BuzzingLexus Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Just bought replacement hatch struts at autopartsbylou.com for my 1999 RX. I don't know how the old ones come off at the ball section of the strut. It's a metal ball enclosed in a metal housing and I cant find a way to get it out. The replacement struts I got did not come with a body mount at the ball section. It came with a clip to secure the ball after insertion into the housing. I don't think prying the ball out of the old housing is the correct procedure and a hacksaw certainly is not. Did I get the incorrect struts or am I missing something? Buzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauljcl Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Just bought replacement hatch struts at autopartsbylou.com for my 1999 RX. I don't know how the old ones come off at the ball section of the strut. It's a metal ball enclosed in a metal housing and I cant find a way to get it out. The replacement struts I got did not come with a body mount at the ball section. It came with a clip to secure the ball after insertion into the housing. I don't think prying the ball out of the old housing is the correct procedure and a hacksaw certainly is not. Did I get the incorrect struts or am I missing something?Buzz I b elieve I got the same replacement struts - tks. to blk_on_blk -. I also wondered whether to remove the 'ball' from the head of the old struts. Answer is: you don't. You proceed strut by strut (always leave at one strut holding the hatch, which is quite heavy). You start by unbolting to lower two bolts, then the top tow bolts. After a little manoeuvering, the old strut comes out - don't forget to have something holding up the hatch - I used a long plank. The new struts come with a separate 'ball' on a piece that bolts in the top (hatch 'up'), where the old strut was bolted. (This piece is included in your package and is separate). Once you have installed both the lower and upper 'bolted' pieces (make sure they face correctly ; you can check on the remaining strut if you forgot to look at it prior to removal), you must now fix the new strut onto the 'ball'. This is accomplished by removing the wire that lies across the ball housing (rotate the circlip off the rod, then pull it out of the ball housing). It will appear that the strut is too long to allow the ball to fit into the housing. You must lift very very strongly the hatch and - just barely - you will be able to insert the ball into the housing. Make sure you have inserted it 'deep' enough (I banged on it a few times with my bare hands), and also make sure the housing angle to the ball is correct. If it is not, you can rotate the housing rod slightly with a pair of pliers. Then you reinsert the circlip and clip it back onto the rod. This holds the ball in the housing. [The second strut is child's play after you've been through the first]. Good luck! Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.