Replacing Hatch Struts
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 198
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From: Pensacola FL
St. Jude Donor '10
Replacing Hatch Struts
The hatch struts in my 2003 are shot and I've ordered new ones. Anyone changed them out who can tell me how? I've searched the forum, but can't seem to find any info.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,857
Likes: 2
From: pawleys island sc
The struts come with instructions. the installation is easy. On my car I had to get into the trunk, have my wife close the trunk lid and then change the struts ( fortunately she remembered to come back to let me out). I don't know if you'll need to do that with a hatch.Be careful when you remove the old struts the hatch will want to come down hard and, if its anything like my trunk lid ,it will be heavier than you expect. Best thing to do is either pry it open or have someone hang onto it while you change out the struts.Good luck.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,181
Likes: 286
From: Puyallup Washington
Get a friend over
I changed the struts on my C4 coupe and it was definitely great to have an extra pair of hands hold the hatch open while replacing the struts. They were very easy to do.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
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From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
1. Open the lid.
2. Insert a screwdriver under the retaining clip on the upper end of the strut and pry the clip outward.
3. Pull the strut from the upper ball stud.
4. Insert a screwdriver under the retaining clip on the lower end of the strut and pry the clip outward.
5. Pull the strut from the lower ball stud.
1. Snap the strut onto the lower ball stud.
2. Snap the strut onto the upper ball stud.
3. Close the lid.
Once you have the new strut in your hand, you see a retaining clip at the top of it. If you take a small screwdriver to pull the clip out and away from the strut (its a spring tension clip) the strut simply pops off fromt the ball on the hatch. This whole operation shouldn't take more than about ten minutes to do both.
HINT: Take a broom handle or something like that to prop the hatch open. Once you remove the strut (do one at a time), there will be nothing holding it open - and it will hurt your head when it comes crashing down!
Last edited by blacksedan87; Sep 2, 2010 at 12:24 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 1
From: LEBANON PA.
Hi There,
Did a search & found what Bill Curlee had stated on the subject.
All that you need to do is use a small screw driver to pry up a small metal spring on each end of the strut. The spring holds the strut on the ball fitting. When you pry up on the spring, pull the strut off of the fitting that attaches to the body or the hatch and it will pop right off. The new strut should pop on with out any problem.
You should not have to disassemble any of the trim panels!
You should ask someone to help you hold up the hatch while you work on the struts.
Bill
Did a search & found what Bill Curlee had stated on the subject.
All that you need to do is use a small screw driver to pry up a small metal spring on each end of the strut. The spring holds the strut on the ball fitting. When you pry up on the spring, pull the strut off of the fitting that attaches to the body or the hatch and it will pop right off. The new strut should pop on with out any problem.
You should not have to disassemble any of the trim panels!
You should ask someone to help you hold up the hatch while you work on the struts.
Bill
