I bought new hatch struts from Victoria British, but I can't figure out how to get the defroster stuff from the old struts to the new ones. As far as I know, the end pieces of the struts don't screw off. I heard the Strong Arm struts have removable end pieces, but I don't really want to send these back to VB. Has anyone succesfully moved the defroster from the old struts to the ones from VB?
thanks

 

I had same problem, I used the interior trim peices from a 83 that uses coiled leads rather than wires that connect on the struts.

 

They don't thread off, but they DO turn off...I had the same problem and sicked my brother on it. He just clamped the shaft in some vice grips or a vice and turned the ends off so the electrical connections could be removed. The new struts I bought had the ends threaded on so it was easy to install the electrical connections on them.

 

I don't think it'll be a problem getting the defroster stuff of the old struts since I wouldn't mind just cuttting the old strut to slide stuff off, but it's the new struts I'm having trouble with. I think I'm just gonna send them back to VB along with the seat upholstry that was the wrong color. Then I think I'm gonna buy some of those Strong Arm struts with the removable ends.

 

Good call...I got mine from PartsAmerica.com and they had removable ends.