The more often you use the trunk, the faster its fastenings wear out. When the struts do not hold the trunk lid and it falls under its own weight, you have to think about replacing the shock absorbers. These elements are consumables, and they especially often fail in winter. The scheme for dismantling and installing new racks depends on the model and year of manufacture of the car.
Trunk lid shock absorber: briefly about the device, breakdowns and replacement
The operation of shock absorbers not only contributes to the comfort of using the luggage compartment, but also increases the life of the mechanisms, eliminates the possibility of deformation of body components, and preserves the integrity of the gaskets.
The trunk shock absorber performs a number of important functions:
- provide automatic lifting of the trunk;
- promote smoother movement;
- prevent spontaneous lowering, thereby eliminating injury.
What types are there?
Shock absorbers, like most other car components, can be divided into subtypes. Each mechanism has its own advantages and disadvantages, which can be minor and sometimes unpleasant.
Diagram of the gas stop from the inside
There are currently 3 types of luggage compartment supports:
- The gas shock absorber is reliable and relatively resistant to changes in ambient temperature, which will be discussed further.
- Gas-oil - not very resistant to cold, but has a lower cost compared to the first.
- Oil-based - has a low cost, but has proven itself well in operation.
Oil shock absorbers are more suitable for domestic cars and are considered obsolete.
It is worth paying attention to two significant disadvantages of the oil-powered option: these models are susceptible to temperature changes and are considered unsafe. There are often situations when the trunk struts fail at high temperatures, and the trunk lid suddenly drops.
How often do breakdowns occur?
Failure of the luggage compartment shock absorbers is a common problem that every third car owner faces.
Most often, malfunctions affect station wagons, which are used for transporting small-sized cargo. Obviously, on budget cars, shock absorbers have even lower performance characteristics and need regular replacement.
Restoring the trunk gas strut
Why doesn't the lid lift?
Problems with lifting the trunk lid in station wagons, minivans, hatchbacks, and crossovers often look the same. Suddenly the back door doesn't want to lift up on its own. The cause of this problem is a failed gas shock absorber, which is equipped with most modern cars. By the way, a similar design is found in the hood of many cars. But even after the body element is forced upward, you have to keep it from spontaneously lowering. The impact of the lid falling down can cause serious back or head injuries. Therefore, the problem must be resolved immediately.
Sometimes the gas shock absorber breaks down in such a way that it not only does not help raise the trunk lid, but also prevents the driver from doing so. In this case, you should apply a certain force and wait until the faulty valve gradually gives in, slowly extending the rod. This may take a few minutes. It is clear that this state of affairs will not please the ever-hurrying summer residents or couriers.
The cause of these troubles are gas-filled shock absorbers. They cannot be repaired or restored, so the car owner should hurry to purchase new parts.
Reasons for replacing old shock absorbers
It is not difficult to determine that the mechanism is malfunctioning. The first sign of failure is poor grip when lifting the lid, which creates an unpleasant situation for the user.
If repairs or replacement are not carried out in a timely manner, you may be injured in the form of a blow to the back after a sudden break in the rear door body. The reasons for premature failure of the rear door stops may be:
- non-compliance with operating conditions;
- sudden temperature changes and moisture penetration into the mechanism;
- intensive use.
If the shock absorber is working properly, when lifting the luggage compartment, the body should move up on its own, to a fixed position. The lid should not rise beyond the prescribed limit, even if it is pushed a little forcibly.
When the posts become worn from overuse, the first sign that they need to be replaced is that they won't lock into place at all in the raised position.
Also, due to a breakdown, the door may not rise completely, or at times get stuck.
Serviceable shock absorbers hold the trunk door well
How to restore the mechanism with your own hands
Repairing the trunk lid strut yourself is not recommended by any manufacturer. This kind of warning is additionally indicated on the shock absorber body itself.
In a situation where it is not possible to buy new struts, you need to contact an auto mechanic who has practical experience and knowledge in repairing the device.
It is necessary to take into account that repairs especially make sense in the case of expensive stops. In terms of costs, they can be compared with the cost of purchasing new parts and their subsequent installation.
Let's talk about recovery
Objectively, the most correct move on the part of a car owner who is faced with a breakdown of the shock absorbers on his vehicle is to replace them.
