$340 for Lift Supports!!!

Dealer wants $340 for a pair of lift supports for the hatchback on my

1985 Camry hatchback. (Purchased new... 220K... still 28mpg in city)

Have called several parts store and online sites and no one has replacement parts.

Looks like the production run of this model is too low for the aftermarket people to make these.

Even LiftSupportsDepot.com does not have them or an alternative.

I found an outfit in Canada that will recharge them for $125.

Anyone solve this before?

Thx Dave-in-Denver

Reply to
dwkerschen
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Wow... try eBay?

The recharge sounds like it's worth pursuing. What kind of guarantee are they willing to offer?

The hood support struts on my '96 gave way a few years back. My solution: a block of wood about 5 inches wide, 3/4 inch thick, 1 foot long, that I wedge between the hood and the support strut bar. I keep two of these blocks of wood in the trunk of my car at all times. Maybe you can do something similar?

Michael

Reply to
mrdarrett

Thanks Michael, Yep... no luck even on ebay.

The Canada guy said if they were fit to be recharged that they would last for years... will nail that down of course when/if I do this.

Yep... I will start doing the wood thing until I get a perm solution.

JCW has a $10 thing that I may try... it it a little arm that prevents the piston from sliding back into the cylinder when the hatch is up and open. Just flick the arm out of the way when ready to close.

Thx Dave-in-Denver

Reply to
dwkerschen

Try MONROE ,the have a complete range of uni struts for most applications.length and stroke are not critical within 50mm in most applications. As a volunteer firefighter I can assure you that in the event of the bonnet needing to be lifted in a crash/fire,blocks of wood or strut savers are a sure fire way to have your bonnet removed with a hydraulic cutting tool. I have a freind with a workshop not far from me who has a similar policy, he refuses point blank to work on a vehicle if the bonnet wont stay up. After 15 years of being belted in the head due to failed struts, im following his lead. if u need a hand with specs, give me a yell. its not hard and not expensive. regards, dave

Reply to
videokid400

Guess it boils down to insurance coverage...rescue team has to cut him out with a torch, vs save $340 and save the torch job... but then, if he needs rescuing, chances are the car won't be in good shape by that time anyway. (haha)

Took you 15 years to decide, mate???

Reply to
mrdarrett

Try what Danny G. or Viperkiller said in the Toyota group. I spent $2.45 for 5 feet of PCV tubing, 1" ID, and cut a length 5 7/8" long, then cut a slot lengthwise. Took a BIG screwdriver, pried it open and slipped it over the silver rod part. When I open my hood, the thing naturally flops forward and gets under the tubing part and holds it. To close you lift up and slide the pvc over the tube and close. SLICK!

Reply to
Hachiroku

Yeah bit slow arnt I, guess it comes from being belted in the head so many times..........

I had a look at monroe pricing, and in aus a pair of struts to suit toyota bonett would set you back about $35.00 AUD each ,dont know what that is in USD .....been belted in the head to much to do the maths. the other cheaper solution is to find the better of the two and just replace the worst one , then at a later date do the second...... regards, dave

Reply to
videokid400

On Apr 22, 4:41 pm, snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote: ...

Wow, I'd heard that doing one strut only will shorten its life. Is that information wrong, then?

Would only one good strut be strong enough to support the whole front hood (er, bonnet...?) if the other strut is uselessly bad?

Thanks for the info

Michael

Reply to
mrdarrett

You are correct, however you will 9 times out of 10 find that one strut has some residual resistance.......If it was me yes id do both , but on a budget one would get you out of trouble for a short time.Yes one will support a bonnet (hood?). regards , dave

Reply to
videokid400

Ok, thanks for the info. One of these days, I'll have to figure out which support strut is stronger, and get a replacement for the other.

(Why couldn't Toyota just install a rod...?)

Michael

Reply to
mrdarrett

I have seen a couple of camrys fitted with aftermarket or home made rods. UGLY but very effective. dave

Reply to
videokid400

I wonder how much the Camry hood weighs on a '94 model. It seems very heavy on my parent's car, but I am used to an aluminum one that weighs

17 pounds and uses a single aftermarket strut in place of the factory hood prop.

I replaced the hood struts on the Camry with aftermarket ones that were $23.00 each. I was not happy with how they secured to the car body so I used bolts with locking nuts in place of the snap system that they had. They have been on the car for about 3 years now and have worked perfectly so far. The Camry hood prop for several years before that was a small garden rake.

Pat

Reply to
pws

The hood is incredibly heavy on my wife's '99 Camry. Somehow it has a rod, not struts. Guess the previous owner took the struts out...

Michael

Reply to
mrdarrett

Not necessarily, I have a 99 Camry LE which came from the factory equipped with a rod to hold up the hood (unlike my wife's 95 Camry LE which has the struts). By 1999, the cheapening of the Camry was quite evident.

Reply to
Justa Lurker

Where were you and your friend when brains were handed out? Never think of cutting a 2 x 4 to fit the particular vehicle you are working on?

Reply to
sharx35

So, exactly, what percentage of the time is the hood open? Who gives a rat's patootie what it looks like for such a short time?

Reply to
sharx35

WRONG!! My Japan-built Camry, brand new, had the rod, not the struts. The rod works fine. The heavy hood is a sign of quality.

>
Reply to
sharx35

Struts just wear out. I much prefer the rod. Anyone who can't lift the 99's hood should be on disability pension and have an attendant to do the lifting.

Reply to
sharx35

Aw, Good Ole sharx. Getting right to the heart of the matter, no beating around the bush! No Siree!

Where the heck you BEEN, boy? ;)

Reply to
Hachiroku

I was in trade school and doing my apprenticeship and becoming QUALIFIED to comment on such matters,and since then ,have obtained around 19 post trade quallifications.No in fact now I count its 23. A 4X2,well .... you have the average ammount of intelligence shown here ,which is why I will no longer bother. Ive had it all ,.....from parts supplements that are supposed to be workshop manuals on antenna repairs to NOW 4X2s holding up hoods. I wish you all the very best. It MAY be of interest to know that just OCCASIONALLY people who are TRAINED and QUALLIFIED , MAY JUST have more idea than you. dave

Reply to
videokid400

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