Rear Hatch Strut Vehicle Mount / Strut Removal?
 

Alright, so I finally got tired of the rear hatch slamming on my head at inconvenient times. . . 'bought some mighty-lift struts from autozone.

My question is about the vehicle mount (pics below) -- how does one remove the strut from this? Must it be cut off, or is it something simple that I couldnt figure out in ten minutes with hand tools?

Many thanks in advance. . .

cd

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/...a974201d_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/...79d2321d_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/...ede4c730_b.jpg

looks like it is pressed in. I don't think you can remove it without damaging it.

A even cheaper solution is to get one of those cylindrical mailing tubes, to prop it up.

Just make sure you don't use it when it's raining.... or else your hatch will fall on your head.

Take it back, and get one that is made for your car. Probably will have to buy OEM.

Thanks..

I'd rather not pay over $250 for what is otherwise less than $60 in parts...

I'll try sawing the strut off and then drilling out the mount to make room for the new mount/eclip the mighty lifts come with. If it doesnt work I'll return them then and decide if going OEM is worth it.

What a pita.

adam you know whether this struct will support the r1 or just base? i got a 99 spec and no ways are my struct supporting. do you use these yourself or anyone?

There was a GB for the '99 Wing based one a few years ago:

https://www.rx7club.com/fdnewbie-archive-forum-190/gb-99spec-wing-equipped-hatch-struts-586218/

You might talk to http://www.rx7boutique.com/ to see if they can get them.

Success! Replaced stock struts with Mighty-Lifts -- A quick and Dirty Howto
 

Alright. . . .

Step 1 -- remove vehicle strut mount from stock strut:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/...a90bce2a_o.jpg

Step 2 -- grind off the metal sticking out the back, so it is flush with the mount:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/...2b4b1570_o.jpg

I used a Ryobi SawzAll equivalent with a metal cutting blade for step 1, after securing the mount to a vice, and an ancient Wissota bench grinder for step 2:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3514/...38dd30ce3d.jpg

After you have it ground flush just 'punch out' the sleeve you just ground flush. I put it back in the vice and took an old drill bit and used a hammer to tap it out.

Your done!

Now you just have to secure the new struts to the freed vehicle mount using the supplied (at least my cheapo Autozone mighty-lift's came with mounting hardware) equipment.

It works great!

Quick video of my 'win':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feA5VA76CHs

I would also recommend that you acquire some washers, a can of black spraypaint, and a few rubber rings -- I did not have this hardware, but will be picking some up this week to tidy-up the install; to remove any 'shine' from non-black interior parts, and any rattling.

Hope this helps someone; I suspect even if you did not have the tools, you could buy them all (possibly used) and the mighty-lifts, or the Stabilus ones Adam linked to above, for less than what the OEM replacement ones cost.

Cheers! :icon_tup:

Just to clarify (before someone points it out!), I miss-typed. I used a vice to hold the mount when cutting with the Ryobi, and a pair of vice-grips to grind it down with the bench grinder.

cd

HAHAHA. Great victory. I love it.

Dude, nice job. Those are better than mine............and mine work! I wish my hatch opened on its own

Thanks guys!

Hotwheelz -- if you ever want to replace yours, I'd be more than happy to help. I suspect the total amount of labor involved is right at an hour, to remove struts, remove strut from mount, and re-assemble.

Let me figure out the 'tidy up' bits, and I'll let you know how much it costs in parts, but I can't imagine the whole project costing more thank $80, if you already have the tools.

cd

I don't know anything about this strut, except that it has the proper ends to fit an FD. I don't understand why anyone would go thru the trouble of cutting off the ends of the wrong strut, when the proper strut is readily available.

Coredata,

Once you cut off the end shown in the photo, you still don't have the properly fitted end on the strut. The ends should have ball fitments to make them operate as intended. What did you do to make it fit right?

Well according to autozone the mighty lifts fit - they come with new ball joints to mount to the rear hatch, just remove the old (i think 12mm open ended wrench) - but from what i have seen the vehicle mounts only come pre-attached to the mazda struts, hence the effort.

The best way i can describe the stock vehicle mount is 'its a rod' - ill take a pic of what the vehicle ens of the stock strut looks like, maybe it will help my poor description.

I have, unfortunately, discarded the vehicle mount pieces that were cut off, but i assure you, there was nothing 'ball' about them, just thick tubes that are fixed in place the stock struts fit over..

cd

Its been a while since I changed mine out. The fitting attached to the car is definitely a ball. It looks like a small trailer hitch ball attached to a hex bolt. My fading memory tells me that the fitting on the hatch is exactly the same. Both of the ends on the struts snap onto the ball fittings. That is how the oem design works. The end fittings on the link I provided are like oem.

The OEM strut vehicle mount on my 1994 FD, Touring, was not a ball-type mount; you can see it in the pics in the original post, and no matter how you go about it, the stock OEM vehicle mount cannot be re-used without cutting (again, on my '94).

I should have followed your instructions and returned the Mighty lifts and gone with the ones you linked ;)

However, I was determined to use what I had in hand, and was successful (eventually).

OEM rear hatch strut without mount:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3592/...e3b9c01c_o.jpg

OEM rear hatch strut mount without strut:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/...9d0ff73b_o.jpg

thanks alot my dude... once the weather clear up in NYC that is my next target on my car...Im sick and hurting from the hatch falling on top of me..

Out of curiosity I bought the Stabilus struts that Adam posted above; unfortunately they have the same vehicle-style mount as the Autozone's.

So in short, if you want an OEM-style stable vehicle mount, it appears that you have to buy OEM, or mod your original OEM mounts to take aftermarket struts.

Pic of Stabilus strut vehicle mount:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3332/...5d6ec39b_o.jpg

If anyone is aware of an aftermarket strut that comes with a compatible vehicle ball-type mount, or an OEM-like vehicle mount, please let me know; I'd much rather have struts that arent held in place by e-clips, but I still cant rationalize spending the money for what the OEM struts cost.

Maybe I'll ask someone to do some welding to eliminate the eclip, that might work :)

cd

I just finished installing my Stabilus struts that were linked in this thread, but my hatch does not open on its own. :( Since I have done all the cutting, grinding, and fabricating to make the OEM mounts work with universial struts, I am willing to go to Autozone or NAPA and get a stronger set of struts. What force rating do the Stabilus strits have?

When I put the plastic trim pieces back in the Stabilus lift supports were not strong enough to hold my hatch up with my '99 spec spoiler. I just put the autozone mighty lift struts in and while my hatch dosen't open itself, at least it stays open.

+1 for mightylift

Thanks!
 

Thanks to OP for the how to post. Picked up some ebay hatch struts. (tuff support) and your win made my win possible!!! Respect!

Just did this and want to add, you dont have to saw the end off. As long as you grind it flat you will see a hole in the grinded spot. Get a star screwdriver in that hole and hit it with a hammer a few times. It'll pop off easily.

Not to beat the dead horse again but just trying to see what coredata bought for the lift shock? No one seemed to have posted what they actually bought and worked?

agent004 says the mightlift struts hold his hatch open with the 99 wing

stabilus struts are also mentioned as being the same strength...