SC3coupe

iTrader: (4)

Has anyone done the HOOD struts, do they have locktite on it also?

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

Thanks. If they're strong enough to raise the trunk unassisted, it stands to reason they're strong enough to hold it open on a steep slope. I might as well go ahead and order the extra strong version lem321 mentioned.

I have the stock spoiler, so it's fighting that weight when angled downhill and not pointed straight up.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

I have no spoiler and did the extra strong ones. its like a neat feature, when I hit the button it moves a hair, and then a second later springs up to open by itself. I think it would also spring open with a spoiler its pretty strong and worth every penny. My oem ones were bad for so long, but one week I hit my head on the trunk edge (by the taillight) 3 times cause it would just randomly fall, and I swear I had this soft spot on my head from it pretty much the same spot all 3 times and I couldn't take it anymore. the old ones get worse when its cold out. new ones doesn't matter yet.

It actually takes effort to close it, i have to push down pretty good and I have no spoiler so I do worry about scratching the car (usually have keys in my hand).
so far so good though, just be carefull on closing. Its not that bad since you wont have to open it manually anymore =)

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

I'm torn on which version to get. I generally prefer raising it manually after popping the latch, since it's frequently raining here and you don't want to get everything wet in the trunk if you're not grabbing stuff immediately. Plus, you can't lower it without shutting it to run loads of groceries into the house while keeping the rest of them dry. But, the added strength may be necessary for my sloped driveway. Decisions...

chason

The hood struts do not have locktite. They're way easier.

pdclark

My '97 SC300 has had bad trunk lifts for a few years. When I needed to use the trunk, I'd had a guitar stand that I used to prop up the trunk lid. The '97 has a spoiler, and the lid is pretty heavy. My wife bonked herself on the head a few times with the trunk that was pretty unacceptable, actually.

No more! I just finished replacing the lifts with strongarm 4508 from liftsupplydepot.com. - my car has a spoiler, and the trunk lid has been held up with a guitar stand for a few years. It's a treat to have the trunk pop up about an inch when I push the button on the key fob, and to lift up with very little effort.

As various others have indicated, this was an easy repair. Working around the gas tank is a little intimidating, but I managed to not blow myself up. It's important to remove the plastic clips with rubber bumpers in order to get the trunk lid fully open so that you can then fit the ball into the end of the lift.

No parts required other than a standard screwdriver, a 11mm and 12mm box wrench, and the help of my wife to lift up the trunk lid while I fit the lifts onto the ball ends. And, of course, carefully reading this thread to learn from the experience of others! Thanks to all the other posters who've done this before me and posted advice!

Total time to complete; less than an hour.

jaylex400

Thanks guys for the details on this repair. Im a new bee and just added professionally my lighted spoiler and was rudely reminded of the trunk strut issue. More importantly I'm comforted by the minor expense incurred. By the way my indie added the the spoiler for only $75 bucks.

VideoAndy

Thanks for posting this. I got mine off Amazon from Lift Supports Depot, model 4508 for $30.

Took me about an hour to install, mostly because my 60 year old eyes and body don't work as well as they did when I was 20. (Lots of bending, twisting, and squinting.) I didn't need to do anything about the old Locktite, I was able to get enough torque on the wrench to get them out pretty easily. And I did remove the rubber bumpers (temporarily) to get enough range to install the new ones.

Fit my 1998 SC400 with factory spoiler perfectly and my trunk pops open like it was brand new.

howiedoit

iTrader: (9)

Back from the dead...bump

Returd

Another happy result with the 4508's from lift supports. Change was a piece of cake. Trunk (with spoiler) pops open and lifts easily.

I simply used a 12mm box end for the one side with a bit of effort. Just because I had it handy, I hit the other side with my heat gun.

I re-applied the blue loctite to the new pivot *****.

Returd

I did the hood struts yesterday and had to get my dremel out. The fasener going into the hood was firmly set. I gave it a couple of tries with a box end but no go. I could see I was going to round the hexes and also couldn't get a brake wrench in the gap. I cut the stem with the Dremel and then easily removed the remaining "nut" with a 6 point socket.

I used some never sieze on the new ball fasteners. Total job duration 45 minutes, for what should be a 10 minute job.

tanline

Same happy results here on a 97 SC400 with trunk spoilers - Strong Arm 4508 from Lift Support Depot you can find on Amazon. The trunk pops open on its own with the remote now. Followed the instructions on Page 1 of this thread and completed in under an hour. Make sure you can have someone hold the trunk up so you can have help in adjusting up and down when you try to snap in the new lifts. As with some other folks I did not see the plastic bumpers either and was lucky that the old lift ball joint bolts came off easily and without having to apply heat. Make sure your 12 mm open end wrench fits exactly on the bolt and slowly apply pressure - came loose easily for me. I didn't really want an open flame that close the gas tank.

Returd

heat gun and brake wrench

Gatemouth

Hello,
I am in the process of STRIPPING the BOLTS on the BALL JOINT side
of my factory-installed trunk-lid struts while trying to remove the Struts for replacement..
I am turning COUNTERCLOCKWISE using a 12 mm. ( 11 mm doesn't fit).
AM I doing something wrong?

Thanks
Gatemouth

PERRYinLA

The word "heat" is mentioned in this thread 47 times - have you heated the bolt?
If you haven't, that's what you're doing wrong.