Deck Lid Struts...

[Mitch Leland]

Howdy,

Regarding an "84" Turbo Look

1. I took the engine deck lid struts off to install my new firewall insulation. My question is there are two holes in the mounting bracket under the package tray, which hole do you use, the upper or lower hole.

2. The PET manual shows the cylinder (larger tube) facing to the rear. It would appear to me that the large tube would mount forward with the rod going to the deck lid. Does it make any difference which way you install the strut?

3. The right hand strut mounting bracket under the package tray has only one leg with a captive 6mm nut. There doesn't appear to be a sleeve/spacer to bottom the bolt out on. What keeps the 6mm bolt from unscrewing itself?

[kilodawg]

Hey Mitch,

I don't think the hole choice matters much. I just installed new ones last month and in checking for you I noticed that I have the drivers side in the bottom hole and the passengers side in the top (My wife with the small hands got them in and I don't want to ask her to do it over ) the lid opens, closes and sits just fine.

I also have the larger tube facing the rear just like the ones that were there previously.

Don't know for sure on why the screw on the right hand side doesn't back out. Maybe it's the side load that the shock itself places on the screw. I really don't even think the small clips on the other pins are absolutely necessary. To remove the pins you really need to extend the lid enough to remove the compressive force of the shock otherwise they are tough to remove even when you are trying to remove them...

[Mitch Leland]

Kilodawg,

Thanks for the input. I think what I'll do for the right side strut is to drill out the mounting eye on the strut slightly larger and install a machined sleeve so the bolt can bear on the sleeve and be tighten as to not inhibit the pivoting of the strut as the lid opens or closes...

Some how the struts seem like they would look better with the larger barrel forward. I guess I could try that, however the parts book shows them with the larger barrel facing aft just like you said.

See ya,

[pozee]

Can't help you with the holes because mine only has the one...but the larger barrels do face aft on mine.

Just curious, do you have two holes on both the hinge and under the tray? Maybe for dual shock application?

[Mitch Leland]

Pozeeeeeee,

The left side under the package tray has two sheet metal arms and uses a pin with a keeper on the end of the pin. The right side has only one sheet metal arm with a welded 6 mm nut. I'm pretty sure this is the way the car was manufactured, not sure why they're not both the same.

[Mitch Leland]

Pozee,

Whooops, I miss read your reply, yes I have two holes on both brackets at the underside of the package tray. I think the holes are too close together to utilize two struts, plus there's only one set of holes on the engine deck lid.