The tutorial for replacing the trunk torsion bars with gas springs.

[philipt]

So here it is, the tutorial for replacing your torsion bars with gas springs.

Step 1.
Purchase your parts:
The lifts (60lbs), 2 needed
McMaster-Carr
The nuts, 1 package (only need 2 nuts)
McMaster-Carr
The 5/16"-18 tap, (you can get this cheaper at HomeDepot)
McMaster-Carr

You will also need:
A good Drill
2 1/2" wrenches
a drill bit (if you buy your tap at home depot)
a center punch

Step 2.
Marking your spots:
-measure down from the top of the trunk supports 2 7/8"
+(if you are over 3" at all, the shocks will not fit in the area while closed)
-center punch at the 2 7/8" mark in the middle of the bar
-drill your hole with the tap device (listed above) or use the drill bit that came with your tap.
+(go kinda slow. You want to make sure the treads are in good shape)
-repeat this on the other side
(NOTE) I did not do mine correctly and in bent the metal back near the speakers.


Step 3.
Use your tap tool to widen the hole, back by the speakers (there should be 2 holes, drill out the ones closer to the center of the car)


Step 4.
Make sure and prop up the trunk lid or have a friend hold it then remove the trunk springs with a crowbar for leverage

Step 5.
Attach the struts to the trunk supports


Step 6.
Attach the struts to the holes by the speaker
-Put a nut on the other side of the stud. (the hole is too wide to hold this without the nut)





Step 7.
Umm...Your done

Any Questions feel free to contact me. I will try to answer them as best as possible.

P.S.
There is also another strut you could use that you do not have to be nearly as exact with but it will cost about $20 more and require a couple other steps. If you would like those parts just let me know and I will post them.

[~(ACE)~]

[JayTea]

very cool

[midnitesi]

video of it working?

[midnitesi]

btw, pics of the tools would help some out

[philipt]

Video is uploading...

[philipt]

I need to clarify. This is not a trunk lift, this is just a replacement to the springs. Here is a video though.

YouTube Video

Also a list of the better struts to use and the other parts.

Studs:
Lift Supports
or
4x McMaster-Carr
Struts:
2x Lift Supports
Nuts:
1 package McMaster-Carr
Tap:
McMaster-Carr

[midnitesi]

Originally Posted by philipt

I need to clarify. This is not a trunk lift, this is just a replacement to the springs. Here is a video though.



Also a list of the better struts to use and the other parts.

Studs:
Lift Supports
or
4x McMaster-Carr
Struts:
2x Lift Supports
Nuts:
1 package McMaster-Carr
Tap:
McMaster-Carr

there u go

[BRIANxJDM]

shouldnt this be in the DIY?

[iluvmycsx]

nice diy

[portabuddy]

did this well over a year ago...

[portabuddy]

DIY: Trunk Shocks, no more BULKY torsion bars

[honhon]

good idea, maybe an addition is to add a washer to the stud by the speaker so it can spread the load of the strut.

[scooter]

Could you, theoretically, use one with more pressure and it would open the trunk for you? Just a thought, I really have no idea about this area of technical genius but to me it makes since.

[Lstarz14]

nice DIY

[philipt]

Originally Posted by portabuddy

DIY: Trunk Shocks, no more BULKY torsion bars

Didn't want mine showing.

[philipt]

Originally Posted by honhon

good idea, maybe an addition is to add a washer to the stud by the speaker so it can spread the load of the strut.

I just added washers to it yesterday. It did helped a little. I used 2 washers per side to step up to 2" washers.

[philipt]

Originally Posted by scooter

Could you, theoretically, use one with more pressure and it would open the trunk for you? Just a thought, I really have no idea about this area of technical genius but to me it makes since.

You could, but it already can start to bend the metal near the speaker. I would think this would be worse if you got a 130lb strut.

[portabuddy]

i ended up welding the washers on just because i was worried about the same thing...


I had to actuly grind my bolts to be balls so that they would fit in there since the proper one was way too short to go through and i was tooooo lazy to make a bracket.

[scooter]

Originally Posted by philipt

You could, but it already can start to bend the metal near the speaker. I would think this would be worse if you got a 130lb strut.

Worse in what way?

What if you reinforced the metal with a piece of flat steel or an L bracket or something. Not very good looking but if you're going to cover it, in my case, I'm wondering if it would solve the issue of bending metal.

This isn't something I'm doing right away anyway. Gotta get my trunk and audio finished before I start any of this stuff. One thing at a time. I was just trying to get a better idea of how it worked and if we could make it better.