I am trying to install the strong arm hood struts that i bought, but I am having trouble removing the old ones, I cannot get the ball joint off the stud, it just wont budge. Too bad the search function is off, I remember seeing a thread that someone posted a write up of it. I would really appreciated if someone can find me that thread or let me know how to get those struts off. thanks

 

un screw the ball joint from the hood and fender. once pushed together they wont come apart.

 

make sure you remove this first...after that, it comes right off.

 

thanks for the picture, but my strut wasnt like that. It was an all rounded metal ball that I could not pry. It was the stock nissan strut. Anyways I ended up taking it off the bolts and sawing the metal ball up to take the stud out....

thanks a lot anyways guys

 

I'm having this problem too. Is there an easier way then sawing the metal ball?

 

The ball has a nut under it right? Like in the picture...

Put an open end wrench on that nut and unbolt it. It will come out of the fender and hood the same way. No sawing.

 

Then will the strut just pop off the ball? my hood struts just have rounded metal ends instead of clips like in the pic. I think they're the same ones akn711 was talking about.

 

Ball and socket stay together on the oem struts. When you wrench the ball out of the hood, the two pieces stay together. The replacements aren't like that?

 

they should come with the ball ( the new ones) because you cant take them apart. To get them off do as MadMax95 stated and unscrew the ball/nutt thing.

 

Nissan replacement hood strut does not come with the ball stud. If you buy an after market strut with the ball stud already installed, then you are all set. However, if you ever want to go back to Nissan strut ($$$$, ouch) then you need to save the ball stud. The only way I was able to take them out is by cutting the metal shroud with Dremel.