how can i tell which struts are bad. my trunk recently stopped giving me the assisted open. but when i took them off to inspect one actually looks alright. and i can pick up some from the junk yard for 10 a pop.. but the "good" trunk strut cant be compressed by hand.. but the bad one can be compressed and decompressed by hand, but would that make the "good" one good??

 

I would just get the used one from the jy as I'm about to do.

 

yeah. im going to do that. but is the one that i cant compress with my hand good?

 

what? no? There only $10 at autozone and everywhere else!!!

 

replace them both... there both bad...

 

20 bucks each at autozone.

 

I just did this up-grade, went to the PNP and just popped ones off that seem'd to hold their original xjs rear hatch up without a problem.

Theres a little c-clip type thing that you have to unclip front the shaft, then pull out of the end, the round thing, then it pops off, both sides attach the same way.

Just lift the rear hatch, then grab the black part of the shock, then just spin it, and it will unscrew from the end, really easy upgrade. and now mine lifts all they way up with out my pushing it up the last 4 inches. I've been enjoying not smacking my head on it, being 6ft tall. haha.

 

yeah. i have the c clips from the old struts. but i didnt unscrew anything.??

 

I grabbed a hold of the black part, the part the long silver tube slides into, and just spun it, lefty loosey, and then end has threads that attach the little piece at the end that slips over the ball on the hatch. That was the only way i could get it off, it wouldnt give me enough slack to slide it off the ball with it attached to both sides, it was way easy that way. you'll need a friend or a prop or some sort to hold the hatch up while your doing this, ****s heavy.