Abdullah

iTrader: (2)

I want to install a new hood struts with clips to replace the old style hood struts that doesn't have clips of my 1996 Impala SS.

I tried to pry off the old struts but I couldn't remove them.

any one knows how to remove these old style hood struts?

Thanks for help.

here are some pictures of these old style hood struts:

RallyX26

IIRC, The strut and the ball joint that they're mounted to are attached, they don't come apart. You should be able to use a box end wrench to unscrew each end of the strut from the body, they will just spin inside the rod end. There's really no reason to change what type of hood struts you have, these work just fine.

Just remember to support the hood, it's pretty damn heavy and not exactly comfortable when it crashes down onto your head.

Abdullah

iTrader: (2)

can I buy the ball joints alone? where can I get them from if they sell these ball joints?

RallyX26

Actually I looked on rockauto and they show the hood struts coming without the studs (a different site showed them as part of the assembly) . You should just be able to get a flathead screwdriver behind the strut mount points and pop them off the ball.

Abdullah

iTrader: (2)

I need a ball joint puller ( installer and separator ) that separates the ball joints from the hood struts. do they sell such a tool?

RallyX26

It's not that serious, just use a screwdriver.

Abdullah

iTrader: (2)

I tried with a screwdriver but it is very hard to pull off the old style hood struts off of the ball joints, I couldn't pull them off.

a ball joint puller will do the job if it exists.

I think I can design a simple ball joint puller specially for the Impala SS hood struts to pull them off easily and go to a machine shop to implement the ball joint puller.