Hi all. For years - when I had 6"x9" speakers custom fitted into the rear hatch - I would have to replace those hatch lift supports (left and right) because the weight of the speakers would wear those lifts out. I bought the best supports I could find - Strongarm HATCH LIFT SUPPORTS - Part # C4782. Now those speakers did put an extra 10 pounds on that hatch and I understand why those lifts would not work after a few years.
So I went back to the stock sized speaker because I was tired of replacing those supports. Now the sound is just not the same. I could really crank that mother up with those Kicker 6" x 9" and a 100-watt stereo amp !
I MISS IT. Me want the thump back.
I want to go back to those 6 x 9s. Has anyone done this with a good solution? Found "better" hydraulics? Figured out a way (other than a broom stick) to keep the lid open? Anyone tried to fabricate some stops, maybe out of washers, ones that don't get jammed up when closing the hatch?
Any and all help & suggestions would be appreciated.
Note: I won't put speaker boxes on the floor in the rear. I live in S.F. and that is asking for trouble since I have to park out on the street (there are 33 auto break ins every single day here).

I have 6X9s in my 86. I replaced my struts with some from NAPA that have lasted about 10 years now

I do have a question.
Do you push up on the hatch as it is opening or let it go up by itself?
Sometime ago I read to not push up on it and let it go up by itself.
I decided to believe it and try to remember to never push up on the hatch.
Anyway, if you do aren't the Strong Arms guaranteed for life?

A buddy of mine just told me on Saturday that Ford Aerostar decklid struts fixed his issue with big speakers in the lift gate.

If you measure the extension and compression lengths, you may be able to find some from an industrial supply store, like Grainger. There are support struts that hold much more than needed for the liftgate. I may do this as well because over the last nearly 10 years I know of a few XJs that have to change those things more than you should have to. Even when they were new, they would barely lift the gate, so using your hands to assist it was almost mandatory every time if you wanted the hatch completely open and stay up. Friend of mine replaced his and had to get his support stick back out within about 6 months....

It's not either OR. If you unlock the rear hatch, push the button, and do nothing more, the lid will not open by itself.
I have always had to provide some assistant in getting the lid "started". If you consider the lid opening from 90 degrees to 20 degrees on the horizontal, I stop "assisting" at around 40-45 degrees up from 90, letting the lid open on its own from there to 20.

Cruiser54 - nice of you to respond. Any chance your friend's Aerostar is a 1988-1997? The year range is easily available.
I will double check the lengths to see if they match my '88 Cherokee.
Thanks (again).

Similar in length/stroke to the Strongarm, but adjustable. Not cheap though.

https://www.mcmaster.com/6465K6/

If the stut is real powerful, you will tear the ball sockets off the body that the strut mounts too. yes that can happen. Then you get to weld them up. Also for early xjs (early body) the strut must have a small ball socket end at the top at the body ball. no big plastic socket end on the top, else the end digs into the interior trim. Sure Amazon sells that style for the early XJ, they say the length is correct, but the big honking plastic socket end dont clear the interior trim. you need the small all metal ball socket end up top.

Anyway, even a stock strut can eventually tear off the ball from the body, the added stress of a more powerful strut wont make it any better. use caution.

As for car thieves, just shoot the bast@rds. the SF prosecutor is worthless, they wont punish the crimes so they get more of it. the SF crime problem has made it to the suburbs now, to hell with liberal free good no prosecution district attorneys. They ruin life for the good people. They make it easy to be a criminal.

One problem with your suggestion - they require a ball stud of 13mm; OEM are 10mm.

@robsjeep our da is the same way here in corpus Christi texas. people can rob and steal, do drugs, sell drugs, and the city just lets them go. i decided i will stop calling the cops anymore and just shoot, also. our castle law was expanded that we have way more freedom is shooting thieves than back i nteh day where they had to be in your house. now, they just have to be on your property, and property includes vehicles while driving

You've brought up some good points. I ordered a Strongarm C4781 that is slightly different on the extension/compressions numbers. I am aware how the ball can pop off if the compression length isn't right (been there, done that).
OEM: extension 23.83; compression 16.18; stroke 7.65; force 152.00 lbs.
4781: extension 24.4; compression 17.05; stroke 7.35; force 230.00 lbs.
4271, same as 4781, but with a force of 209.00 lbs.
I'll try the 4781s first since I have them ordered and will see how they work on the studs. Thanks for bringing to my attention how those studs could be pulled off with too much force - never thought about that.
I'll keep you all posted till I get this problem fixed.
As far as the SF Prosecutor goes, there is no way auto-break-ins can be individually monitored. I have seen them break-in cars in 10 seconds and be gone in another 5 (small bikes used for quick escapes). This happened in front of my apartment and between the shock, realization of what was happening, and their disappearance, I didn't even have time to pull out my phone and call 911. I do believe that the penalties for such should be extreme, to set an example, at the very least. But given how - as I have heard in the news - that some cities are de-criminalizing some felonies to misdemeanors, not a chance of this situation improving much. City-living, overpopulation (the population of the planet has more than doubled since 1970), non-enforcement are all contributors. And people stealing Amazon packages - don't get me started.
Now back to our regularly scheduled program.
I will post here after I get new struts installed. One other take away here might be that I could raise/close the hatch more slowly, to relieve the force on those studs if I sense that the new replacements might be too "forceful."
To be continued . . .

<br /><br />McMaster has a variety of replacement parts for these to get the combo you need.

I would check to see if they are the same length and hook up the same way as the 1997- 2001 xj , does your xj have a fiber glass hatch ? because the 1997-2001 have a steel hatch that is heaver .