Trunk lid support
 

What's the trick to reattaching the lower driver's side lift support clip?The bolt is in but I've run out of room and my kid doesn't understand a word I'm saying.

lift the lid higher until the pin slides in.

Thx RS. Ok with the bolt. My problem is the clip that goes on that bolt. No room to see the end of that bolt much less get my hand down there to get that clip on the end of it.

Many just leave the retaining clip off. The spring (gas) tension from the lift support will keep the pin in tension so it can't rattle out.

If you are OCD or Concours particular (like me) then you want to invest in some long hemostats and hold the clip with those to reach down and reattach it. Definitely takes some patients. :-)

Some like to tie a small piece of thread or dental floss to the clip just in case you lose it. Easy to retrieve with the string.

Cooper

I even purchased some very long hemostats, but the ones I got on Ebay didn't have enough spring tension to hold the clip.

I had gotten the heavy duty shocks for it and as it turned out, I wound up leaving the original one in on the driver side because I couldn't figure out how I was going to get the clip on the new one. I still have the new driver side shock in a cardboard box in the garage.

That being said, the new one on the passenger side is so much more powerful that I don't need any contribution from the one of the driver side. It pops open when I pull the lever just as pretty as you please. I think if I had a heavy duty shock on both sides it would pop open with enough force to throw the deck across the driveway.

Check this out achin94, I made this video about a year ago (I think). It should help:
Porsche 911 Carrera Rear-decklid-deck-lid Strut-Shock Replace-Repair - YouTube

I tied some cotton thread to the retaining clip so I got multiple goes at getting the clip on without losing it.

Who ever designed that cotter key was probably also responsible for maltreatment of prisoners in the early 40's.

I went to ACE and found an American cotter key and an American clevis pin at a fastener supply store. Disqualifies me for Concours but it worked! Hey, I'm 74 and 6'2" and I got my hands down in there! :D

Tom

I didn't have a problem with the retainer, but had a heck of a time getting the lower pin into place on the left side of the car.

Finally, I threaded some fine sewing thread through the hole in the end of the pin and then just tossed the pin down there. I was then able to get the thread through all the various holes involved, and then just pulled the pin through and that part of the job was done. No problem with the clip/retainer for some reason.

Roachclip hemostats, dental floss or leave it off....

Long needle nose pliers.

It requires a great deal of cussing then doing what I did and changing to a pin with a different style of clip.