trunk strut question

LarryP · 03-29-2003, 10:51 AM

All right, I _know_ this is dumb, but I cannot find the answer. I installed the pneumatic struts for the rear trunk lid. Easy enough. Now, am I supposed to remove the original trunk springs and rollers, or do they work together?

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

Ditch the originals. The whole point of the struts is so you can s**tcan the torsion bars and rollers.

--DD

URY914 · URY914's Garage

Be careful when taking the springs and rollers a part. They can pop up and bite you.

LarryP · 03-29-2003, 06:14 PM

Thanks guys.

chief914 · chief914's Garage

Why hasn't anyone done a front trunk strut conversion?? I'm too lazy to do it myself and am waiting for someone else to figure out what stuts and mounting points. Seems like a natural though??

JmuRiz · JmuRiz's Garage

What's the best way to remove the torsion bars? Or do you guys just leave them in un attached to the hinge? Thanks, will be doing this myself soon and would like to have it all planned out in my head beforehand.

Nathan

LarryP · 03-31-2003, 09:07 AM

The rods cause no harm if left in the car but I thought it was inelegant. I unbolted the capture brackets at each end of the car. Mine has a metal hoop through which the rods pass (my understanding is only 1970-1972s have the hoop). Prior threads talk about cutting the hoop to remove the rods, but I took a Dremel tool and cut each rod once, then slid the halves out.

I do not know why anyone would want pneumatic struts for the front trunk since the springs used there do not tear the hinges off the car. Maybe for better looks, I suppose.

chief914 · chief914's Garage

Larry, My front springs squeek/squawk...sort of a haunted house sound

and I thought gas struts would be sweet.

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

The quick-n-dirty way I removed the torsion rods from a parts donor was with a cutoff wheel. Just cut the rod in half, it jumped when the cut went through! Made a loud noise, too. It didn't look like the Sawz-All was gonna work on the rod...

Or you could be boring, wrap up the end of the rod in a thick towel and shove it off the bolt in the hinge. Then unbolt the bracket for the rod. Still a good bit of tension on them at that point, as I recall, so be careful!!

--DD

LarryP · 03-31-2003, 08:02 PM

Chief, I have no squeeking at the front, so I did not think of that.

Dave, I put a 20" pry bar against the torsion rod, stuffed a wad of towel around the hinge, and pushed (yeah, yeah, i wore gloves and had goggles too). Nothing. Repeat. Nothing. repeat. Nothing. Finally figured out not to push the pry bar against the hinge, push it against the car. POP! Repeat on other side. POP! Then used a small cut off wheel on the rod itself and yes, there was still a bit of tension in it. Nothing to speak of though.