about halfway open then you just give a little push and it slams shut under it's own weight.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152855548500?ViewItem=&item=152855548500

*hover

That's interesting Dave. We bought ours new 21 years ago and it has only ever had the passenger side with locking mechanism.

Marc F, wow you bought yours new and still have it? Thought I was doing well having mine since 2002.

Marc_F, if you check the date built, perhaps you'll find it was built on a Friday Was it supplied new to a UK dealer? The supplying dealer should have spotted that it was missing

PS: I've had mine since Feb 97, but it was second hand by then...

A single strut of either type won't hold the bonnet up by itself, I think he means he only has a single locking type strut (rather than 2 locking struts) but also has the non-locking gas strut on the other side as you'd expect.

Yes, I stopped reading once I got to "I have only one strut". A bit like that book "Eats, shoots and leaves"

Crikey. For 21 years my bonnet has held up just by the one strut. Perhaps I shouldn’t tell it that it’s impossible... lol

Ok. I will take a look at the other side and see what fittings are there (ie bodywork and holes). But two seems like the way forward. And the latest two linked seem a good answer.

Thanks guys

And yes, held from new. About 95k on clock now. It used to do 5k a year as out only car, but recent years has seen that drop off to less than 1k

Great cars. Mine is pretty original as originally supplied by Salmons in Colchester.

Marc

Oops. First reply seems to have got lost. Quick redo. Only ONE strut ever, from new. Bonnet always held up ok over 21 years. Still goes up nicely on that original one strut.

But I will take a look at the engine bay and see if there is a fitting for the other side. Thanks guys

Marc

Crikey. For 21 years my bonnet has held up just by the one strut. Perhaps I shouldn’t tell it that it’s impossible... lol

Ok. I will take a look at the other side and see what fittings are there (ie bodywork and holes). But two seems like the way forward. And the latest two linked seem a good answer.

Thanks guys

Great to hear. Bought ours when it was 5, only done 75k. Sought out an Ink Black with Tan Leather for the contrast. Was never so keen on the red bits they put on the inside of the LE so I just added the skirts and lips to this one instead and the rest is pretty standard, quite classy in my opinion. Nearly sold it a few time but glad I didn't now!

I keep seeing report of rising prices ans future classic but is that a reality??? Are people actually paying big(ger) money for these now. I remember not being able to fetch even £3.5k a few years back.

... only one strut??? Odd, I had about 5 years on one strut as then little ball nut snapped off. one strut was never enough to hold the bonnet up so had to use a golfing umbrella to prop it up. However there was just enough push from the one strut to twist the bonnet slightly so when i put 2x new ones on the front edge of the bonnet was not level until it sat on the stops when closed. This bugged the hell out of me as with the new struts the bonnet will hold itself halfway open until you push it down further, so when its hovering it looked slanted. Therefore I had to manhandle it straight again