V40: Guide : how to change tailgate gas struts

[pierremcalpine]

While on the topic of these struts, while they are supposed to allow the trunk to close under it's own weight does a new set allow the trunk to slam down hard when it closes? I find that mine develops some pretty good momentum by the time it shuts - so much so that the bumper has two little indentations from the hatch coming down on it. I've taken to holding the hatch by the handle until the last possible second so that it shuts smoothly...is that they way they are supposed to work?

[druid]

The new ones allow it to hold halfway but then it slams open, down is less forcefull.

Originally Posted by TylerDurdenK

I'll take them if they're still available!?

I can confirm that they are gone!

[stephend]

Important safety information: wear your hard hat while changing the struts, so that when (not if!) the tailgate descends on your head, it doesn't cause quite so much swearing.

Got mine to do on the 740: genuine Volvo, not cheap. First I need to fix the pin, though. The captive nut has long since not been captive, leaving the pin wonky and the strut inclined to pop off it, leading to tailgate descending on head, swearing etc as above, inevitably when trying to load something bulky and heavy into boot!!

[happy diver]

I've got rub marks on the bottom corners of the tailgate and bumper.
but then my struts weren't entirely finished and I would support the gate when closing.

The new struts support the gate down to just over a foot from closing
and if I give it a nudge is shuts with a clathunk rather than a slam

They're bloody heavy, I recon six blokes just for the glass.

I was just lubing the strut pivots on the tiny boot of the C70
one strut still attached and almost snapped my body

[pierremcalpine]

Well even after the numerous warnings posted and even though iI did insert a support I STILL managed to get nailed by the tailgate coming down on the back of my head. Wow. I forgot that I was supporting it with a ski pole and pushed it upwards (the tailgate) so that I could fit the new strut in and then bang! Down it came. At least it was the softer part of the tailgate (the carpeted piece). Anyhow it turns out mine were shot. Now that the new struts are in there is way more resistance to dampen the speed of the tailgate when it closes. Thanks for the feedback.

[skyship007]

Fitted these ATP struts about a month ago and they seem real good:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/301265041204?...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[baldmosher]

The Magnetti ones are excellent. It doesn't thud down nor bounce up. For £25 they sound the same as the £45 ones someone else bought.

The ones I gave away were not that good but heck, they were free in the end! So maybe worth buying a pair and then asking for a refund

Skyship's heckklappendaempferen sound good too

[baldmosher]

Just a word of warning on those Magnetti Marelli struts. The left strut somehow twisted and unscrewed itself from the bottom clip over time, so the strut just popped out and the boot dropped. Gave me a nice bump on the head and scraped away a bit of the paint.

Removed, screwed it back in, and refitted, but just keep an eye on it.

One other minor thing, the paint has worn away on the outside edge of the struts at the top, both sides, it's been rubbing on the bodywork as the boot is closed (possibly when other people slam it), so it looks like they're actually a few microns too wide for the car. Not a deal breaker, and thankfully the paint on the strut is softer than the paint on the car so no damage done.

[MartinPorter]

Originally Posted by baldmosher

I'm guessing this will be the same for any car but I didn't find anything approaching simple instructions or with photos, and it took me a fair bit of head scratching before it all made sense.

you will need:
new gas struts
flat blade screwdriver- small
a prop

at each end of the strut is a plastic nut, around which you'll find a metal clip that acts as a locking mechanism.

Prise off the metal clip with a flat blade screwdriver.

Use a broom handle or similar to prop the hatch open. If you don't, when you remove the struts it'll drop on your head. I used a mop handle and jammed it between a heavy box in the boot and the interior grab handle so it wouldn't slip, and pulled the hatch down a bit so it was jammed pretty tight before I started.

Pull the strut nut away from the metal bolt, you might need to wobble it a bit but it'll come off easily.

Push the new strut back on, bottom end first. You might need to twist it around to fit both ends. Repeat for the other side

photos attached

Sorry about this.. but I can't see any photos!

[baldmosher]

Yep. Forum lost all attached photos a while back. I'll upload them to Imgur if I remember.

Frankly you don't need the photos, it's so simple to do.