I don’t argue that in the case of collapsible elements, it is possible to carry out repairs. The video clearly shows how to do this. But what about the non-separable ones?
The concept of recovery is increasingly being applied to such shock absorbers. Theoretically, and sometimes practically, it is possible to restore shock absorbers of a non-separable type. But this method has a number of pitfalls. The restoration guarantee is 6-12 months, and most often this is no more than six months. Plus, operating a car with such shock absorbers is not 100% safe and reliable. In any case, the design of the unit is violated. All this provided that the restoration of the non-disassembly was carried out by an experienced craftsman and using professional equipment. What can we say about the quality and reliability of attempts to restore it with your own hands in a garage.
Shock absorbers are not those elements of the car on which you can and should save. They directly affect your own safety. Think about this when the thought arises of restoring or repairing old shock absorbers that have served their purpose. Maybe it’s better to buy new ones?!
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Recommendations for choosing a front rack for a bicycle
When choosing a new shock absorber, experienced drivers recommend immediately paying attention to the active substance inside the device. Each type of these devices (gas, oil, gas-oil) has its own characteristics, namely:
- Gas. These models are distinguished by the highest quality and performance characteristics. The device can operate properly throughout the entire period of operation of the vehicle without causing failures or serious reasons for their replacement or repair. With the proper level of operation, the shock absorber can last up to 10 years. Moreover, gas is least dependent on temperature changes. This means that the operation of the device is not affected by either cold winter or hot summer. That is why such shock absorbers have the highest price tags.
- Oil shock absorbers are the most inexpensive, but they malfunction in severe frosts. The disadvantage of such a device is its high dependence on low air temperature. For example, in severe frost it is quite difficult to open the trunk lid, and at temperatures of +25 and above there is a chance of getting a strong blow to the head. This is due to the fact that the liquid level inside the device drops significantly, and the trunk lid cannot be held in one position for a long time.
- Gas-oil - have intermediate characteristics and are the most optimal in terms of cost and quality. These models include all the advantages and disadvantages of the above shock absorbers. They are perfect for both budget and expensive cars.
The best and easiest way to choose the most suitable and high-quality model is to consult the electronic catalog. It describes in detail all the characteristics of the items being sold.
Diagram of different types of stops
Conclusion
Although the shock absorbers of the trunk and hood are resistant to mechanical stress, they fail on average once during the entire life of the car. Luckily, finding a new shock absorber is easy. Good analogues can be found in the catalogs of companies such as LUK, Finwhale, Blue Print, Monroe, Kraft, Magnetti Marelli. Inexpensive options of medium quality can be found at, Sampa and FPS. There are quite a few options, but we still recommend buying shock absorbers from the most well-known companies, whose products are never cheap - here high quality is truly reflected in the high price.
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There is no way to know for sure whether a mechanism needs replacing even before problems arise. Unlike suspension shock absorbers, it is not possible to check the luggage compartment stops using special devices or rocking.
A visual inspection is also often inconclusive if the vehicle uses a gas mechanism. However, there is one, so-called traditional way to diagnose shock absorbers in order to identify a serious malfunction and replace the device with a new one: correct diagnosis is only possible at low temperatures - in the cold season.
If, in a temperate climate, the device does not perform its function properly, that is, it regularly has to be “helped,” this suggests that it makes sense to install new elements.
If the trunk is equipped with a gas shock absorber, instability in its functioning always indicates the need for replacement. Gas-filled devices are not affected by changeable weather.
Recommendations for installing trunk supports
If you follow the manufacturer's instructions, the replacement process will not be difficult. Rear door shock absorbers must be replaced in pairs, not just one of the two.
After the trunk lid is lifted up, it must be supported by two strong wooden slats. Next, you can begin replacing the suspension. The process is quite simple and will take 10-15 minutes.
- Use a C-clamp to tighten the hinges, with the key going through the bottom of the joint and then under the hinge. This is the only way the fastening will be considered the most durable.
- Then you need to carefully lift the clamp from the cracker and pull the second one off the ball.
- The same operation must be carried out with the second end of the stop.
Attaching shock absorbers
Equally important is the correct removal of the old device. You can remove the unnecessary stop by inserting a screwdriver between the ball joint and the metal, then tighten it like a lever.
For this operation, it is best to use sharp pincers and a small flathead screwdriver.
