Bonnet Gas Struts - What Price !!!

[John N]

After 20 years the gas struts on the LS430 have reached the point that they don't hold the bonnet up on a cold day so I thought I'd shop round for a new pair.

The main dealer price for a new pair (inc VAT) was £405-36p so I thought I'd try eBay. 

The ones available from the UK through eBay ranged from £316 to £16-73p a pair. (The £16-73p pair also came with a 3 year warranty!)

After pondering for 2 seconds I decided to invest in the £16-73p pair.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-FRONT-BONNET-HOOD-GAS-STRUTS-FITS-LEXUS-SEDAN-LS430-2001-2006-5344059115/183390158334?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item2ab2e7bdfe:g:Vm0AAOSwVRBb1LF4&amdata=enc%3AAQAFAAACgBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%2Fn%2BzU5L90Z278x5ickk8Fd9si%2FIbtWQr%2BhnlRwjDSajTfZYse9hPOA6VpFLB48YeEMtJFlyb4Ew0uFt2lVqZEyppZ%2B7kh9ilBmkSXAogDSooo4A7%2BcVBZC2vzde1BZymIdwfWsfaP5oTRWimfrnkv4ShbIEbxCO0iFdClJ%2BFnqpWshkTMa6nHiywkBYrstMok%2Beowovzl4rmKFlUao3Y%2FCYbGUiBE9C7DQ4R1JVE2pB60tDyqn9IjbJTuUJ6%2Fvjfm%2FDHdP4Gw75%2FNMtioSiUWW77njFFj7C765HqHZ%2Bqj9hDdJeR7bq8%2BVwI4S1miDKlN69zGHg4FFdTfU3Dc38glueODNuvO2GHxlb0rNie4xl7dj%2B8L4%2BELEqGUDiQBsMOvwjqer0HkbkwpRjk1Vmp1SUmN5rQDyoc4yUE9vxAdwgxfv%2Fsk4KTTd14UTaooGbrz6Pe%2BMR6ybhB6qwJ7ecmy1WQf1IPQUGUGvJEL08yZbwOCH4Xz%2FS6spfZAUIWPHFu05Q7FBQrPxrWnfgsWkNaSlJ%2BAx2398AK8udqxiy57V4uPxpeboR%2F4QdY9KMkYElIF4c4JeBhV4CrFX6on3fwiIX%2BKqRI5Ds%2FFnZa9AaiBs7QqhxOkdHEk%2FMZkXtqqIUaU8XXfrrmocejJw0QQg0QyQpuBcklSmoDebIs4v4unUTS%2FJngZKwnp1rFl2gjsUOfT9juYCYs8J3z9TAfx%2BatANHBTbEHNddRzCA7m0YD%2FhNsXz9BuXcOr7XyVezj1vL3i6oTNC3hvmtgxWJO08peGc4VLldBB%2BZj0UNJFJTfvQIjEjTsQA6UYeVlEDwFyU%3D|cksum%3A183390158334cb32a55ba4a943639e28b6fc97e49306|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2334524

The only problem was that when I removed the old struts the ball pins at each end of the old struts were not removable and could not be reused. This meant I had to buy 4 new ball pins for £6-99p from the same supplier. (They came the next day.)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4X-BALL-PIN-JOINT-10mm-M8-THREAD-FOR-GAS-SPRING-STRUT-END-FITTING-MULTI-FIT/184161583449?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648

Then using 4 new M8 washers (£4-07p for 20 from B&Q) it took 30 minutes to change both struts. Total price £27-79 to replace both struts and they work perfectly.

Why such a range of prices? Could it be because the ones I bought are marked FIAT 500 and the expensive ones are marked TOKICO Made in Japan?

 

[The-Acre]

34 minutes ago, John N said:

After 20 years the gas struts on the LS430 have reached the point that they don't hold the bonnet up on a cold day so I thought I'd shop round for a new pair.

The main dealer price for a new pair (inc VAT) was £405-36p so I thought I'd try Ebay. 

The ones available from the UK through Ebay ranged from £316 to £16-73p a pair. (The £16-73p pair also came with a 3 year warranty!)

