Hi...I'm replacing the gas struts that (don't) hold the engine hood up in my '87 5000 QT wagon...and I can't seem to get the pins out that hold the tops of the struts in place.
They're basically like cotter pinned sleeves....the clips on the inboard ends of the sleeves came off easily, but the sleeves themselves, which pass through the top strut hole and go through a flange spot-welded to the underside of the hood are completely resistant to being tapped/pushed/turned out.
In fact, with the struts unhooked from the bottom at the inner fender lips, lifting the strut turns the sleeve, which suggests the sleeves are either corroded (I've sprayed them liberally, though they don't look rusty) or somehow attached/clipped/slotted to the sleeves in a way I can't see or figure out.
I replaced the rear hatch struts in a few minutes, but the engine hood struts have me stumped.
Am I missing some Secret of German Engineering here?
Help!
Thanks Winston