Boot / Trunk Gas Struts XKC 3893

[J.A.Holden@btinternet.com]

Sort of new to the TR7 (well, had one 24 years ago, pre-family, but i've forgotten so much of the detail). The boot lid appears to have 2 hydraulic struts, facing back into the car (against each hinge) - is that ALL the support for the lid? (Mine are clearly not working if so!) Should there be anything else? i note some pre-drilled screw holes on lid frame left hand side, which make me think there might be something missing!

[paul w]

Late wedges have struts and they dont last long,esp.if you have a boot spoiler or rack.Earlier cars had a telescopic strut like the one that keeps bonnet open.Sounds like your's has had it removed and replaced with the new ones. Rimmers cat. shows the tele'code as 612473. The gas strut is xkc3893.

See ya. Paul

[J.A.Holden@btinternet.com]

Thanks, Paul. To be fair, they may well be the originals, so perhaps not surprising they are fit only for the bin!

[TR Tony]

The replacement gas struts are readily vailable from the specialists like Rimmers, S&S, Robsport.

Easy to fit but don't loose the little R clip that retains the end of the strut. Easy to drop when removing/installing.

Tony

[Hasbeen]

When my struts stopped holding the boot lid up, I pulled one off, &
found a sticker on it. The stickes said it had been re-gassed, 7
years earlier by XXXX.

When I rang them, they said their mobile service didn't get out to
my area, but they would re-gas them while I waited, if I took them in to them.

They put them into a pressure cylinder, & pumped it up to 3000 PSI.
This was held for a few minutes, & the job was done. The pressure
simply seeps in, past the one-way seals. Cost, about $30, the pair.

That was 3 years ago, & they are still fine.

They hold new ones in stock, with out any pressure in them,
& then gas them up to order. Cost of new replacements $70.

Try re-gassing them. There are companies who specialise in struts,
& they have to have gassing capacity, to pump up the new ones.

Hasbeen

[FI Spyder]

You might try taking one into Canadian Tire, Autozone, Pep Boys etc and see if they have a replacement the will work. Seems to me someone has done that for less money than VB is asking. I replaced mine with VB ones 'cause I never thought of the other option. I periodically wipe all my struts with a rag with silicone lubricant on it to let the rod slide past the seal more smoothly so it won't wear the seal and let the gas escape. Haven't replaced one yet that had that done to it.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[mb4tim]

I'm in the same boat now. I have a couple feelers out now to avoid Moss's $69 each price tag.

-Tim

[UKPhilTR7]

I had this situation too when I first got my girl. I then went to a show over here and Robsport were there so I brought some new struts there and fitted them all OK. Since then I have not had any problems, but in saying that I have a spoiler to fit, which I hope will not affect the struts too much.

[mb4tim]

Here's what a local strut guys asked,". What pressure would
you think these need to be to hold open the trunk?"

Any thought 30-50-80 pounds??

-Tim

[mikehardwick]

Guys, I simply fitted a telescopic strut as per early cars. It requires a dash of oil on the mechanism once every million miles or so[:)], otherwise - fit and forget!

[mb4tim]

but the struts are so slick...LOL. Plus the kids won't break them or bend the trunk lid trying to close the trunk.

-Tim

[Hasbeen]

Tim, mine are at 180 PSI each.

They don't push the lid up, the way the struts on the Mazda 2, push
the tail gate up, once it is opened past 15 degrees. They do hold
it up quite securely, once it is opened.

Hasbeen

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

The Original TR7s has the sliding metal support. When they went to the gas struts, they just kept the bolt holes on the boot lid. Probably an out sourced thing.

When I got my green 7, the gas struts had already gone bad and the PO had removed the luggage rack hoping that would help keep the lid open, NOT!

I took a metal sliding strut and the lower support bracket from an early 7 I had lying around and install it on my green car. I have been to many shows and taken 3 1st places, the judges haven't even noticed.

Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay

[FI Spyder]

Brings to mind a club member that had a $3500 body & paint job done in black on his '79 only to notice after the fact that the left hand leading edge of trunk doesn't line up with body because someone had tried to closed the trunk when slide latch hadn't transfered to closed position. Now he has to look for another trunk and get it painted. I know he's wishing he had hydraulic struts 'cause he said so.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[mb4tim]

there are many MGB boot lids with creases near the support. Guess why?

-Tim