A Question About The Trunk Shocks

[ED.]

Hey guys. Visiting from the LS400 board. My aunt has a 93 SC300 and the trunk shocks are crapped out. How hard a DIY repair is this. Ive done them before on my BMW but that didnt have the paneling like the Lex does. Is it just removal of that paneling and then removal of the old shocks? Im just not too familar with the SC. Nice car though!

Thanks!

[miraluna]

I replaced them after reading over some tread where it shows how to do it step by step... I was pretty easy except putting the trunk shock to the bolt. YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG...

hahaha... took me about 5 mins and I was tired... went back to take nap and came back out and put it at once...

[GaDawg]

Hey guys. Visiting from the LS400 board. My aunt has a 93 SC300 and the trunk shocks are crapped out. How hard a DIY repair is this. Ive done them before on my BMW but that didnt have the paneling like the Lex does. Is it just removal of that paneling and then removal of the old shocks? Im just not too familar with the SC. Nice car though!

Thanks!

It's VERY easy...

1. Prop up the trunk so you don't cream yourself in the nugget

2. Pull the panel down

3. Remove the bolt from the aft portion of the trunk strut; I bought a 10mm ratchet/crescent wrench that

bends at the head so you can get back there with the right angle.

4. The forward (toward inside of car) portion will pop out of its slot with a little pulling.

....Here's where I ran into a small hiccup because I wasn't sure what the instructions meant...

5. Remove the black, semi-circle spacer off of the car's strut...this allows you to fully extend the trunk.

6. Install the aft portion (10mm bolt) to the car

7. Then push up on the trunk to slide the foward part of the strut into the slot up front.

8. Reinstall the spacer on the trunk strut.

9. Repeat for other side

...and Voila', you're done!

I got mine set (pair) on eBay for I think $42 including shipping.

Good luck

[SuperCoupe400]

I replaced mine about a year & a half ago - also pretty easy to do. However, I noticed that they still did not have the responsiveness of (what I thought should be characteristic of) new struts. They'd have to be assisted almost 1/2 way up before "taking over" and completely opening the trunck lid. And that was in the full heat of the summer months. As soon as temps start dropping below about 40-degrees my struts have to be helped ALL THE WAY UP. And if there's even a dusting of snow sitting on the trunk lid, forget it - the struts don't do a thing to help keep the lid open from any point south of 3/4 of the way open.

It's been that way from the day I installed 'em. :cries:

What kind of responsiveness are the rest of you (who've replaced yours) getting? What brand did you buy?

[GaDawg]

I replaced mine about a year & a half ago - also pretty easy to do. However, I noticed that they still did not have the responsiveness of (what I thought should be characteristic of) new struts. They'd have to be assisted almost 1/2 way up before "taking over" and completely opening the trunck lid. And that was in the full heat of the summer months. As soon as temps start dropping below about 40-degrees my struts have to be helped ALL THE WAY UP. And if there's even a dusting of snow sitting on the trunk lid, forget it - the struts don't do a thing to help keep the lid open from any point south of 3/4 of the way open.

It's been that way from the day I installed 'em. :cries:

What kind of responsiveness are the rest of you (who've replaced yours) getting? What brand did you buy?

I kind of hoped that once I release the trunk it would pop right open, but I don't think it ever did that. Mien release and I lift it ~10-12" and it takes over. Its not quite as forceful as I wanted, but it is responsive. Where did you get yours, eBay or an auto shop?

[SuperCoupe400]

Got mine from one of those online autoparts stores. I've never tried ebay for anything other than a car purchase (where I almost bought my SC, but ended up going with one on AutoTrader.com).

And, yeah, your probably right about them not being designed to open forcefully. Something tells me they probably always had to be lifted a good 12" or so before taking over. I just think it sucks when you're out in the snow trying to load stuff in your trunk and if you don't push the thing all the way up, the wieght of a little bit of snow on the lid will force it back shut - but of course by the time it starts dropping, you've already got your hands full. Arghh!

I'll tell you what would be nice - a trunk popper that would open it all the way up by it's self. Now THAT I'd pay money for.

[ED.]

cool thanks for the help guys!! i just need to print this off get on ebay and then get to work on it!

[ejs]

Did mine today, took 20 minutes, should have taken less.

I have the SC 300 but ordered the stiffer SC400 for the spoiler. $48 delivered from the ebay Santa Margarita place. Took 2 days to arrive. They come with the clips and bolts.

When I took the back panel off, the large rubber trunk stop that prevents the trunk from opening all the way fell off, the other side didn't have one. My struts had been replaced once before so no lloctite prblem, I needed a 13mm wrench, and oddly the other side needed a 7/16 to unscrew. No problem.

First I tried to unclip the bottom piece which was a real pain until I realized I had the same clip on the new ones and then just pried and twisted them off. That cost me a little time as I didn't realize what the clips looked like.

Then I looked at the ball and socket they give you (both are in small plastic bag in one of the stut package and when I was looking how it would go into the new strut i put it in so I had to hold the strut up while I screwed it in which added al little time. It it easier if you just screw in the ball and socket, then press on the strut.

Then I had the little clip facing towards the outside of the car rather than on the inner side facing the inside of the trunk and they are harder to go on that way so after I hit it with a rubber hamer I realized it wasn't going on easy because I had it backwards so I twisted it around and it slid on and in place without a rubber hammer.

Second stut took less than 5 minutes. I used lithium grease on the latch and when I pop the trunk from inside the car the trunk opens as I have no spoiler.

[MitchB]

cool thanks for the help guys!! i just need to print this off get on ebay and then get to work on it!

I bought mine at AutoZone last spring for about $27 each. They have a speed limiter (like a shock absorber) in them so that once the lid is moving it goes up at a quick but constant rate.

When you get them, you MUST specify that whether or not you have a spoiler. (You just might have to help it up if you have the low-force units for no spoiler.)

Also, I found that for '99 SC300's nobody had a listing. Same shocks on a '96 that they do list.