• This site contains eBay affiliate links for which Sea-Doo Forum may be compensated.

front cover (hood) strut problems?

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

acooper

Member
Hey anybody!

A friend of mine had hood strut rust failure with 2 different '06 GTX 4TECs. One regular & one super-charged (he bought them together & new.) The dealer whined, but conceded to the failure and replaced both under "warranty".

The regular 4TEC strut failed again recently, so my friend ordered one from somewhere? but swears it was an oem part. He played major hell getting it compressed enough to put it in (luckily I was not there!).

Q. Is ther some majic dust to be applied for such an installation?

Note; the people involved are actually pretty good mechanical heads.

AC
 
Question is: Why is water getting in there to the hood strut? It shouldn't be getting wet there.

Also, when I get mine home after using it at the lake I like to take the seats off and open the hood and let it sit that way overnight under my carport, to air and dry out inside. When you shut them off for the day, it gets very hot and humid inside the hull for several hours (from the hot engine and any water in the bilge)... best to let all that hot humid air get out of the hull before buttoning her up!

Regards.

- Michael
 
That's what I always try to do. Mine stays inside with the seats & front open. I also rinse or sometimes wash the inside with car soap if I have time. The Marmora NJ dealer said it was one of cleanest skis inside he has ever seen!

HOWEVER! My buddy owns a marina, drives them up on a custom made rig. Then he flushes them (after riding home in fresh water?). Then he cleans, DRIES! and covers the hot units, which sit in the sun every day.

I hate to say I told you so....but.

So back to installing the struts? what do you think the deal is there?

AC
 
What part of the strut is rusting? The cylinder or the rod? Might not hurt to spray it down with some WD40 from time to time. Mine's an '06 RXT with the original hood strut and it works perfectly, no signs of corrosion on it anywhere.

Is your friend riding them in saltwater or freshwater btw?

- Michael
 
Spray it with some white lithium grease and occasionally inspect to make sure you have a white film on the component. It will keep it operating smoothly and repel water.... just make sure that you don't get sand in that area since it will stick.
 
The regular 4TEC strut failed again recently, so my friend ordered one from somewhere? but swears it was an oem part. He played major hell getting it compressed enough to put it in (luckily I was not there!).
Click to expand...

Isn't the strut opened when it's installed?
 
These skis are run in fresh water down to the Atlantic Ocean, usually off shore (big salt) and back. The units sit all sealed up and the inside is NEVER rinsed out. I have taken mine out there many times, but always wash it down, inside and out, after a salt water trip.

Still don't see why it would be so difficult to replace the hydraulic strut?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top