After pondering for 2 seconds I decided to invest in the £16-73p pair.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-FRONT-BONNET-HOOD-GAS-STRUTS-FITS-LEXUS-SEDAN-LS430-2001-2006-5344059115/183390158334?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item2ab2e7bdfe:g:Vm0AAOSwVRBb1LF4&amdata=enc%3AAQAFAAACgBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%2Fn%2BzU5L90Z278x5ickk8Fd9si%2FIbtWQr%2BhnlRwjDSajTfZYse9hPOA6VpFLB48YeEMtJFlyb4Ew0uFt2lVqZEyppZ%2B7kh9ilBmkSXAogDSooo4A7%2BcVBZC2vzde1BZymIdwfWsfaP5oTRWimfrnkv4ShbIEbxCO0iFdClJ%2BFnqpWshkTMa6nHiywkBYrstMok%2Beowovzl4rmKFlUao3Y%2FCYbGUiBE9C7DQ4R1JVE2pB60tDyqn9IjbJTuUJ6%2Fvjfm%2FDHdP4Gw75%2FNMtioSiUWW77njFFj7C765HqHZ%2Bqj9hDdJeR7bq8%2BVwI4S1miDKlN69zGHg4FFdTfU3Dc38glueODNuvO2GHxlb0rNie4xl7dj%2B8L4%2BELEqGUDiQBsMOvwjqer0HkbkwpRjk1Vmp1SUmN5rQDyoc4yUE9vxAdwgxfv%2Fsk4KTTd14UTaooGbrz6Pe%2BMR6ybhB6qwJ7ecmy1WQf1IPQUGUGvJEL08yZbwOCH4Xz%2FS6spfZAUIWPHFu05Q7FBQrPxrWnfgsWkNaSlJ%2BAx2398AK8udqxiy57V4uPxpeboR%2F4QdY9KMkYElIF4c4JeBhV4CrFX6on3fwiIX%2BKqRI5Ds%2FFnZa9AaiBs7QqhxOkdHEk%2FMZkXtqqIUaU8XXfrrmocejJw0QQg0QyQpuBcklSmoDebIs4v4unUTS%2FJngZKwnp1rFl2gjsUOfT9juYCYs8J3z9TAfx%2BatANHBTbEHNddRzCA7m0YD%2FhNsXz9BuXcOr7XyVezj1vL3i6oTNC3hvmtgxWJO08peGc4VLldBB%2BZj0UNJFJTfvQIjEjTsQA6UYeVlEDwFyU%3D|cksum%3A183390158334cb32a55ba4a943639e28b6fc97e49306|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2334524

The only problem was that when I removed the old struts the ball pins at each end of the old struts were not removable and could not be reused. This meant I had to buy 4 new ball pins for £6-99p from the same supplier. (They came the next day.)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4X-BALL-PIN-JOINT-10mm-M8-THREAD-FOR-GAS-SPRING-STRUT-END-FITTING-MULTI-FIT/184161583449?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648

Then using 4 new M8 washers (£4-07p for 20 from B&Q) it took 30 minutes to change both struts. Total price £27-79 to replace both struts and they work perfectly.

Why such a range of prices? Could it be because the ones I bought are marked FIAT 500 and the expensive ones are marked TOKICO Made in Japan?

 

I could ask the same question. Why are LS430 front upper control arms £1,140 a pair from a main dealer whereas I paid £93 delivered from the US and they're perfectly fine.  I'm sure its the same with most luxury brands. 

[steve2006]

Apparently Lexus make a cheaper option, special order only and sorry I don’t have the part number 😀

[rich1068]

I've got one of those. What Lexus don't tell you is that it works perfectly well on an '04 V70 too.

[ambermarine]

14 hours ago, The-Acre said:

I could ask the same question. Why are LS430 front upper control arms £1,140 a pair from a main dealer whereas I paid £93 delivered from the US and they're perfectly fine.  I'm sure its the same with most luxury brands. 

Because they are a rip off that is built in, all gas struts fail eventually whoever makes them because the gas will escape over time as it is impossible to make a seal on a moving part that holds gas.

The replacements I bought from china are working after three years and at £20 a pair I can replace economically ,so for something you only see when the bonnets up who would buy from Lexus or any one else at inflated prices.

[BigBoomer]

I just fitted these 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-FRONT-BONNET-HOOD-GAS-STRUTS-FITS-LEXUS-SEDAN-LS430-2001-2006-5344059115-/183390158334
and they work well and will hopefully last. At that price, who cares if they fail one day after the 3 year warranty.

You can get the balls out of the old struts if you hacksaw/dremel the outer in half, or you can order new ones.

Edit:- Just saw that my link is for the same ones you bought John. 

Edit2:- The ones on fleaBay at £300+ are because they are out of stock. I contacted them and they said they will lower the price once they are back in stock. Seems a strange way to do business but what with the Brexit mess and changes to how VAT is collected for under £135 items shipped from outside the UK, who knows what the real reason is.