Repair. The gas shock absorbers of the 5th door do not hold up.
Many owners of dates, and not only dates, know that over time the gas shock absorbers of the trunk lid begin to lose their position, and they often find out about this on their own heads or backs. And so, this misfortune did not bypass me, I got hit on the head completely.
What we have are two dead shock absorbers that need to be replaced. We go to existential, autodoc and other specialized sites, find spare parts by number and what we see: - 3200 rubles
from the UAE, a period of 2 months - from numerous reviews on the Internet I understand that the money will go nowhere, and I will not receive the coveted depreciation, and a period of 2 months is not very attractive;
— 6500-7000 rubles
existential, autodoc, period 5-12 days (+8-10 days delivery by road) — 14 grand for two gas struts, this price is not ice.
Realizing that I can’t do it without my crazy hands, I go to the specialized forum, fortunately there are tons of articles, I read everything I can, starting from what length, where to cut and how much buoyancy force.
I determine for myself that a force of 600-665 will be enough, I find the option I need, and with the spare part number I go into the existential, order, pay 900 rubles and wait for the parcel. I ordered the following part number: PATRON PGS9171HI
Those. characteristics: Length: 521 mm
Lifting height:
171 mm
Ejection force:
665 N
The tip for attaching the hinge is metal -
a VERY IMPORTANT
nuance. Because over time, the plastic tip breaks.
Photo of the work process (I apologize in advance for the quality and modesty of the report):
I didn’t take any photos of the disassembly, but I can give you some good advice.
1. Warm up the plastic casing that covers the mount to the body. To soften the strip, warm up the double-sided tape; 2. Carefully pry off the casing itself (without fanaticism) since the pistons that hold it are very fragile; 3. Prepare some kind of stick or a second pair of hands to help you hold the trunk lid (even though it is plastic, it weighs a fair amount).
In order to free the mounting plate hinge from the old shock absorber, it is necessary to make an incision. For this process, I used a Dremel3000 with which I cut the roof of my former Subaru. A small grinder is also suitable for this (the main thing is not to overdo it or a metal blade.
We release the hinge and try it on with the new shock absorbers. Before the final installation, it is advisable to lubricate the place under the hinge with some kind of lubricant; in my case I used LIQUI MOLY LM 47 CV joint grease, left over from previous machines.
This is what the new shock absorber looks like on the old mounts:
Source
Recommendations: how to increase service life
When choosing shock absorbers for the trunk, you need to take into account the degree of intensity of their use in the future. For example, if you use the trunk very regularly, the best option would be to purchase a gas shock absorber. Despite the fact that these models are considered the most expensive, they will pay for themselves with a long service life and reliability.
The main rule when using the rear trunk door stops is: in the cold season, it is strictly not recommended to lift the trunk with a sharp jerk. This may result in a reduction in the service life prescribed by the manufacturer.
In winter, in severe frosts, the trunk should be opened slowly, as if helping the device to lift the lid. This is due to the fact that at low temperatures the working substance of the mechanism becomes more viscous.
When choosing a trunk lid shock absorber, it is better to give preference to the model that has greater buoyancy force.
Magneti marelli shock absorber with 475H buoyancy force
There are several factors to consider when choosing a tonneau rack. The car owner must decide for himself how often he will use the tailgate or cargo area.
As mentioned above, the operation of the mechanism is significantly influenced by the climatic nature of the region. Therefore, when choosing a mechanism for your car, you should immediately pay attention to the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding resistance to high or low temperatures. Finally, the weight of the cargo area lid cannot be ignored. The heavier the body, the greater the buoyancy force the mechanism must have.
Let's sum it up
So we figured out what kind of trunk shock absorbers there are, how to remove and install them. In principle, there is nothing complicated. But it is necessary to take into account some nuances. For example, try not to damage the fastenings and not lose anything. In addition, the new stops must be used carefully.
The best option is to open the trunk and see what shock absorbers are currently installed. Use the electronic catalog to search and order a suitable option or a high-quality substitute. If the old stops are with the piston down, then it is advisable to install new ones in the same position. It is this placement that will make their work as efficient as possible. Also try not to suddenly open the trunk or hood lid at sub-zero temperatures. This can kill the shock absorbers within a few years. It is also better to avoid racks that are too cheap, as they are unlikely to turn out to be good.
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