dganapol

All,

I just replaced my lift gate strut. The original struts are captured in the brackets and I had to order new brackets 2007 RX350.

Use the following numbers: Ordered from Sewell

68945-48030 need two
68957-13020 need two

I ordered the shock/strut from Amazon.

Good Luck

RamAirRckt

I need to fix my wife's 04 RX, it is getting hard to open in the cold now.

sderman

dganapol:
I too need to replace the door struts on my 07RX but there are so many aftermarket sellers I cannot decide which is the highest quality, aside from OEM. I know the OEM number for the struts but speciifcally which ones did you buy at Amazon for your 07 - and have you been happy with them? Thanks!

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

I just replace them with a set from eBay for $30 for the pair. Hatch moves on its own now and it doesn't auto close on me anymore. Took only a few minutes, a prop rod, and a flathead screw driver. As for quality who knows, but all the reviews I read online for the seller were good although long term we will see.

sderman

As I said in my previous post I am looking for a specific manufacturer recommendation for my 07RX. Would prefer to pay a bit more (but not for Lexus OEM) if someone could identify ones made by Lexus' supplier of this strut.

mylexbaby

In the interest of being helpful, 2 struts replaced on 05 RX330 in Apr 2012. They were StrongArm 6127 and were about $30 each from Amazon. Still working well today.

Good luck!

sderman

Thanks mylexbaby! Most Amazon reviewers gave it a high rating.

Rainbird

The strongarm struts are an excellent replacement for OEM. Make sure you get the correct ones. The RX330 and RX350 ones are different.

sderman

Thanks - will do!

champlex

Lift gate will only open about 4inches, then will pull itself back closed. Wants to fight me when I try to manually open it. Still closes remotely with no problem. Suggestions?

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

Replace the struts, ours did the same thing until they were replaced. Because the struts don't have enough power to lift the door, it believes there is something getting in the way and auto closes.

sderman

02SDGS: dganapol above had to order the brackets at each end for his/her 07 (same as mine), but you didn't mention that you had to buy new brackets and further you said you just needed a flat head screwdriver. My 07 brackets are mounted to the door using small bolts, so are you saying that you used the screwdriver to snap open the brackets to mount the struts? And if so, what was your technique since I don't want to break them? Thanks in advance.

cdnewton

This doesn't answer your question, but I used the strongarm struts and their brackets, vice keeping the OEM brackets. I did it for the same reason as you, I couldn't see how to release the OEM struts and reuse the OEM brackets. If memory serves, four 10mm bolts; in all, it took about 30 minutes to swap out both. If there is a need for a future strut replacement (lifetime warranty), you use a flat head screwdriver, the strut will release and the new one snaps on the existing bracket; an excellent design.

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

^I have a 2008 which I assumed I guess incorrectly, was the same as the 2007. There is a retainer clip that holds the end of the strut onto the balljoint/bracket attached to the car. I simply used the flat head screw driver to pull back the clip at the end of the strut and it came off. If there is no clamp, and is like the hood struts on my GS300, I had to use a hammer to deform the end of the strut, and then use vice grips to pull the bracket out of the strut to reuse.

sderman

02SDGS: The fit on my 07 was exactly the same as on your 08. My original confusion was that dganapol said on his 07 he had to order new Lexus metal brackets (which contain the metal ball joint) but I found that the the black plastic assemblies mounted on each end of the original struts came off easily as you said - leaving the bare Lexus metal ball joints in place. And the new struts (Strongarm 6135 - which BTW are indeed listed for both the 07 and 08) had bracket ends that snap over the ***** on the Lexus brackets. My only suggestion for those replacing these by yourself is to prop up with a ladder as many have suggested AND add additional spacers as necessary to raise the lid just enough so you can easily press the strut brackets ends into the metal *****. After ordering, I received a Strongarm video that said for most applications the supports are mounted with the metal shaft down. But on my 07 the metal shaft were up and so that's how I mounted the new struts. So far, so good.