[harrylime]

It's insignificant in the scheme of things, but the only thing you've overpaid for are the washers, because B and Q multi packs are an outrageous ripoff

[John N]

16 hours ago, harrylime said:

It's insignificant in the scheme of things, but the only thing you've overpaid for are the washers, because B and Q multi packs are an outrageous ripoff

I only bought them from B&Q because Halfords next door had tried to charge me £5-70p for a pack of 8 washers!

That makes Halfords price 71p a washer, and B&Qs price 20p a washer three and a half times the price!

John N

[Spacewagon52]

On 1/28/2021 at 6:58 PM, steve2006 said:

Apparently Lexus make a cheaper option, special order only and sorry I don’t have the part number 😀

 There is a serious side to what Steve has posted. I repla ced my LS400 bonnet struts buying from SGS. The strut on my RX300 is weak. I have. Thought of a solution, similar to Steve’s pole suggestion BUT WILL IT WORK?

Is is possible to drill a small hole in the silver rod and place a split pin in it to stop it dropping?

I realise you can’t / should not drill  the pressurised damper!  But can you safely drill the silver rod (sorry unsure of the correct term)

this would be a very cheap and very practical solution.

[ambermarine]

Why would one go to that trouble of drilling holes in the" Ram " when you can replace them for £20.

[BMCWP]

Must be the weather or something as my struts have just failed 😕 so I was also looking at the cheaper option - I've replaced the tailgate struts (and lower chains) on my range rover before and it was a simple enough job of levering off the old ones and clipping in the new ones (one side at a time) and reading above I assume need the ball socket end plug things as well as the struts? I was just going to order the struts themselves until I saw that, and the washers? No bother ordering unless the seller decides Northern Ireland is now an instant £50 surcharge for delivery like the last lot I ordered stuff from 🙄

[KenMavor]

3 minutes ago, BMCWP said:

Must be the weather or something as my struts have just failed 😕 so I was also looking at the cheaper option - I've replaced the tailgate struts (and lower chains) on my range rover before and it was a simple enough job of levering off the old ones and clipping in the new ones (one side at a time) and reading above I assume need the ball socket end plug things as well as the struts? I was just going to order the struts themselves until I saw that, and the washers? No bother ordering unless the seller decides Northern Ireland is now an instant £50 surcharge for delivery like the last lot I ordered stuff from 🙄

 

www.rockauto.com.....they will advise the best struts to order for your car and they have a very good warranty and returns process.  Even if they do not have them they will try and source for you as long as you have a part number.

[ambermarine]

5 hours ago, BMCWP said:

Must be the weather or something as my struts have just failed 😕 so I was also looking at the cheaper option - I've replaced the tailgate struts (and lower chains) on my range rover before and it was a simple enough job of levering off the old ones and clipping in the new ones (one side at a time) and reading above I assume need the ball socket end plug things as well as the struts? I was just going to order the struts themselves until I saw that, and the washers? No bother ordering unless the seller decides Northern Ireland is now an instant £50 surcharge for delivery like the last lot I ordered stuff from 🙄

 

Follow the instructions on the use of the existing balls  on the car and buy some of the cheap circa £20 struts on eBay you will need a dremel with disc cutter and nothing else ,the tips are in the archives.

[Spacewagon52]

23 hours ago, ambermarine said:

Why would one go to that trouble of drilling holes in the" Ram " when you can replace them for £20.

I am not confident to cut away the old struts to fit new ones. The ones on the LS 400 were easy to take out and replace but the RX ones seem different. I am not being tight, just cautious, as I don’t want to mess it up - my practical skills regarding cars, is very limited. I could drill a hole with some confidence. You only open the bonnet once a week. Just another solution to Steve’s pole!

[Malc]

David, where are you in Kent ?

my indy guy is in Margate

Malc

[Spacewagon52]

4 hours ago, Malc said:

David, where are you in Kent ?

my indy guy is in Margate

Malc

Thank you sent you pm

[BigBoomer]

If you drill a hole in the shaft of the strut, when you close the bonnet that hole will enter the body of the strut and the oil and pressurised nitrogen will escape and then you will be trying to lift a 100+Kg Lexus bonnet unassisted. 
I'd recommend to order the cheap struts linked above, order the balls also linked above and you'll have a nice air-assisted bonnet that stays put again.
Total cost £27 and 30 minutes.