need to replace hood lift supporter

[nn2000]

update:
Now I solved the paper layer problem, but don't know how to uninstall the end of the hood lift supporter as shown in the pictures. Any help?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17998735@N03/4832427439/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17998735@N03/4833037980/




I am replacing a pair of hood lift supporter, but don't know what to do with the thin paper layer under the hood. It's very fragile. Any help?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17998735@N03/4822663906/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17998735@N03/4822046135/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17998735@N03/4822663572/

 

[PottedMeat]

pry off the black plastic fasteners that hold the covering to the hood.

 

[kornphlake]

Remove the plastic buttons or trim the paper layer around the bolts you need to access.

 

[Bignate603]

pry off the black plastic fasteners that hold the covering to the hood.

I've had terrible luck removing anything with those little plastic fasteners. I always break a few and can never find replacements. On one of my vehicles I had to remove an interior door panel and busted about half a dozen of them. I ended up buying the closest little plastic fasteners I could find and then trimming the heads on them to get them about the same size so they would work. It was annoying for a piece that should only cost a 5 cents. Why haven't they standardized those stupid things?

 

[PottedMeat]

I've had terrible luck removing anything with those little plastic fasteners. I always break a few and can never find replacements. On one of my vehicles I had to remove an interior door panel and busted about half a dozen of them. I ended up buying the closest little plastic fasteners I could find and then trimming the heads on them to get them about the same size so they would work. It was annoying for a piece that should only cost a 5 cents. Why haven't they standardized those stupid things?

Yeah I hate them too. I had to take a plastic shield off the bottom of a minivan engine - it had ~16 of those plastic push rivet things. About half came out in pieces because grit and dirt made it impossible to pop them out. It turned out ~8 fasteners was just enough to keep it secure when I put it back. If I needed more I'd just steal one from somewhere else on the vehicle.

 

[IcePickFreak]

You should be able to get some of the buttons at Autozone in those red HELP! packages, or NAPA. The ones for the hood liner should have the larger heads on em so they aren't as bad to get out. Just use a pair of needle nose pliers under the head around each side of the post. A button removal tool is pretty cheap too, it's just a fork basically.

 

[nn2000]

thread updated

 

[IcePickFreak]

There's usually a metal clip on the back side of the ball socket. Just pop it out a bit with a flathead, and the ball & socket will pop apart.

Actually on closer look of the pic, it doesn't look like there's any clip on the backside at all, but it's hard to see. If there isn't, it's just a ball & socket joint so either back bend, so to speak, to pry the support off. Or use the needle nose again on each side of the ball post and pry the socket off. You need to use a little bit of force but they will pop apart relatively easily.