Ford Bronco Gas Hood Lift Kit

Installing gas hood lifts on my Ford Bronco is the most frivolous modification I’ve done. It certainly does not add any visual appeal or performance to the truck, but it does make life easier for the person doing work under the hood.

This modification is not only for the Ford Bronco.  A hood lift/strut kit is available for many cars and trucks.

Related articles:  2025 Blank Slate Bronco; Ford Bronco 3D Printed Trim Parts

The Standard Hood Prop Rod Limits

Like the majority of new vehicles today, the Bronco comes equipped with a prop rod to help keep the hood open.  That comes in handy when performing service or cleaning under the hood.  Does it meet the basic needs of vehicle owners? It does, however, it also has some shortcomings.

The standard hood prop rod does help the hood stay open, but it can get in the way of work you need to perform under the hood.  It also has a limited lift height, which is a head banger for us taller people. Is that enough to justify spending $100 on gas charged hood lifts/struts?

The Reason To Install Gas Charged Hood Lifts

I could give you a number of reasons to install hood lifts on your vehicle, like adding eight inches of lift height and keeping the prop rod out of your work area. 

In reality, I never gave this product any attention until I saw a video from the guys at the Texas Truck Channel.  They installed a set on their long term Ford Ranger (see that segment at the 14:00 minute mark) and Bryan noted how nice it was to get the extra lift height from the struts.  Bryan is tall and kept banging his head.  I knew the feeling, so I kept that modification in mind.

In fact, it came to mind the first time I checked the oil level on my Bronco.  When I leaned in to grab the dipstick, I hit my head on the leading edge of the hood.  There was my sign.

Where to Buy

The decision to buy the lifts was made easier with the rewards points I got from Ford when I bought the Bronco.  I was able to buy the Ford Performance Hood Lift Kit using points, otherwise it would cost $130.

If the Ford product is too much, other suppliers offer similar kits for less.  Rough Country has a set for $89 and Extreme Terrain offers a kit for $55.  A quick online search will return many other providers.  I chose the Ford product because it was endorsed by Ford and it was essentially free with reward points.

Final Thoughts

This is one of those modifications that only the person working on your vehicle will appreciate, but that is reason enough for me.  I can’t say it was a frivolous purchase (especially using reward points), but I would do it again.  The installation was easy (under 30 minutes) using supplied hardware that bolts into existing holes. 

I have enough head banging moments in life without one of them being from my truck’s hood.