Boot Lid Support Pistons

[biggee]

Has anybody had problems with the boot lid pressured units that hold the thing in the upright position.

I have used the boot today to place my shopping only to find that when I canme to remove the lid will not stay open.

How do these things work and how can I test them. It seems difficult to beleive that both have stopped working.

Any help gratefully received.

[Q.S.]

Has anybody had problems with the boot lid pressured units that hold the thing in the upright position.

I have used the boot today to place my shopping only to find that when I canme to remove the lid will not stay open.

How do these things work and how can I test them. It seems difficult to beleive that both have stopped working.

Any help gratefully received.

You will probably find that just one of them has gone. It requires both to be working to hold the lid up.

If you open the boot and prop it up (fully open) with something like a piece of brush shaft, you can disconnect the two rams, you will then be able to compare them. Try compressing the rams by hand (they are very strong normally) and you should be able to tell which one has given up the ghost.

Do not try to disconnect them without the boot lid fully open. Take care, these boot lids are heavier than you might think.

[pplsmith]

Because of the weight of the tailgate it needs the resistance of both pistons to stay open, a simple test would be to look firstly for any oily leek and secondly undo one of the bolts that fix to either the tailgate or the car, it should be impossible or very difficult to move them by hand. Either way sounds like one needs replacing, I'd try a internet scrap yard rather than pay dealer prices.

[tony.ericson]

Has anybody had problems with the boot lid pressured units that hold the thing in the upright position.

I have used the boot today to place my shopping only to find that when I canme to remove the lid will not stay open.

How do these things work and how can I test them. It seems difficult to beleive that both have stopped working.

Any help gratefully received.

You will probably find that just one of them has gone. It requires both to be working to hold the lid up.

If you open the boot and prop it up (fully open) with something like a piece of brush shaft, you can disconnect the two rams, you will then be able to compare them. Try compressing the rams by hand (they are very strong normally) and you should be able to tell which one has given up the ghost.

Do not try to disconnect them without the boot lid fully open. Take care, these boot lids are heavier than you might think.

I asked local Toyota Main Dealer for quote to replace struts - £207!!!

I went on web to www.strutsdirect.co.uk - specified the model and year, ordered and received 2 new struts for £38 (inc P&P)

They took less than 30 minutes to fit - I am not a mechanic - just carefully followed the instructions from Struts Direct.

So what was the Dealer going to do for £170?

[just miko]

Nothing. Just take the easy money from the sheep !!!!.

[Thermal]

These gas springs are fairly standard items.

"Google" for your nearest gas spring shop/manufacturer and show them the information that is printed on the label on the existing springs.

This information is the housing's diameter, the pressure in Nm, and the total piston travel.

Put the old joints back on and you're done, for the equivalent of ~ EUR 35.00

Make sure you get the orientation correct.