Lexmex

My uncle and I tried some WD-40 (dried up later). Then he rubbed the metal area with some alcohol and cleaned it off. We then used a little wax (something like Turtle Wax or something generic) and that seemed to help a little more, but have yet to see if this will dry up though it appears to have bonded well.

I should mentioned we applied the wax last Saturday.

bob2200

That source sounds real promising. I'm looking forward to your evaluation. If LexMex's suggestion of wax doesn't do the job, $68 sounds reasonable. I have a 2002 RX300, and, after having them replaced once under warranty, they still don't lift like I think they should.

SteveH

Just ordered set will see how they perform and post results.

toy4two

sweet, I just ordered a set!!! Thank you so much, that is a much better price.

cephraim

You're welcome!
I hope they work!

Eph

Fern

Please let us know what the results were, ie:
ease of installation and any modification from the hardware that bolts to the tailgate etc...

chenxingha

Ebay has a list for a pair at Buy Now $65.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MakeTrack=true

cephraim

Right. That was in my original post (#45).

When you factor in the shipping for the auction, it's cheaper to buy through their website.

Eph

cephraim

Very psyched! Ordered them Wednesday. They arrived by USPS Priority Mail in a poster tube today.

Very simple installation!

First I removed the left lift arm. In order to get the last bolt off, I had to prop the hatch open. Not very safe, but doable with some tall garden tomato stakes.

Installed the left one. Went on very easily.

Removed the right one, again having to prop open the hatch. When I went to install the right one, I discovered that what they sell are two identical liftarms, as opposed to "mirrored" arms. So, the opening in the "ball connector" on the hatch side was actually facing AWAY from the ball on the mount that I had just attached to the hatch. UH OH!

Luckily, I realized that you could turn the tip of the arm with the ball connector 180 degrees and it would fit right in. The tip is threaded onto to the arm. So, this is a little weird, cause that tip is not screwed on all the way to the arm. But, it is fine. Plenty of thread left.

The arms support the hatch open. And, best of all, they lift it from the half-way open point to the full-open point just as the the originals used to do!

$66.50 delivered in 3 days. 45 mins to install. Like new again!

Yee ha!



Eph

Lil4X

Great News!

Ladies and gentlemen we may have an answer for those who have been so kind as to ask $560 for those struts. Time will tell, but even if you had to replace them every six months or so, they'd still be a cheaper solution than those sold by your Lexus dealer.

I don't oppose a fair price for a superior product, but $560???

cephraim

FYI - The guy selling these appears to have put some photos up on his site.


http://www.autopartsbylou.com/images/products/10652.jpg

These are, in fact, the ones I received and installed. The ball-connector at the top end is the one I had to spin/unscrew 180degrees to get the right side to work.

The picture also shows the padding attached to the bottom/frame mount, which I forgot to mention before. Forms a nice seal with the frame.

What's not shown is the mount for the hatch side, which has the ball on it into which the ball-connector fits.


Eph

SteveH

I just finished installing the new rear hatch lifts from Lift Supports Depot.
As EPH stated one of the lifts has to be rotated 180 degrees on one of the struts so the top bracket matches the old lift installs and the ball socket ends up pointing upwards. It may be easier to remover both lifts at the same time but make sure to prop the hatch up securely which the Depot suggests not to do. Any way I only did one side at a time, you can remove the whole lift, make sure to keep the old bolts. I found it easier to remove the top bracket first then its easy to swing the lift to get at the bolts for the bottom bracket. There is a foam tape on the top piece of the new latch but I dont recall the bottom has any foam, the old lift has two plastic washers on the lower bracket which came off on one side but the other stayed with the strut, as the new ones didnt have them I wasnt too concerned. Secure the top of the new lifts to the hatch and then secure the new ball socket on the hatch, its alot easier to get at the 10mm hex heads to tighten but dont overtighten. Push the hatch up until the open socket on the lift is over the ball on the lower bracket and push onto the ball. Repeat the process on the other side of the hatch. As other people have mention time will tell how long the latches hold up but the price is right and I'm happy the hatch opens all the way all by itself from the half open position. Now if there was only a inexpensive way to replace the rear main seal..........

toy4two

put mine on, work perfectly, now mine shoots straight up. Viagra for my old hatch.

After trial and error, the easiest way to install is after removing the old one, put on both sides of the bracket to the car. Do not press in the ball until the last step. Once top and bottom are installed, rotate the ball 180 degrees (the inner shaft rotates if you give it some pressure. Then snap the ball into place.

Safely this is a two person job. If you want to tempt fate you can do one person and a mop stick to hold open the rear while you work under it. But if that falls you are in a world of hurt.

Good luck, nice find!

jcjr

Hello,

Have been following this thread...My 2001 Rx also had 'Weak" rear gate support arms....I just received and installed the arms mentioned above...

Thanks for the helpful hints....


At first it seemed that they were slightly too long but with the hatch fully extended I was able to snap the arm on the ball...The first one sounded like I bkoe it...but it looks ok...

They do seem a bit noisy...

Anybody else find them noisy????

cephraim

Yes, mine squeak/crunch a little when first opening...