Rear drivers side hydrolic bolt snapped

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Jun 4, 2006 | 03:48 PM

toy4two

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Lexus Champion

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From: ca

Rear drivers side hydrolic bolt snapped

Ok its been 72,000 miles and my Lexus has gotten its first problem. A bolt that holds up the hydrolic piece to keep the rear door up snapped.

Anyone else ever experience this?

Pics on the way when my girl gets home.

Jun 4, 2006 | 04:17 PM

toy4two

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Lexus Champion

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From: ca

Passanger side, still intact:

Of course this had to happen 3 days before our trip to Yosemite, the whole reason I bought this SUV.

Jun 4, 2006 | 05:02 PM

bob2200

Driver

Joined: Mar 2002

Posts: 1,800

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From: Maryland

I'd run over to your Lexus dealer's parts department first thing Monday morning and order the replacement part. It doesn't look like it would be that expensive. Maybe they can get it in two days (in time for your trip). If you find out that the broken part is not sold separately, then you can re-evaluate your alternatives.

Looking at my illustrated parts list, the bracket stay, part #68957-13020 ($4.25), is my best guess.

Jun 4, 2006 | 05:49 PM

toy4two

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Lexus Champion

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From: ca

I wish it were that easy. You can't buy just the stay, you need to buy the whole piece with both stays attached, its because the piece that broke is a rivet.

I managed to engineer a fix that will be good enough for our trip, then I'll head down to the junkyard that I know has an RX300 and I'll just buy the backet there.

Here's the emergency fix which works surprisingly well if anyone else has this problem:

1 6mm bolt 16mm long
1 6mm nut
5 6mm washers

$2.50 at Home depot

Jun 4, 2006 | 07:56 PM

mhc0725

Driver

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 111

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From: New Jersey

Excellent

Hey, excellent fix. Why don't you just keep the temp. fix if it works? Knock on wood, mine hasn't broken, but I think a new struts assembly is like $50+ per arm. I figure at junk yard it's still going to run you $20+ or so, with no guarantee of how long it's going to last.

Anyway, nice going with the McGyver fix there...

Jun 4, 2006 | 08:50 PM

Lexmex

CL Community Team

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 17,337

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From: Miami, Florida

Water can and will get in there and I can imagine rust getting to that bolt and knocking that sucker loose.

Attached Thumbnails

Rear drivers side hydrolic bolt snapped-img_0663.jpg

Jun 5, 2006 | 04:58 AM

bob2200

Driver

Joined: Mar 2002

Posts: 1,800

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From: Maryland

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lexmex

Water can and will get in there and I can imagine rust getting to that bolt and knocking that sucker loose.

Then maybe stainless steel hardware is the long-term answer, along with maybe a stainless steel cotter pin in a hole drilled through the nut to secure it, or maybe a nylon insert locking nut.

Jun 6, 2006 | 05:42 AM

Tammy

Lexus Champion

Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 1,973

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From: Arizona

I had both of mine replaced before the warranty expired... $260 each, manufactured by KYB. Also the front pair $185 each.

I specifically took it in for the "lift" replacements. My complaint was they were slow to lift and intermittantly fails to lift the gate and hood.

Jun 6, 2006 | 05:44 AM

#10

bob2200

Driver

Joined: Mar 2002

Posts: 1,800

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From: Maryland

I recall some threads on this subject from maybe two years ago.

I've wondered if spraying the piston with silicone spray would help, or not.

I don't remember how things turned out. I had mine replaced under warranty recently, on my 2002 RX300. I seem to recall somebody saying that the Highlander ones were not the right size.

Jun 6, 2006 | 06:15 AM

#11

Fern

Lead Lap

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 573

Likes: 5

From: Vaughan, Canada

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob2200

Part #'s:
Lexus RX300 (Right side) 68950-49016 (Left side) 68960-49016
Toyota Highlander (Right side) 68950-49025 (Left side) 68960-49025

Price CAD$ Lexus: $500 (both)
Toyota:$400 (both)

I didn't physically look at the toyota part vs. lexus, but suspect the part number variation is due to production, ie: made in japan vs. made in north america for highlander

kinda like the oil filter model number change

Jun 13, 2006 | 02:07 PM

#12

toy4two

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From: ca

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fern

Last time I checked at at Lexus dealer the tailgate stays were $255 + 15% tax (CAD here in Ontario

I welcome everyone to enquire at your local Lexus dealer the cost for tailgate stays (struts) and enquire why the heck the tailgate struts are more money than the suspension struts

WOW, what a rip off.

Here is what happens. If you notice after a few years that the tail gate does not go up on its own anymore, one of your struts is shot.

In my case the passanger side one lost almost all its pressure. Therefore the drivers side strut had to pick up ALL the slack, and it eventually caused it to be over worked and snap the bolt.

Looks like a junkyard item, since its adviseable to replace both at the same time, $500 is a little steep. I''ll try to find a low milage RX to salavage them from.