Just finished replacing our '94 FD's rear hatch lift supports with aftermarket type. Other threads have covered this subject, but I didn't note usage of this particular brand ("Tuff Support") in any of them. These supports are made in Turkey, and a label on the set's package states "X000P9WT2J - 2 pieces (SET) Tuff Supports 1993 to 1995 Mazda RX7 - New." Another label (one on each lift support package) states "Tuff Support Gas Springs - 610601." I bought these online.

These supports match the OEM lengths and do fit, but not without some modifications, as others have written of other brands. There are the well-documented issues with the OEM brackets, which are integral with the OEM supports and which have to be removed for use with the new supports. My approach applies only to this particular replacement. Here's what I did:

1. Opened hatch and tied rope from hatch lid's latch bracket to overhead garage door hinge with door in up position ("skyhook" method).
2. Pulled off plastic trim running across front of trunk car body. (This exposed one plastic fastener on each end of the next plastic trim pieces that had to be removed to clear the hatch lid-mounted ball ends of the OEM supports.)
3. Removed the plastic fasteners from the long plastic trim pieces running from the front of hatch lid to the ball ends of the supports, and removed the trim pieces.
4. Removed the scuff plates, seat belt lower mounting bolts, and rear quarter panels per the manual.
5. Unscrewed the 2 bolts now accessible on each side of car body which hold the OEM brackets at the front of the lift supports.
6. Hacksawed off the ball ends of the rear mounts on the hatch lid. (Necessary because of the extremely tight fit of the screws)
7. Unscrewed the OEM remaining pieces of the ball-ended bolts (much torque needed).
8. Placed one OEM lift support bracket in a vise and drilled a 5/16" hole into the peened end of the bearing pin. When almost through, used a vise-grip to destroy the outer rim of the drilled piece and tapped the pin out of the bracket.
9. Repeated for the other OEM lift support bracket.
10. Attempted assembly of the OEM bracket to the aftermarket lift support. This was unsuccessful due to excessively long spacer stack-up covering the new bearing pin's circlip groove. Removed large spacer and replaced with metal flat washers (2 thick, one thin). With this setup the groove was exposed and the circlip could be installed.
11. Installed the new supplied ball-ended bolts into the hatch lid.
12. Installed the new lift supports, which worked as advertised.
13. Re-installed all the plastic pieces, seat belt support, etc.

Ate lunch.

 

So no pics of said product?

 

Sorry; added pics of pkg labels above. The unit looks like the OEM except for the ends. Hatch lid end is a ball socket with retainer, just like the OEM support. Car body end is a flat metal piece with the correct size hole to take supplied parts and the OEM bracket. The only fitment problem is the oversized stack-up of the supplied spacers. As I wrote above, I replaced the thick spacer with flat washers allowing the circlip to snap into the pin's groove. Pic of instructions added below. Note: Pulling the rear hatch lid release now results in the hatch lid opening fully on its own.

 

Nice! Good to have some more options! These gas struts don't last forever.

Keep us posted on how they do in the long term!

Dale

 

Ha! The car is 24 years old and I'm almost 78! We're in a race to the finish and there "ain't no long term," sorry!

 

Wonder if this will work with the 99 spec rear wing?

 

How much does it weigh? It's pretty hard to push our hatch lid down with the new lift supports, but this is a plain lid with no wing.

 

Anyone try these to see if they actually come like the picture and fit? Seems the review mentions they need welding. None of the local stores have the ones required for the fd.

 

The illustration on Amazon's website does not match the "Tuff Support Lift Supports" that I bought and installed. Amazon shows a body-end bracket already attached to the lift support, which would save a lot of work, i.e. removing the bracket from the OEM lift support and adding it to the aftermarket new lift support. But PLEASE NOTE: The information in the upper left corner of the Amazon web page states: "W/O Brackets" which would make these the same as the ones I bought.

(In Amazon's "Product Details" the manufacturer's part number is the same as the ones I bought, even though the illustration is different.)

I see no reason why any welding would be required.

 

So fyi, bought the mighty lifts from autozone and they did have the main hinge part that works. Had to order online though, but came with everything needed.

 

Have you put them in yet? Any thoughts? Have a wing? I need to get some replacements soon but would prefer not to have to do a bunch of hacking and will be running a heavy wing...

 

I must be super lucky as the struts in my 03/1992 FD R1 still work great!

 

I have the evo gt wing, my old struts would hold the hatch up the first try, but afterwards would sink so thought I'd give these a try and install tomorrow. Will get some pictures, but not sure if the hinges are supposed to be there or not as they were in the bottom of the shipped box and the struts seemed to have been opened. At around 25 bucks a piece, I grabbed two and there was two of those hinges as well.

 

I just got my tuff supports from Amazon. No front side brackets included. Kinda pisses me off because the photo clearly shows a front bracket.

​​​​​​​It has the bushing and pin kit to use the oem bracket. My initial test fit shows the plastic flange bearing has too large an OD to fit inside the stock oem bracket. The hole will need to be opened up. This might be why the op had to use a thinner inboard spacer for the c clip to meet the groove... If the flange bearing can fit in the bracket hole, there will be an extra 1/8" of pin shaft exposed so the c clip groove will be exposed. Plus you want that flange bearing insulating the pin from the bracket so it won't rattle around.

I had to send the set from Rock Auto back. Looks almost identical to the tuff supports, but no front bracket and not even a bushing adaptor kit for the oem bracket. Must have been a packaging error, but completely worthless.

​​​​​​​

 

Old on bottom.


Alright, so install was pretty easy, just had to make sure the strut was on the outside of bracket or the hatch would have a gap. I did use a different clip ring as the supplied one didn't work well with the hardware. While it doesn't pop the hatch up, it will hold weight where it is put, my hatch has the evonet gt wing and was pretty heavy with both struts off.overall pleased with the price versus the stock ones.

 

wait so PN B95589 mighty lift struts from autozone are a direct replacement for factory hatch struts?

 

Its looking like his set came with brackets which is definitely going to make the install plug in play.

-groovin

 

Welp, I'm ordering off the AZ website, 54.85 w/ tax. If it comes with the brackets and is just a matter of changing out the E click... then wow. much better than > $300 for an OEM set.

 

Yea, mine holds up my hatch with gt wing fine. It seems you have to kind of pull it open, but once it is at a spot, it stays there. Small things such as making sure the strut is on the inner part of the car as if it isn't, it will hit against the hatch plastic. Other than that, was a pretty straight forward install.

 

I installed my Tuff Supports today. I did have to enlarge the oem bracket holes to match the supplied flange bearing OD. Once it was able to press into the bracket hole, the stack of spacers and the lift body hole was the perfect length for the c clip to engage the pin groove.

When I pull the release lever, the hatch now opens all the way by itself. No wing or spoiler on my car.

Question... Was anyone able to install the small plastic trim bits that cover the front bracket? Mine don't fit now.

No big deal, but ​​​​​​​anyone have a solution?

 

I used a magnet and a fender washer. Its not as flush as OEM but it remains attached for now. I'll brainstorm about better methods at a later date. Check out my how to: thread for pictures.

-groovin

 

Sorry wrong location.

 

My plastic covers won't hold onto the new setup either. I have also read that someone else had that problem. Oh well, into my
"parts" box they went.

 

I used a fender washer and a magnet to hold it in place. Its not as flush as when the oem lift supports were in place but works as a temp fix until a better idea comes along. Refer to my thread for pictures.

-groovin

 

Proof of weight amount it can hold.