-
-
So I finally made the best mod to the FX16 ever!
Something I have been wanting to do for several years. Something safe and convenient. That is replacing those pesky struts on the hatch. Tired of the button release not working, tired of getting out of the car and the lock is still engaged, tired of opening the hatch using my key for a handle, tired of using a pipe for a prop rod, and tired of getting the back of my head smacked when it made me think it was going to stay up …then , surprise, it didn’t.
So I ordered replacements from RockAuto….. wrong part! Not even close. Had to send it back. So I went to O’VanceZone websites and they spec the same WRONG part. Good grief! The joy of our older cars.
A little more searching and I found https://www.liftsupportsdepot.com/ and they listed something completely different http://https://www.liftsupportsdepot…tchback-3door/. The dimensions appeared spot on, so I ordered a pair. Strong Arm #4763.
This is how they compare to OEM. Perfect match!
The hard part was getting those pesky ball ends out of the OEM strut lifts. There is a wire retainer inside the metal housing. This must have been pressed in at the factory. So the only choice I could see was to grind it down to where I could pull them out.
And it’s out! Needed to be sure and not grind on the actual ball part.
Here it is all done! The release button works and it will go up once you lift it halfway. Best of all, it stays up until you pull it down. Sweet!
Now do not do what I did! As I was cleaning up, I found the package seemed to have something still in it. Duh! Always check the package! This item number came with replacement ball ends. That would have saved a bunch of time on the install!
ALWAYS CHECK THE PACKAGE!!!!!
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.